Flight Attendant Threatened with Termination for Parody

[bluebird]

I'm sure you've heard this before, but the First Amendment Freedom of Speech protection prohibits governments from restricting your speech, not private employers. If he worked for the government, his employer could not infringe on his freedom of speech. No such protection exists if you criticize your private business employer in violation of the employer's rules. Apparently, he broke some rules (and he mistakenly thinks he has freedom of speech).

Oh. :huh: Well, that's a shame. :unsure:

 

[Ed Norton]

It's good comedy, but the fact remains that it's buried somewhere in the employee conduct section not to place the company in a unfavorable fashion.

Repeating the management letter verbatim was probably the biggest mistake...

His movie trailer for Aluminum Lady is far funnier, and probably something AA can't really touch because it isn't using an AA logo, nor is it repeating an internal memo verbatim.


More importantly... I saw a few references in the comments on one of the referring websites to free speech...

The right to free speech is pretty limited, in that only the government can't retaliate against you for what you say about it.

Anyone else can (and will) retaliate, especially if there's a code of conduct similar to what AA has in place. AA didn't have a social media policy in place when I was there, but I do know that the "portray the company in a negative fashion" line was used on several people at different times.

You can be a whistleblower under certain circumstances and done thru the appropriate channels, but posting a YouTube video is a much different argument to defend.

As always the corporotocracy wants it both ways. An employee's First Amendment free speech ends when he/she walks onto company property; yet these bums hide behind the same Constitution when they claim a corporation is a person as defined by the 14th Amendment. Oh, but the individuals running the corporation are financialy immune when their actions run a company into the ground.
CORPORATIONS ARE PEOPLE TOO! :angry:
" Lessons taught but never learned,
all around us anger burns
judge the future by the past,
long ago the die was cast.
But they marched up to Bastille Day.
the guillotine claimed her bloody prize.
Hear the echoes of the centuries,
POWER ISN'T ALL THAT MONEY BUYS." Rush, Bastille Day

 

[fltguymk]

Can anyone post Eric's last name? I would love love to put him on the "special brownie list"

 

[Buck]

Little

 

[jimntx]

That's for sure. 🙄

But APFA will spend a lot of money fighting this legally. They say they are on his side.

Should union dues be used for this purpose? Or throw him under the bus? :huh:

APFA has no choice. Under Federal law, they have the Duty of Fair Representation (DFR) to defend any flight attendant who has been terminated--at least the first time they are fired. If the f/a was fired for cause--such as, stealing, fighting on the job, attacking a passenger, repeated Rule 32 violations, etc--the union representation may be pro forma, but not energetic. But, they still have to represent the flight attendant up to and including binding arbitration.

If the arbitrator upholds the termination, the union is required to do nothing further. In fact, they can not because our contract calls for binding arbitration. The arbitrator's decision is final and binding upon both the company and the employee/union. This is in the best interest of both the company and the union--eliminates endless appeals and lawyer fees.

 

[eolesen]

If he sues as opposed to grievance/arbitration, the union may be off the hook.

MK, good luck with the special brownies. My last name is plainly displayed, and that's my phone number at the bottom. Feel free to call.

Few if any of the flights I'm on with AA have food at all, and most of that consists of shrink-wrapped shelf-stable stuff that will survive a nuclear holocaust.

If you tried shitting or dropping pubes in my club soda (with only three ice cubes, please), I might actually notice.

 

[limit]

If he sues as opposed to grievance/arbitration, the union may be off the hook.

MK, good luck with the special brownies. My last name is plainly displayed, and that's my phone number at the bottom. Feel free to call.

Few if any of the flights I'm on with AA have food at all, and most of that consists of shrink-wrapped shelf-stable stuff that will survive a nuclear holocaust.

If you tried shitting or dropping pubes in my club soda (with only three ice cubes, please), I might actually notice.

Don,t mind the idiots Eric,.... and the guy that called late last night, breathing heavily ,.....was not me.
That photo is so hot, I am having to reassess my preferences,.... you are not single are you?

 

[bluebird]

As always the corporotocracy wants it both ways. An employee's First Amendment free speech ends when he/she walks onto company property; yet these bums hide behind the same Constitution when they claim a corporation is a person as defined by the 14th Amendment...

You want someone to be able to go all Bruce Almighty, Maid-of-the-Mist-like and be able to keep their job?

He was just tying to be funny. :huh: I think they went too far, firing him. 🙁

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXvlKYcdSc0

 

[butchord45]

They fired him for the wrong reasons......he should have been fired for not being funny........sorry I just don't get it.....great production.....boring topic......and flat out hard to watch!!!

You want someone to be able to go all Bruce Almighty, Maid-of-the-Mist-like and be able to keep their job?

He was just tying to be funny. :huh: I think they went too far, firing him. 🙁

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXvlKYcdSc0

 

[bluebird]

They fired him for the wrong reasons......he should have been fired for not being funny........sorry I just don't get it.....great production.....boring topic......and flat out hard to watch!!!

Agreed. Nathan Lane--he was not.

Many people have YouTube channels and websites to poke fun, record their dog, etc. Guess they’ll have to use more common sense.

That’s why they hire us, hmm? 🙄

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7moGlHRNi8

 

[eolesen]

The "sAAve American Airlines" petition at change.org is seeking 250,000 signatures calling on U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane to replace the carrier's top management.

Reality has set in --- Galien has changed the target signatures from 250,000 down to just 25,000.

As of a few minutes ago, he was ~50 short of 6,000... At this rate, there will be more union members laid off by AA than are supporting David's petition.

 

[frontline]

This guy was a LOSER who hadn't worked in YEARS. Amazing that he was able to milk the system for so long while he were so so busy on Facebook!!

We are much better off without him.

 

[AC AA LA FA]

This thread is terribly anti Gailen .... The voices here truly do not echo the sentiments on the line. He has become a folk hero of sorts. Few if any disagree that with this management team in place our future looks uncertain at best. (line employees, active) You may not think he is funny, thats fine...but..he is not a slacker/malcontent that stands for nothing. He has tried to be part of the solution for years and just got fed up with all the BS handed down by CP.

I stand behind his principles. I have been in his shoes....well, not the 5 inch stilettos, but you know what I mean....

 

[eolesen]

This thread is terribly anti Gailen .... The voices here truly do not echo the sentiments on the line. He has become a folk hero of sorts.

Well, he may have fans in MIA, but based on signatures, it's possible that maybe the sentiments on the line aren't as deep as you think they are...

Why hasn't he been able to attract at least half of APFA's membership to sign his petition by now?

I'm not anti-Gailen -- I think he has a wicked sense of humor.

What I do have a problem with people who think they're above the law when it comes to following Regs...

Who can honestly say they didn't know they couldn't have an Admirals Club membership as an employee? That was covered during training... it was in the Trip Book, and is a policy that dates back to CR Smith...

Who can honestly say that they didn't know posting the itineraries of other employees was not only a breach of security but also a serious invasion of privacy?

He'd be wise to tone things down before he winds up with a lawsuit.

 

[737823]

Well, he may have fans in MIA, but based on signatures, it's possible that maybe the sentiments on the line aren't as deep as you think they are...

Why hasn't he been able to attract at least half of APFA's membership to sign his petition by now?

I'm not anti-Gailen -- I think he has a wicked sense of humor.

What I do have a problem with people who think they're above the law when it comes to following Regs...

Who can honestly say they didn't know they couldn't have an Admirals Club membership as an employee? That was covered during training... it was in the Trip Book, and is a policy that dates back to CR Smith...

Who can honestly say that they didn't know posting the itineraries of other employees was not only a breach of security but also a serious invasion of privacy?

He'd be wise to tone things down before he winds up with a lawsuit.

Truthfully I don't see how employees holding Admirals Club memberships is an issue. Why are they allowed to purchase day passes but not annual memberships? Can they enter with the Citi and Amex cards that provide access? I can understand why the company doesn't want employees in the lounge when traveling on passes but if it's a revenue ticket why shouldn't they be treated like other passengers? I have a customer relationship with my employer and other than labeling my account as an employee I get access to everything other customers do.

Josh