Bye bye Tulsa

[Flying low]

moving your family to tulsa is just like teaching your kids to become cubs fans
 
pure @&!$ @&*$%

Hey, don't knock our beloved CUBS. As a former "north sider" There's always next year...

 

[MCI transplant]

Hey, I spent the first ten years of my life not too far from where Lincoln, Belmont, and Ashland Ave's, converge!  Spent a lot of that time in Riverview Park! And I've been saying that ever since! ---- " There's always next year!"

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Sorry, I don't buy the theory that people will uproot their families and their lives and even leave immediate family relations to move to a place JUST to have weekends off. I'm not saying that that is NOT important to people, but I do not think that is the end all factor. 
I believe cost of living is a bigger factor which in itself results in a better quality of life. One example would be a mechanic being fortunate enough to have the wife stay home if she chooses to raise a family.
 
Tell you what Bob, what would you rather do? Pay a few thousand dollars a year in property taxes, pay less money for a larger home and property and pay a fraction of insurance rates with weekends off or pay $14000 a year in property taxes, pay more money for a smaller home and property taxes and outrageous car insurance rates and weekends off and not uproot your family?
 
As for the TULSA vs line issue, you should know better than just about anyone else how the line stations fared under the dominant TULSA voting bloc. So please don't claim that MY thinking is in the minority.
 
I have personally spoken to quite a few Tulsa mechanics up on field trips over the years who blatantly told us if we don't like what Tulsa has, move to Tulsa. 
 
FWIW, I do not believe an OH mechanic should be paid less than a line mechanic. But I do believe in GEO pay.
FWIW, I do not wish to see TUL disappear as I am against ANY outsourcing.
FWIW, I have NOTHING against OH mechanics. But let's be honest how the mighty TUL voting bloc, namely the local leadership, looked at line maintenance as being of lesser value.
Do you need anyone to remind you of your struggles with 514 presidents of years past?

 
I can totally buy it.
 
I was a Fleet Service Clerk at TULE for 12 years. I could only bid afternoons with weekends off or nights with weekdays off. After I got laid off I started a new career. For the first time in over a decade I am working days with weekends off and it has really improved my quality of life.
 
To me, it makes more sense just to leave the airline then to change your whole life to stay with them. I realize that some people may not feel that is an option for them, some however get so far in that survival mode they blind themselves to the fact that there are other jobs out there and other possibilities. Does it really make sense to give American Airlines/TWU that much control over your life?
 
When I started working for American Airlines I worked in revenue accounting as a temporary auditing airline tickets in the Triad building. It was a great job. I was offered a full time position; then AA backed off because Canada Air had bought Canadian Airlines and wanted to offshore the services American Airlines was providing. I had a wonderful experience working at Triad. I liked and respected the people I worked with. They liked me to. They even took out for a dinner on my last day.
 
I really liked working for American Airlines and wanted to stay. I was told they were hiring at TULE so I decided to put my application in.
 
This is where it went downhill.
 
I am not going to go into details but I will say that I loathed going to work every day at TULE. The BS and sense of entitlement at that place was overwhelming.
 
I can definitely say that there was a world of difference between the company side and the TWU side.
 
You may ask why I stayed.
 
The truth is I could not tell you why I stayed. I guess I just got caught up in that same survival mode everyone else does. They have employees that will put up with American Airlines crap because they get so shell shocked from surviving one layoff after another, moving again and again, chasing the job all over the United States that they will go to any lengths to keep their job. They do not need to contract jobs out because they can use fear to just keep whittling their current workforce to nothing.
 
I sacrificed twelve years trying to keep a job at American Airlines. I spent twelve of thirteen years of marriage on an opposite shift as my wife. I had no family life at all during the week. I got laid off and came back 3 times. I have to ask what I gained for those twelve years. Did I gain any marketable skill? No. Did I grow professionally? No. Did I have any prospects for future growth doing the job I was doing? No. Did I keep my job? NO.
 
I put twelve years into American Airlines and I have absolutely nothing to show for it but bad memories.
 
Is the sacrifice in your personal life worth chasing the job? What will you have to show for it in ten years? Twenty years? Some of you may make it to crew chief or QA but the fact is most of you will be doing the same job till you retire, IF you retire. You better ask yourself if that is what you really want.

 

[dfw gen]

I can totally buy it.
 
I was a Fleet Service Clerk at TULE for 12 years. I could only bid afternoons with weekends off or nights with weekdays off. After I got laid off I started a new career. For the first time in over a decade I am working days with weekends off and it has really improved my quality of life.
 
To me, it makes more sense just to leave the airline then to change your whole life to stay with them. I realize that some people may not feel that is an option for them, some however get so far in that survival mode they blind themselves to the fact that there are other jobs out there and other possibilities. Does it really make sense to give American Airlines/TWU that much control over your life?
 
When I started working for American Airlines I worked in revenue accounting as a temporary auditing airline tickets in the Triad building. It was a great job. I was offered a full time position; then AA backed off because Canada Air had bought Canadian Airlines and wanted to offshore the services American Airlines was providing. I had a wonderful experience working at Triad. I liked and respected the people I worked with. They liked me to. They even took out for a dinner on my last day.
 
I really liked working for American Airlines and wanted to stay. I was told they were hiring at TULE so I decided to put my application in.
 
This is where it went downhill.
 
I am not going to go into details but I will say that I loathed going to work every day at TULE. The BS and sense of entitlement at that place was overwhelming.
 
I can definitely say that there was a world of difference between the company side and the TWU side.
 
You may ask why I stayed.
 
The truth is I could not tell you why I stayed. I guess I just got caught up in that same survival mode everyone else does. They have employees that will put up with American Airlines crap because they get so shell shocked from surviving one layoff after another, moving again and again, chasing the job all over the United States that they will go to any lengths to keep their job. They do not need to contract jobs out because they can use fear to just keep whittling their current workforce to nothing.
 
I sacrificed twelve years trying to keep a job at American Airlines. I spent twelve of thirteen years of marriage on an opposite shift as my wife. I had no family life at all during the week. I got laid off and came back 3 times. I have to ask what I gained for those twelve years. Did I gain any marketable skill? No. Did I grow professionally? No. Did I have any prospects for future growth doing the job I was doing? No. Did I keep my job? NO.
 
I put twelve years into American Airlines and I have absolutely nothing to show for it but bad memories.
 
Is the sacrifice in your personal life worth chasing the job? What will you have to show for it in ten years? Twenty years? Some of you may make it to crew chief or QA but the fact is most of you will be doing the same job till you retire, IF you retire. You better ask yourself if that is what you really want.

i feel your pain after 24 years at american i feel the same disappointment, fortunately i did go into maintenance so do have a skill to show for it.though the sense of disappointment has been greater over the last ten years. when the recently changed the retiree flight requirements the wheels are turning overtime to make a change......

 

[bigjets]

 
I can totally buy it.
 
I was a Fleet Service Clerk at TULE for 12 years. I could only bid afternoons with weekends off or nights with weekdays off. After I got laid off I started a new career. For the first time in over a decade I am working days with weekends off and it has really improved my quality of life.
 
To me, it makes more sense just to leave the airline then to change your whole life to stay with them. I realize that some people may not feel that is an option for them, some however get so far in that survival mode they blind themselves to the fact that there are other jobs out there and other possibilities. Does it really make sense to give American Airlines/TWU that much control over your life?
 
When I started working for American Airlines I worked in revenue accounting as a temporary auditing airline tickets in the Triad building. It was a great job. I was offered a full time position; then AA backed off because Canada Air had bought Canadian Airlines and wanted to offshore the services American Airlines was providing. I had a wonderful experience working at Triad. I liked and respected the people I worked with. They liked me to. They even took out for a dinner on my last day.
 
I really liked working for American Airlines and wanted to stay. I was told they were hiring at TULE so I decided to put my application in.
 
This is where it went downhill.
 
I am not going to go into details but I will say that I loathed going to work every day at TULE. The BS and sense of entitlement at that place was overwhelming.
 
I can definitely say that there was a world of difference between the company side and the TWU side.
 
You may ask why I stayed.
 
The truth is I could not tell you why I stayed. I guess I just got caught up in that same survival mode everyone else does. They have employees that will put up with American Airlines crap because they get so shell shocked from surviving one layoff after another, moving again and again, chasing the job all over the United States that they will go to any lengths to keep their job. They do not need to contract jobs out because they can use fear to just keep whittling their current workforce to nothing.
 
I sacrificed twelve years trying to keep a job at American Airlines. I spent twelve of thirteen years of marriage on an opposite shift as my wife. I had no family life at all during the week. I got laid off and came back 3 times. I have to ask what I gained for those twelve years. Did I gain any marketable skill? No. Did I grow professionally? No. Did I have any prospects for future growth doing the job I was doing? No. Did I keep my job? NO.
 
I put twelve years into American Airlines and I have absolutely nothing to show for it but bad memories.
 
Is the sacrifice in your personal life worth chasing the job? What will you have to show for it in ten years? Twenty years? Some of you may make it to crew chief or QA but the fact is most of you will be doing the same job till you retire, IF you retire. You better ask yourself if that is what you really want.

 
 
 
You should have gotten an A&P or a CPA license then those 12 years wouldn't have been a waste. I have seen regular mechanics leaving AA for other aviation firms to work in management, or relocating to a city they want to live in using the experience they gained from AA, don't blame a company for your lack of drive.  

 

[700UW]

Or left AA, no one forced him to stay there for 12 years, if you are unhappy, leave the company or industry, many have, yet the ones who remain, love to blame the company and the union, they never blame themselves for the choices they made in life.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

 
You should have gotten an A&P or a CPA license then those 12 years wouldn't have been a waste. I have seen regular mechanics leaving AA for other aviation firms to work in management, or relocating to a city they want to live in using the experience they gained from AA, don't blame a company for your lack of drive.  

 

Or left AA, no one forced him to stay there for 12 years, if you are unhappy, leave the company or industry, many have, yet the ones who remain, love to blame the company and the union, they never blame themselves for the choices they made in life.

 
You missed the point. I was not BLAMING American Airlines. I was communicating I did not feel like the investment I made was worth the return. I was asking people to look at their own situation and ask themselves the same question. Maybe for you the sacrifices you have made in your own life are worth it.
 
Sometimes, it is good to just take a break and reevaluate things.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

You should have gotten an A&P or a CPA license then those 12 years wouldn't have been a waste

I believe for me getting an A&P would have been a waste. I did go to school. I am happy with the new career path I chose.
 
I have one question. When you say CPA are you talking about a Certified Public Accountant or something else airline related?
 
 

don't blame a company for your lack of drive.  

 Who said I had a lack of drive? I have accomplished a lot in one year since leaving AA. I have other goals set for my immediate future.
 
Drive and ambition do not play a part in an environment of seniority and predetermined pay scales. Merit and hard work do not matter, only time. 

 

[bigjets]

I sacrificed twelve years trying to keep a job at American Airlines. I spent twelve of thirteen years of marriage on an opposite shift as my wife. I had no family life at all during the week. I got laid off and came back 3 times. I have to ask what I gained for those twelve years. Did I gain any marketable skill? No. Did I grow professionally? No. Did I have any prospects for future growth doing the job I was doing? No. Did I keep my job? NO.
 
I put twelve years into American Airlines and I have absolutely nothing to show for it but bad memories.
 
I'm sorry, the way I read that is, that you wasted 12 years working at AA.....I'm glad you found a career you're happy with. 

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

 
I'm sorry, the way I read that is, that you wasted 12 years working at AA....

You read that correctly. I did waste 12 years working for American Airlines.
 
I do not blame them. 
 
You did notice all the I's right?
 
I should have reevaluated my situation years ago.
 

I'm glad you found a career you're happy with. 

Thank you.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

I am glad to see guys who are not just surviving but thriving after leaving AA.  Good for you!

 

[Kev3188]

I put twelve years into American Airlines and I have absolutely nothing to show for it but bad memories.

I'll bet you have for to show for those 12 years than you're giving yourself credit for. If nothing else, you now know what you won't put up with in your next career.
 

 
 

Who said I had a lack of drive? I have accomplished a lot in one year since leaving AA. I have other goals set for my immediate future.
 
Drive and ambition do not play a part in an environment of seniority and predetermined pay scales. Merit and hard work do not matter, only time.

Nor does what one does for a living define them as a person...

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

I am glad to see guys who are not just surviving but thriving after leaving AA.  Good for you!

Thank you OldGuy@AA.
 
 

Nor does what one does for a living define them as a person...

That is true.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Has anyone else contemplated leaving the Airline? 

 

[Bob Owens]

Sorry, I don't buy the theory that people will uproot their families and their lives and even leave immediate family relations to move to a place JUST to have weekends off. I'm not saying that that is NOT important to people, but I do not think that is the end all factor. 
I believe cost of living is a bigger factor which in itself results in a better quality of life. One example would be a mechanic being fortunate enough to have the wife stay home if she chooses to raise a family.
 
Tell you what Bob, what would you rather do? Pay a few thousand dollars a year in property taxes, pay less money for a larger home and property and pay a fraction of insurance rates with weekends off or pay $14000 a year in property taxes, pay more money for a smaller home and property taxes and outrageous car insurance rates and weekends off and not uproot your family?
 
As for the TULSA vs line issue, you should know better than just about anyone else how the line stations fared under the dominant TULSA voting bloc. So please don't claim that MY thinking is in the minority.
 
I have personally spoken to quite a few Tulsa mechanics up on field trips over the years who blatantly told us if we don't like what Tulsa has, move to Tulsa. 
 
FWIW, I do not believe an OH mechanic should be paid less than a line mechanic. But I do believe in GEO pay.
FWIW, I do not wish to see TUL disappear as I am against ANY outsourcing.
FWIW, I have NOTHING against OH mechanics. But let's be honest how the mighty TUL voting bloc, namely the local leadership, looked at line maintenance as being of lesser value.
Do you need anyone to remind you of your struggles with 514 presidents of years past?

Contrary to what others may think I don't think that my choices are the only choices. Yes we have been exposed and victimized by a lot of a- holes from Tulsa, but they aren't all that way and there are plenty of A- holes to go around, we have our share of them as well.