Thanks, we need all the support we can get.. I hope the same but have many doubts at this time.,,if this deal passes it will create a huge wedge of anomosity,,, NOT my words,, just the common feeling of the 20-30 people I have talked to in the last 24 hours,,,
Flight Attendant
- Thread starter thesassyfa
- Start date
I DO understand the business side of this,, you are correct that change was inevitable and I see why SWA would do this deal.
The feelings of most FA's is that AT is simply taking too much and not appreciating the monumentul windfall finacially and carreer wise.. Most FA's I have met are on the skeptical side as far as the attitudes of AT FA's, I wont spread the stories because I was not their for these events....I will not castagate someone or a group on second hand stories but lets say the general jist seems to be massive apprehension,,
I have talked to more FA's in the last 24 hours than I have in a long time, I would disagree with you that most want a staple. That simply isnt true from the ones I talked with,, they wanted more fairness,, be it a hit in DOH of more of a boost.. There is more outrage towards the TWU because many feel like they sold us down the river. Again I am just telling everyone what has been going on in the last 24 hours
So far the vote seems split as everyone has their own personal worries and positions on the list that was presented.. I dont need to worry about the list so I am more fortunate than everyone I talk with.. I could take the attitude most senior people do, it just doesnt concern me so who cares... but I have made a carreer at SWA, I hope for the best, I try to stay informed so I may inform the others , I want to see fairness and pain for both sides...it just seems that not much pain is being felt on the AT side... so that is the situation as it stands today,, tomorrow will be another day
WorldTraveler
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if a wedge of animosity is created, then it is not FL people's fault... WN chose to aquire FL. If WN mgmt did not prepare its people for what was involved in a merger or acquisition, then it is WN's mgmt's fault - and the chance of WN having a distinctive culture could well be lost.
Lineguy is absolutely correct.... WN didn't acquire FL because WN's previous model of serving smaller, less competitive airports was working well... quite the contrary - WN's financials have been deteriorating for some time - and even when they were strong, they were driven by fuel hedges more than operational performance.
WN acquired FL because FL had the strongest position among the LFCs in the key east coast airports - ATL, DCA, NYC and others. If WN could have replicated what FL had w/o a merger, they wouldn't have bothered.
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It is up to WN mgmt and employees to figure out how to make the merger work.... but to be honest many of us are not terribly optimistic - because it is looking more and more like most other mergers in the airline industry.
Kev3188
Veteran
Support for what? Your waging a campaign against an entire group of employees who had no say in being drug over to WN?
Either you guys all come together as one, or you don't. You can't have it both ways, which is what your posts of late seem to indicate. Pick one or the other, and go with it.
You are absolutely correct and this would be mostly WNs mgmnt fault, remember the board of AT also agreed and should share some blame... the employees have to go along for the ride.,,, I think there was mis information from the AT mgmnt on what employees may accept and mis calculations and oversight from SWA,, I dont know
But we all know that you can never make both sides happy, and when one feels the windfall goes to the other ,,animosity is a hard hill to climb,, you make a good observation of not being terribly optimistic... good luck to us all on both sides
WorldTraveler
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yes, I think there were some promises made that should not have been made... some of which were made AFTER FL was a wholly owned subsidiary of WN... thus it is alot harder to believe those FL execs were speaking from an FL perspective. Who knows.
But ultimately, it is WN mgmt and their BOD who voted for this merger and who bear responsibility for the outcome of the company.
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If you, who rightfully argue for all that is good and right about WN and its culture, are willing to risk losing what has been one of the most distinctive differences between WN and the rest of the airline industry, then it is you who will pay the price for it... employees always pay the price for their mgmt's decisions.
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My suggestion would be for you to recognize that the future of WN and its culture is at stake and become an advocate for not losing what has set you apart from the rest of the industry.
NYCDelta
Senior
Again, WHY does there have to be pain at all? Why not just fairness? From all accounts, the 2.5 year bump at WN will place the majority of you guys above ALL F/A's at FL. Even a WN F/A hired in 2000 (for example) will be senior to every FL F/A hired after 1997. After reading all of your posts, it appears you are not unhappy about the seniority, you are unhappy that they will receive the same pay/benefits/work rules as you-and you don't want that. You want them to to inferior in every way, just because you have been at WN, and they, until now, have not. I'm not trying to pick on you, I'm just trying to understand how it affects you in any way if they work under the same joint contract as you? Your company bought them and will have a huge operation in a very desirable airport (ATL) and finally serve international. I would think that would make you proud that your leadership team chose to adapt to the new reality versus doing the status quo and possibly be left behind. Once everything is combined and you all work for WN, pay dues to the same union, work under the same contract, and serve the same paxs, why should one group be treated very differently from the other? How would that affect morale and customer service?
As you said, you are a WN F/A and you have been hearing that your coworkers are unhappy with this agreement, but I'm trying to understand what would make you happy. To me, it sounds like the only thing that would make you all happy is to keep the FL F/A's at their current wages/benefits/work rules because you just don't want them to have what you have. You want "pain" inflicted. I just don't get it.
th
Now to respond, in many points you are exactly right,,, it doesnt affect me but I still dont think its fair that anyone walk right into a contract that we worked 20 years to get and get the HUGE pay raises and Benefits for doing absolutely NOTHING to get them, and not Giving up a thing either,, DEmanding DOH,,,
Where you are wrong is, I dont want them inferior, I want them to show some apprecitiation for the Huge lifestyle UPGRADE they are getting not come in demanding this and demanding that.. that is what bothers me... The attitude of We will TAke everything YOU have worked years to get, NO WE DEmand it ,, o yea,, NOT once have I heard a FA say Thank you..
If they would of talked like the Mechanics, or been willing to deal one ounce.. Mechanics have shown good faith,, Mechanices have shown Gratituted and said they would be willing To Give something,,%30 hit on DOH Or %25 or whatever,, they have shown that they know that they are getting a better company and a more stable carreer,,,
For AT FA's the 2.5 years means nothing to me, means little to the junior people,, so they gave up a couple lines as far as days,, Their top 426 FA's have more Than DOUBLED THEIR salaries for working the exact same days,, and moved down a couple spots in seniority,, DOUBLED THEIR PAY,, and not one good word about SWA,, not a mention of taking a little loss in over all seniority,,, They did NOTHING ,,, take take take,, not one at FA will lose money,, they will all have a substantial pay raise,,100% flexibility increases they cant even imagine yet,,,You see thats where your wrong,, I am excited and happy that they get better quality of life, payraises, flexibilities,, good for them they deserve a better contract and company,,, but DOUBLE their pay, or $35k right away,, we all know human nature,, you always appreciate something more when you have worked hard for it, less when its given to you,,, exactly,, not seeing much apprecitation or willingness
YOU are correct it wont affect me,, but most I have talked to say that it seems almost insulting that they come here with the WE deserve everything you have and we are going to take it,, so its not just me,, the vast majority of FAs I chat with feel that AT FA's they have met and talked with have been not an ounce grateful,,ITs the ATtitude that has been displayed and the lack of compromise,,,giving up 2.5 years for bidding purposes,, 4-6 maybe or 25-30% hit like the mechanics,,
The AT Pilots took a -3 years and then a ratio of 1 AT to 7 swa Pilots,,The PILOTs I remind you, the little Darlings in the airline biz,, Mechanics at AT are now -%70 on their TA, The AT mechanics are showing good faith and mentioning a %30 hit on seniority,,, They are showing Gratitude and Good Faith and I am hoping for the best for all of them because of their attitude,, ,, so 2.5 years for BIDDING pales in comparison,, means one of two things ,, our Union screwed us for the 2200 new dues and their bonuses,,,or the AT fa's are taking far too much of the Pie and thats not close to being fair,,,not much pain for the FA's,, The AT FA's are giving up nothing compared to the AT Pilots,,and I dont think the AT pilots got a fair deal,, they took to much pain,, so dont think I am not fair,, I try to see both sides,,AT Pilots took to much pain, AT mechanics are showing gratitude and appreciation,,so I hope for the best for them, Hope for less pain for them, do you see a pattern,,
If they would of came in not Demanding, but negotiating,, not stealing but talking,,, showed some thanks and gratitude,, wow,, what a difference,,, NONE of us( AT/SWA) employees wanted this huge disruption in our lifes,, we didnt vote on this,, and lots of AT fA's are now going to have to commute,, that sucks,, it will be a huge change for them,, I feel for them on that part of it.. I wish it didnt have to happen,,, as far as people , I havent worked w them or met enough to form an opinion so I will give everyone the benefit of a doubt and think the most of them are Great people with great work attitudes,, hope theywill be an assest to this new company,,, To say we got off on a wrong foot,, yea ,,, 2.5 years loss in bidding only,, not even close to fair,,
If they would of come in saying hey, we know we are getting a fantastic company and a wonderful deal overall, and you SWA employees are getting absolutely nothing out of this deal,, so we are willing to take a 3 for 2 deal on seniority and a nice pay raise as well as a better company and Huge flexibilities, and benefits,,, SWA FA's would of welcomed them and been excited for them ,, the FA's I talked to would of cared less about the seniority losses because SWA bought them,, so if they are fair we welcome them with open arms,because they were being appreciative and FAIR,,,,, IT would of been wonderful for all of us to be happy for AT and The uprades the got out of this deal,, it could of been so much easier,,, a little Fairness and an attitude of gratitude would of been appreciated for the rest of all of our carreers,, unfortunately this was not the case, that was not the ATitude and will create a divide possibly far to wide to ever close,,, SWA fa were left with only one choice,, we got NOTHING but a chance to fight for seniority and most under 10 years dont like that all they get out of this whole deal is a fight ,, a fight for seniority,, so one side gets a tremendous life changing deal and the other gets ONLY to fight about seniority,,, NOT FAIR
You have never heard me ask for anything for the SWA FA's from SWA, I have never said hey they get $35k raise I want one too,, that would not be fair to the company,, hey, they get way more 401k I want more too,, They get %100 more in flexibilities I want more too,,,, I have never asked or said anything about wanting more for me personally,, I am realistic and try to be fair,,, I am Happy 2200 people will get a better LIFE, MORE PAY, huge life changes,,, but 2.5 years on schedule bidding,, feels like they gave up a dollar to gain a $1000,,, if they would of given even $10 to gain $1000 that would of been fair,, would of been great for them,, the AT pilots gave up $50 for $100(not fair),,,but all the SWA FAs got was left to fight for seniority,, ,, and if this goes through,, SWA FA's lost the fight,,,, Do you know the difference between this deal and arbitration is for a 13-14 year SWA fa is,, take the deal GAIN 6 spots on the LIst 6 spots,,, so that means an AT FA made $35k and huge upgrades for losing 6 spots,,, anyone has the audacity to tell me thats fair,, WHAT does that SWA FA get from this sh!!t deal,,, let me spell it out for you NOTHING but but headaches ,,, IT may end up being a brilliant deal for SWA on the business side of things... I HOPE,,, maybe 10 years down the road the benefits will be seen but FA's at swa got handed a bad hand
Wow, dont know where you came from(as far as this thread),, but very nice post,, clear, concise, communication with good points and well directed questions? good job
Now to respond, in many points you are exactly right,,, it doesnt affect me but I still dont think its fair that anyone walk right into a contract that we worked 20 years to get and get the HUGE pay raises and Benefits for doing absolutely NOTHING to get them, and not Giving up a thing either,, DEmanding DOH,,,
Where you are wrong is, I dont want them inferior, I want them to show some apprecitiation for the Huge lifestyle UPGRADE they are getting not come in demanding this and demanding that.. that is what bothers me... The attitude of We will TAke everything YOU have worked years to get, NO WE DEmand it ,, o yea,, NOT once have I heard a FA say Thank you..
If they would of talked like the Mechanics, or been willing to deal one ounce.. Mechanics have shown good faith,, Mechanices have shown Gratituted and said they would be willing To Give something,,%30 hit on DOH Or %25 or whatever,, they have shown that they know that they are getting a better company and a more stable carreer,,,
For AT FA's the 2.5 years means nothing to me, means little to the junior people,, so they gave up a couple lines as far as days,, Their top 426 FA's have more Than DOUBLED THEIR salaries for working the exact same days,, and moved down a couple spots in seniority,, DOUBLED THEIR PAY,, and not one good word about SWA,, not a mention of taking a little loss in over all seniority,,, They did NOTHING ,,, take take take,, not one at FA will lose money,, they will all have a substantial pay raise,,100% flexibility increases they cant even imagine yet,,,You see thats where your wrong,, I am excited and happy that they get better quality of life, payraises, flexibilities,, good for them they deserve a better contract and company,,, but DOUBLE their pay, or $35k right away,, we all know human nature,, you always appreciate something more when you have worked hard for it, less when its given to you,,, exactly,, not seeing much apprecitation or willingness
YOU are correct it wont affect me,, but most I have talked to say that it seems almost insulting that they come here with the WE deserve everything you have and we are going to take it,, so its not just me,, the vast majority of FAs I chat with feel that AT FA's they have met and talked with have been not an ounce grateful,,ITs the ATtitude that has been displayed and the lack of compromise,,,giving up 2.5 years for bidding purposes,, 4-6 maybe or 25-30% hit like the mechanics,,
The AT Pilots took a -3 years and then a ratio of 1 AT to 7 swa Pilots,,The PILOTs I remind you, the little Darlings in the airline biz,, Mechanics at AT are now -%70 on their TA, The AT mechanics are showing good faith and mentioning a %30 hit on seniority,,, They are showing Gratitude and Good Faith and I am hoping for the best for all of them because of their attitude,, ,, so 2.5 years for BIDDING pales in comparison,, means one of two things ,, our Union screwed us for the 2200 new dues and their bonuses,,,or the AT fa's are taking far too much of the Pie and thats not close to being fair,,,not much pain for the FA's,, The AT FA's are giving up nothing compared to the AT Pilots,,and I dont think the AT pilots got a fair deal,, they took to much pain,, so dont think I am not fair,, I try to see both sides,,AT Pilots took to much pain, AT mechanics are showing gratitude and appreciation,,so I hope for the best for them, Hope for less pain for them, do you see a pattern,,
If they would of came in not Demanding, but negotiating,, not stealing but talking,,, showed some thanks and gratitude,, wow,, what a difference,,, NONE of us( AT/SWA) employees wanted this huge disruption in our lifes,, we didnt vote on this,, and lots of AT fA's are now going to have to commute,, that sucks,, it will be a huge change for them,, I feel for them on that part of it.. I wish it didnt have to happen,,, as far as people , I havent worked w them or met enough to form an opinion so I will give everyone the benefit of a doubt and think the most of them are Great people with great work attitudes,, hope theywill be an assest to this new company,,, To say we got off on a wrong foot,, yea ,,, 2.5 years loss in bidding only,, not even close to fair,,
If they would of come in saying hey, we know we are getting a fantastic company and a wonderful deal overall, and you SWA employees are getting absolutely nothing out of this deal,, so we are willing to take a 3 for 2 deal on seniority and a nice pay raise as well as a better company and Huge flexibilities, and benefits,,, SWA FA's would of welcomed them and been excited for them ,, the FA's I talked to would of cared less about the seniority losses because SWA bought them,, so if they are fair we welcome them with open arms,because they were being appreciative and FAIR,,,,, IT would of been wonderful for all of us to be happy for AT and The uprades the got out of this deal,, it could of been so much easier,,, a little Fairness and an attitude of gratitude would of been appreciated for the rest of all of our carreers,, unfortunately this was not the case, that was not the ATitude and will create a divide possibly far to wide to ever close,,, SWA fa were left with only one choice,, we got NOTHING but a chance to fight for seniority and most under 10 years dont like that all they get out of this whole deal is a fight ,, a fight for seniority,, so one side gets a tremendous life changing deal and the other gets ONLY to fight about seniority,,, NOT FAIR
You have never heard me ask for anything for the SWA FA's from SWA, I have never said hey they get $35k raise I want one too,, that would not be fair to the company,, hey, they get way more 401k I want more too,, They get %100 more in flexibilities I want more too,,,, I have never asked or said anything about wanting more for me personally,, I am realistic and try to be fair,,, I am Happy 2200 people will get a better LIFE, MORE PAY, huge life changes,,, but 2.5 years on schedule bidding,, feels like they gave up a dollar to gain a $1000,,, if they would of given even $10 to gain $1000 that would of been fair,, would of been great for them,, the AT pilots gave up $50 for $100(not fair),,,but all the SWA FAs got was left to fight for seniority,, ,, and if this goes through,, SWA FA's lost the fight,,,, Do you know the difference between this deal and arbitration is for a 13-14 year SWA fa is,, take the deal GAIN 6 spots on the LIst 6 spots,,, so that means an AT FA made $35k and huge upgrades for losing 6 spots,,, anyone has the audacity to tell me thats fair,, WHAT does that SWA FA get from this sh!!t deal,,, let me spell it out for you NOTHING but but headaches ,,, IT may end up being a brilliant deal for SWA on the business side of things... I HOPE,,, maybe 10 years down the road the benefits will be seen but FA's at swa got handed a bad hand
Not sure what the f/a list looks like but an 8 year fa is giving up 30%. If its like the mechanics most are junior to that and giving up more than 30%, and the real junior f/a 2.5 years or less would be giving it all away. Look at the numbers and it might not be as bad as you think. Just an opinion
WorldTraveler
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I appreciate your candor, Buscador... but tell me - are you talking to individual FL FAs or are you hearing the union speak? Remember it is the union's job to look out for the interests of its members - and they do not have to cloak their demands in niceties.
But, really, what difference does it make to you if they make as much as you do or if their lifestyle gets upgraded? YOUR company thought it was worth it for the company to buy FL - which means they have to figure out how to pay them more.
It is ironic that other labor groups which aren't represented by the same union are having alot more difficulty... but the FA union might be the fastest integration yet still be contentious in the long run.
What is the scenario in which this labor integration process COULD go smoothly - not just from your perspective but theirs as well?
And how are the FL FAs supposed to express their gratitude, remembering that their paycheck comes from WN the company, not WN, their new coworkers?
But, really, what difference does it make to you if they make as much as you do or if their lifestyle gets upgraded? YOUR company thought it was worth it for the company to buy FL - which means they have to figure out how to pay them more.
It is ironic that other labor groups which aren't represented by the same union are having alot more difficulty... but the FA union might be the fastest integration yet still be contentious in the long run.
What is the scenario in which this labor integration process COULD go smoothly - not just from your perspective but theirs as well?
And how are the FL FAs supposed to express their gratitude, remembering that their paycheck comes from WN the company, not WN, their new coworkers?
NYCDelta
Senior
Ok, I think I see where you are coming from now.
nice job,, so creative as well... you cant see any of my points as being somewhat valid.. you think this whole deal is super fantastic and fair... you think this is more fair to whom??? I wish there was a company 5 times bigger and paid so much more that swooped in on SWA and BOUGHT us out ,, I would then get to try to steal from their 40 year flight attendants,, get the AT deal and get my DOH and %40-50 payraise, huge benefits package, 10 times more schedule flexibilities,, and all I do is give up 2.5 years on bidding,, where do I sign and where do I have to move,,I will move to Hong Kong, Narita, taipai,, wherever... sweet.. I am in,, than I would know what winning a lottery feels like also
OK Wt,, you have valid points again... I appreciate that.. I want their lifestyles to be upgraded, I want them to enjoy the freedoms, I want them to have no more minimums,, I want them to fly or not to fly as much as they want.. I think that is fantastic and good for them.. My only point is that what they gave up was not fair to the SWA FA whose lifes have been impacted... The AT pilots gave up to much, the mechanics seem more in line,, the AT fa's gave up very little.... there is a balancing factor in everything..,, Our Union screwed us, layed down and are now mentioning arbitration more than anything to scare a yes vote,, unacceptable,,,
My rants matter nothing to anyone ,, because this will in all probability get a yes vote..scare tactics seem to be working... It will never be FAIR to those FA's at SWA who were impacted... I was here when SWA bought out MOrris,,... AS a business deal its a good one,, the human nature employee side,, I think these groups will find a divide for many many years to come... because the perception is simply that SWA FA's got screwed.. again that is the Opinions of the many I talk too.... I will vote no,, on fairness factor alone... Come on WT do you think I am out of my mind and ridiculous if I think it would of been FAIR for a 5-6 year seniority boost for SWA or %25-30 one time hit in AT DOH..Am I out of my mind?? most want to vilianize me like I wanted a staple job,, thats never been the case,,,
Personally I gain absolutely nothing from this deal and I am %100 ok w that, new destinations, could be cool but I have seen the world so no biggie,, for the company it may be the best thing and smartest move ever,, AT/SWA employees all hope for that ,,,, bigger stronger company,,maybe but that will take time to see.... but on the personallevel of the daily lifes and bank accounts of AT and SWA,, big win for AT ,, big loss for SWA(those impacted),,, AT FA's won the lottery... many at SWA have started saying we should just call them Lottery winners instead of flight attendants... I am not saying its right.. just saying what is being said out there....I would of loved to have been overjoyed for them , to show them the ropes and teach them how to work the system,,, but its just not the case anymore,,,, Congrats to AT, your union beat up our Union,, looks like you will get the contract and your lottery tickets will be mailed late Jan,,,,
I will Keep enjoying my Company, will keep working the job I enjoy, keep making very good money for what I do,, I will keep helping the SWA Junior people work smarter and harder,, I will be an asset to this New Company,, but no one can tell me that I have to like this deal or who I decide to give my years of insights too or who to help out or not,,, JUst this year I have helped out 3 girls by showing them how to work smarter,,, each will make over $20k more this year than last , I understand the game, I taught them because I am a good person,,asked for nothing in return(did get a couple bottles of Jack though, that was nice),,,,,but I will choose who I help and who I dont,, I will work with everyone in a civil manner,.,, but I will share knowledge with who I want and who deserves it,,
Thanks again WT for your input
WorldTraveler
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Buscador,
Can we “sit down for a cup of coffee” and pretend these other people around us can’t really hear what is being said? (although in reality there are other WN people who would benefit from listening in).
What I am hearing you say is that, instead of being happy with what is going on with the FA integration, you will just suck it up, stuff your frustration where it won’t be quite as obvious, and then pick and choose the people with whom you want to get along w/ at work in the future – and you will make that list with one of the highest priorities being whether they are PMFL or not.
Can I tell you that every bit of evidence says you will lose the joy you have long had of being an FA, esp. for WN? And you will also become exactly the kind of person you have criticized others for being – ie walking down a hallway or passing someone and choosing not to associate with them – or look down on them – solely on the basis of the group to which they belong.
We don’t know each other except via the internet – which actually can be a place where a lot of people find “safety” in letting their emotions out in ways they can’t do in person. But I do know I don’t want you to be harmed by this merger and I don’t want you to lose what is valuable to you. But I also know that more often than not, each of us by our choices and responses set the course for our future – and as we have noted, I am very concerned that WN is very close to losing the culture that has defined who it is – and which has been a key part of helping it win in the marketplace.
I can’t do anything to help WN – although my advice to WN execs would be to QUICKLY engage management experts who can help the company get through this merger and get the collective employee groups to a place where the culture that has made WN famous will remain intact. It appears that WN mgmt did a poor job of preparing you and other lifelong WN people for the possibility of a merger – and once one was announced, have been largely unable to figure out how to navigate the company through the cultural aspects of the change management process.
I can, however, offer you a little advice – and I hope you will listen. WN did what it had to do – this merger – because it was in the corporation’s best interests – and it made your interests and those of your coworkers secondary to the corporation’s interests. That is not surprising since the first priority of business is to maximize financial success for the company….which means that they will “step on you” to accomplish what they need to…. All companies do that.
You and your coworkers didn’t ask for this merger – and your world and your job would have been just fine without it. But THEY did DO it – so you somehow have to figure out how to make it work FOR YOU or at the very least, not be harmed by it. The airline industry is famous for the turbulence that the industry has to navigate – not just individual flights but the entire industry. And airline employees are asked over and over again to sacrifice for the good of the company. In reality, WN’s formula has worked very well and there hasn’t been a lot of change necessary. The world has changed and WN’s business plan had to adapt for the company to continue to succeed. You are now being asked to do things that other airline employees have endured for years.
Some airline employees – just like some humans – adapt to change quickly and easily while others struggle – and to be honest, some never adapt. And while the vast majority do eventually adapt, our reactions in the early phases of change often shape how well we succeed in the long term. I have known all kinds of people in all kinds of business change processes and it is incredibly sad when I have seen people fail to adapt, only to lose opportunities that the transaction otherwise provided employees. The companies carry on with their plans whether those employees adapt or not and sometimes those employees never regain what they could have had if they had successfully negotiated the change process.
Your company is making an ENORMOUS investment in this merger and, while they may be relatively silent right now, it will become increasingly clear that they MUST make this merger work because so much of the company’s future – and its finances – ride on it. They DO notice who is adapting and who is not. They will probably provide some timeline of how quickly they expect you to adapt – but they do expect people to make the turn with them.
But more importantly deep down YOU know if you are adapting and if you are comfortable with the whole process – and you will pay a long term price if you do not get to a place where you not only accept what is going on around you but also figure out how to thrive and regain at least personally what you are losing professionally through this transition. You may come out of this not being such a strong advocate for WN – and that is their problem to figure out. But you can’t go to work worrying about who you will run into, whether some value you once held has now been tossed out, whether someone else will “win” without the hard work you endured to build the company, or change the joy you have had for living and for your job just because the world around you has changed.
This merger is an opportunity for you to personally and, if you choose, professionally grow. At the very minimum, your goal should be for you to lose nothing personally because of that – and that means your personal happiness and enjoyment of life – and given that most of us spend a significant part of our lives at work, that means being happy at work.
My counsel to you, my friend, is that you spend some time talking about this transition with someone outside of WN, not an immediate family member, and not someone who is affected by the merger one way or the other. Tell that person you want to get to the point where you are just as happy with your “new world” as you are now – and maybe happier. Do what you have to do at work and let WN figure out how to make the merger work… if you figure out how to make this thing work for you personally, the rest will either fall in place or else won’t matter.
I wish you well. I wish you the very best. I commend you for doing what you have done to build WN and I hope you can continue to find satisfaction at WN in the future. But most importantly I want you to win personally.
Peace to you,
WT
Can we “sit down for a cup of coffee” and pretend these other people around us can’t really hear what is being said? (although in reality there are other WN people who would benefit from listening in).
What I am hearing you say is that, instead of being happy with what is going on with the FA integration, you will just suck it up, stuff your frustration where it won’t be quite as obvious, and then pick and choose the people with whom you want to get along w/ at work in the future – and you will make that list with one of the highest priorities being whether they are PMFL or not.
Can I tell you that every bit of evidence says you will lose the joy you have long had of being an FA, esp. for WN? And you will also become exactly the kind of person you have criticized others for being – ie walking down a hallway or passing someone and choosing not to associate with them – or look down on them – solely on the basis of the group to which they belong.
We don’t know each other except via the internet – which actually can be a place where a lot of people find “safety” in letting their emotions out in ways they can’t do in person. But I do know I don’t want you to be harmed by this merger and I don’t want you to lose what is valuable to you. But I also know that more often than not, each of us by our choices and responses set the course for our future – and as we have noted, I am very concerned that WN is very close to losing the culture that has defined who it is – and which has been a key part of helping it win in the marketplace.
I can’t do anything to help WN – although my advice to WN execs would be to QUICKLY engage management experts who can help the company get through this merger and get the collective employee groups to a place where the culture that has made WN famous will remain intact. It appears that WN mgmt did a poor job of preparing you and other lifelong WN people for the possibility of a merger – and once one was announced, have been largely unable to figure out how to navigate the company through the cultural aspects of the change management process.
I can, however, offer you a little advice – and I hope you will listen. WN did what it had to do – this merger – because it was in the corporation’s best interests – and it made your interests and those of your coworkers secondary to the corporation’s interests. That is not surprising since the first priority of business is to maximize financial success for the company….which means that they will “step on you” to accomplish what they need to…. All companies do that.
You and your coworkers didn’t ask for this merger – and your world and your job would have been just fine without it. But THEY did DO it – so you somehow have to figure out how to make it work FOR YOU or at the very least, not be harmed by it. The airline industry is famous for the turbulence that the industry has to navigate – not just individual flights but the entire industry. And airline employees are asked over and over again to sacrifice for the good of the company. In reality, WN’s formula has worked very well and there hasn’t been a lot of change necessary. The world has changed and WN’s business plan had to adapt for the company to continue to succeed. You are now being asked to do things that other airline employees have endured for years.
Some airline employees – just like some humans – adapt to change quickly and easily while others struggle – and to be honest, some never adapt. And while the vast majority do eventually adapt, our reactions in the early phases of change often shape how well we succeed in the long term. I have known all kinds of people in all kinds of business change processes and it is incredibly sad when I have seen people fail to adapt, only to lose opportunities that the transaction otherwise provided employees. The companies carry on with their plans whether those employees adapt or not and sometimes those employees never regain what they could have had if they had successfully negotiated the change process.
Your company is making an ENORMOUS investment in this merger and, while they may be relatively silent right now, it will become increasingly clear that they MUST make this merger work because so much of the company’s future – and its finances – ride on it. They DO notice who is adapting and who is not. They will probably provide some timeline of how quickly they expect you to adapt – but they do expect people to make the turn with them.
But more importantly deep down YOU know if you are adapting and if you are comfortable with the whole process – and you will pay a long term price if you do not get to a place where you not only accept what is going on around you but also figure out how to thrive and regain at least personally what you are losing professionally through this transition. You may come out of this not being such a strong advocate for WN – and that is their problem to figure out. But you can’t go to work worrying about who you will run into, whether some value you once held has now been tossed out, whether someone else will “win” without the hard work you endured to build the company, or change the joy you have had for living and for your job just because the world around you has changed.
This merger is an opportunity for you to personally and, if you choose, professionally grow. At the very minimum, your goal should be for you to lose nothing personally because of that – and that means your personal happiness and enjoyment of life – and given that most of us spend a significant part of our lives at work, that means being happy at work.
My counsel to you, my friend, is that you spend some time talking about this transition with someone outside of WN, not an immediate family member, and not someone who is affected by the merger one way or the other. Tell that person you want to get to the point where you are just as happy with your “new world” as you are now – and maybe happier. Do what you have to do at work and let WN figure out how to make the merger work… if you figure out how to make this thing work for you personally, the rest will either fall in place or else won’t matter.
I wish you well. I wish you the very best. I commend you for doing what you have done to build WN and I hope you can continue to find satisfaction at WN in the future. But most importantly I want you to win personally.
Peace to you,
WT
NYCDelta
Senior
I wasn't trying to be creative at all. I was just using your words to try and figure out your position. You're angry because while WN F/A's essentially gain nothing (and also lose nothing), the FL F/A's gain a lot due to your better contract and if they would only show appreciation you would be fine with that but every FL F/A has DEMANDED that you (personally) give them everything-so you don't want them to "steal" (your words) from the WN F/A's.
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