Holidays coming

[Harry Callahan]

I am a staunch supporter of those on the front lines. However, I also support those in the management office, especially those who don't have a VP title next to their names and have less job security than those under what little protection a union contract affords these days. Also being in the business world, I understand the need for executive compensation as it is. But that won't stop me from supporting those on the front lines.

I am cutting my Thanksgiving trip to a short two days so that I can be at work the rest of the time, allowing some of my management employees to have time with their families. I just have to travel 800 miles to see mine. If an airline messes with that, it'll just happen one time. I won't go back for seconds. I've put up with a lot from US... lost bags, cancelled flights, occasional rude employees, dirty planes, and the like, but have always thought the positives and the good people outweighed the negatives. The previous Christmas meltdown didn't impact me, even though I flew over a dozen segments on US during that period. But mess with my limited family time and you won't see me again. I've got 400K left in my FF account, and I wouldn't even bother burning it.

The company I'm at is a 24/7/365 operation. I tell new hire employees coming in that a.) we are 24/7/365, b.) holidays are regular working days, albeit with slightly reduced staffing, and c.) scheduling is seniority based. This year we're so understaffed that I approved 6 out of 52 leave requests for the entire day of Thanksgiving off. That's the nature of working somewhere that operates every day. Airlines are the same. If you don't want to work holidays, don't work for an airline.

If you want to use it as an opportunity to grandstand and make it so others can't spend time with their families, so be it. But you'll lose this loyal customer who has spent his own time and money showing appreciation to the people of US, and last year spent $500 out of his own pocket buying gift certificates for all of his flight attendants, pilots, and gate agents last Christmas.

One question:
How do you treat your employees ?

 

[JAXPax]

If you are referring to calling off for scheduled shifts only to show displeasure and not for legitimate reasons, then I can agree with most of what you said in your previous paragraphs, with the sole exception again being your support of the frontline employees. Here's why: Remember when I asked who would incur your wrath? In all of your statements, my opinion is that there are simply too many inferences to hourly, front-line employees to ignore. The same employees who might "mess" with your family time and "grandstand" by calling off work.

Now, I have a hard time trying to see you apply the same standards above to the management and non-titled salary employees you seem to have respect and empathy for at the airline. It's not because I believe those people would be unable to arbitrarily call off for illegitimate reasons, because quite frankly it happens more often than many would like to think. I would rather submit that those in the salaried positions, who tend to be in administrative roles that don't directly deal with passengers and immediate operations, only affect the outcome of the operation through prolonged absence, not the short term type that happens when an employee (pilot, f/a, ramper, gate agent) calls off from work. Perhaps an exception to this assumption could be the work of crew schedulers, but as I am unsure of their salaried or hourly status, I can only speculate.

It is to the unscheduled call-out for other than legitimate reasons that I refer to. A legal strike is one thing, and that is a right of a union to undertake within an accepted framework of labor action.

Those at the headquarters of course have fewer job tasks that have to be performed just in time. Their work won't disappear if they call out. They'll still have to do it.

As to who would incur wrath? I'd just stop flying the airline. No need to attack any individual employees. Those who showed up for the holiday obviously aren't the problem and don't need to be yelled at. I've raised my voice at one US Airways employee, and am not proud of it, but they were in PHL baggage service and kept insisting that a B737 is a CRJ, and "as a frequent flyer you should know that rollaboards have to be gate-checked on these small planes." (I had been late to a connection due to a weather delay... had my upgraded seat given away, but I was thankful to still get a middle in coach, but no room for my rollaboard around my seat, so F/A said I could put it in an empty slot up in First... he came back to me after pushback saying that sorry, he had to gate-check it for reasons he wouldn't divulge... I had a $500 digital camera broken by the time I got the bag at PHL... and PHL baggage service denied the bag had been checked, then went to the "you came off a regional jet so you should have known..." spiel)

People have a choice whether to call out or not. It's up to them and they have their own employment consequences. Where I work has an occurrence system for hourly employees and they have to call out quite a few times to get fired. However, I've found that those who call-out frequently at inopportune times usually do themselves in before too long. They don't need me to yell at them. They just won't have my contribution to their paycheck any longer.

One question:
How do you treat your employees ?

I think I treat them well. I don't think they are paid enough, but I can't do anything about that. I'm under a pay freeze myself (at my company, only management is frozen, not hourly.. who still receive their raises), no longer receive an employee match to my retirement, and had my vacation time cut. Those who cooperate obviously receive more cooperation from me. I'm always willing to listen and try to help, even for those who do nothing but complain and try to cause trouble.

I'd like to give everybody what they want, but that isn't always possible when you have a business to run and performance metrics you have to hit or get fined.

 

[crushed]

People have a choice whether to call out or not. It's up to them and they have their own employment consequences.

There are no consequences in Philly.
Just glad to have you show up when you do.

 

[insp89]

upnaway asks the question in Post #11,

"How did Doug screw you by selling his AWA stock ?"


Well upnaway, The problem I have with Dougie cashing in his stock options is that he was able to wait until the concessionary contracts and the AWA takeover was complete.

This allowed Dougie to profit TREMENDOUSLY off the backs of his employees,due to the increase of the stock price, while some employees took HUGE pay and benefit cuts !

This is yet another example of how CROOKED the bankrupcy rules are in this country.
[Why should Dougie be allowed to excerise his stock options, -$9 MILLION DOLLARS-while at the same time, he talks of cost neutral transition agreements ?]

We have seen CEO after CEO come and go at this company [East],
Wolf, Gangwal, Siegel, Lakefield, Who walked away Filthy rich, While the EMPLOYEES are the ones that are expected to step up and sacrifice to keep this place operating.. :down:

 

[CV580ETOPS]

upnaway asks the question in Post #11,

"How did Doug screw you by selling his AWA stock ?"
Well upnaway, The problem I have with Dougie cashing in his stock options is that he was able to wait until the concessionary contracts and the AWA takeover was complete.

This allowed Dougie to profit TREMENDOUSLY off the backs of his employees,due to the increase of the stock price, while some employees took HUGE pay and benefit cuts !

This is yet another example of how CROOKED the bankrupcy rules are in this country.
[Why should Dougie be allowed to excerise his stock options, -$9 MILLION DOLLARS-while at the same time, he talks of cost neutral transition agreements ?]

We have seen CEO after CEO come and go at this company [East],
Wolf, Gangwal, Siegel, Lakefield, Who walked away Filthy rich, While the EMPLOYEES are the ones that are expected to step up and sacrifice to keep this place operating.. :down:

You mean the USAirways takeover,don't you?

 

[DesertFA66]

Sorry folks, but I kinda see Doc's point.

No one wants to ruin a passenger's trip, but being screwed by management time and time again eventually leads up to either a job action or a devil-may-care attitude toward attendance and/or job performance.

Some of us who go above and beyond daily may honestly need to reevaluate our zeal and consider represssing our Superperson tendancies and replacing them with the bare minimum, yet adequate performance.

Management wants "cost neutral". Maybe we should consider "effort neutral" in response. The desire to avoid "profit neutral" might spur Tempe into action. Stockholders don't keep executives when the stock becomes "value neutral".

LOSER!!! If you're that unhappy with management....do yourself and everyone else a favor and get out! The customer pays my bills and feeds my children and the customer must be treated with respect!!!!! If you can't do that....then get out.

 

[pilot]

Just trying to understand here. Was it OK for the late and extremely well respected Jeffery McCelland to cash out so his family wouldn't miss him financially?

I don't know. Was it OK for the company to threaten liquidation if the pension wasn't eliminated, the pay cut, the pilot long term disability cut, or the retiree medical benefits and pay cut for those 8 extremely well respected and terminally ill pilots, retired and active, at the time of the BK's so their families wouldn't miss them financially?

Just trying to understand here.

 

[john john]

You guy and gals who work in the business world when you negotiate pay work rules benefits and perks what do you use for leverage at the negotiating table? (Remember no threat of leaving to hurt the business) The reason why the unions have to bring solitary and job action to the table is for all the reasons that have been mention as customers, its business, its negotiating, ITS GLASS AND GANG. It’s the law, its the process (railway labor act) having saying this. No union except AFA west is in section 6 negotiations and that was put on hold by the company request to the NMB. So we are stuck with our contacts till amendable unless the unions can pull a rabbit out of the hat.

 

[john john]

If you cause another "Meltdown" in PHL you will do so much damage to US and it's customers that the company may not survive long term without another merger.

The unions didn’t cause the last one management did

 

[Art at ISP]

The unions didn’t cause the last one management did

John John,

You are correct, except that it turned out to be a "perfect storm" of conditions which really blew it up.

Management was primarily responsible, but there were some union folks who weren't entirely blameless either.

The bottom line, is NO ONE can afford for it to happen again, folks. While I understand and appreciate your frustration, this is NOT the way to show it. You will do more to hurt yourselves in the long run.

As difficult as it sounds the best way to strengthen your position is to contribute to SUSTAINED profitability--2 or 3 quarters won't make a difference. The more they make, the more pressure there will be to give back some of what you lost.

I am by no means an apologist for the old management, but the damage from causing another meltdown would be devastating to this company.

My BEST to you all....

 

[john john]

Just please don't do it again, it's not going to get you where you want to be.

You mean having to work excessive amount of mandatory O.T. during the holidays because management does not know how to manage

 

[pilot]

The company has threatened, and used the BK laws to get the contracts where they are today. They have made no effort to reward the employees for doing what they say needed to be done in order to "save" the company. These are the facts.

The only thing labor has that the company is interested in is just that. Their labor. The only thing the unions have to bargain with is their labor. No labor, no company. And vice versa.

This company has taken unfair advantage of the BK. They do not even begin to see the importance of labor. Even AFTER the PHL meltdown last year. It's time to make them see it again. Regardless of how many customers we lose. Regardless of how much money we lose. Regardless of the damage it may or may not do. Apparently last years fiasco didn't do all that much damage now did it? Some of you on here are again setting yourselves up to fly on the company that couldn't handle what happened last year. That's just crazy.

The holidays are for families. I encourage all to spend the holidays with their families. And I'll tell you something else. If I were traveling on an airplane over the holidays I would steer way clear of LCC. If for no other reason than what happened last year.

pilot

 

[insp89]

You mean the USAirways takeover,don't you?

No, I mean the AWA takeover, Take a look at the SEC filing.

 

[flygirl74]

That horse has been long dead. Go beat something else. Something small and insignificant.

 

[Tim Nelson]

The company has threatened, and used the BK laws to get the contracts where they are today. They have made no effort to reward the employees for doing what they say needed to be done in order to "save" the company. These are the facts.

The only thing labor has that the company is interested in is just that. Their labor. The only thing the unions have to bargain with is their labor. No labor, no company. And vice versa.

This company has taken unfair advantage of the BK. They do not even begin to see the importance of labor. Even AFTER the PHL meltdown last year. It's time to make them see it again. Regardless of how many customers we lose. Regardless of how much money we lose. Regardless of the damage it may or may not do. Apparently last years fiasco didn't do all that much damage now did it? Some of you on here are again setting yourselves up to fly on the company that couldn't handle what happened last year. That's just crazy.

The holidays are for families. I encourage all to spend the holidays with their families. And I'll tell you something else. If I were traveling on an airplane over the holidays I would steer way clear of LCC. If for no other reason than what happened last year.

pilot

My understanding is that the company has been in meaningful talks at least with the IAM. Dunno about Pilots at this point but I would guess talks would perk up after an IAM deal is done.

For rampers, my understanding is that your company's position at this time is that pay may be increased to around $19+ hr at every station [no more class 2 pay], vacation added, double time restored, holidays added back, flight scope decreased so that more stations are covered, duration extended 2 years with additional 2% increases per year, and something about sick time that I couldn't figure out. These benefits apparently offered in some staggered way in which I'm a bit fuzzy on.

To be fair, this info was not confirmed and IMO 3rd hand but it is believable considering negotiations and where it came from. I believe a deal will get worked out sometime very early next year if not before Christmas. If not, then the IAM is very confident in its grievance getting contractual snapbacks anyways. That grievance I believe is scheduled tentatively around February although the determination duration could be anyone's guess.

The IAM's loyalist line though is that they walked out of negotiations and the company's offer was a joke. Unionspeak while the union is negotiating is how I interpret that. We'll see what happens and hopefully both sides can work things out so that the working men and women that gave so much to this company can be given a fair deal.

regards,