Exactly! Yeah, back then! No one is "becoming a blockholder" now!
The game has changed. The seniority list is as stagnant as a pile of dog poo on a frozen pond. There's virtually no movement. No one is leaving, no one is coming in. Just the same old miserable bunch working, and a furlough list longer than the active one. A small handful of deaths and retirements. Jokey recalls of 50 people. Zero growth in fact, shrinkage, at the actual airline, only at "Express" carriers. A merger partner that has never been merged and the company seems in no hurry to. A ridiculous, unheard of contract and staffing model that puts 17-40% of crew bases on reserve compared to 5-7% at all other carriers. A workforce that went from almost 11,000 to 4,400.
Nothing moves. Unless you are one of the cusp, "hold a block for the summer in Philly" crowd.
An airline with 8 year new hires and 23 year reserves is PATHETIC and its unions even more so. Both are an absolute disgace, and you know what else is? The LACK of anger and action! Kudos to FlightChic and the others who post on her blog and here.
Just an update on the others-
UA- hiring 2000 this year alone
CO- hiring
NW- hiring
"US Airways West"- hiring
US Airways- larger furlough list than active employees. Hasn't hired in nearly a decade. Most regionalized airline with most liberal scope clause.
:down: A freaking joke.