Kudos To All For Holiday Performance

[MarkMyWords]

Everyone needs a happy place my dear......


All fighting aside, did you have a good Thanksgiving?

 

[PITbull]

No, I think you might have ruined it. How'se that for having a "place" with me...LOL.....

Frankly, I cooked for 11, and my family didn't allow me to look at my lap top on the kitchen table. They had it OFF. But, I snuck on in between when no one was watching me, late.

See you on the next thread discussing Dave's latest hotline message for Friday.

 

[BoeingBoy]

MmyW,

I didn't mean to offend. You are correct that the employees performed superbly. They did the same professional job as always, albeit with higher load factors.

At least from the flight crew side, we occasionally do get "atta boys" form management. Unfortunately, they are all too often followed by another contract provision disregarded, another call for "lower costs" (see the thread on Dave's latest message).

I just didn't see PitBull's remark as a slam on the employees, and I certainly didn't mean mine to come across that way. As the saying goes, "We've done the improbably with so little for so long, we're now qualified to do the impossible with nothing."

Jim

 

[MarkMyWords]

Well see, I knew I paid the right family members off.

Glad to hear you had a good Thanksgiving. I don't think you will hear me bark to much on the other thread. I have come to dread Dave's weekly beating - I mean message.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Sorry, that wasn't really directed at you......you just kinda got caught in the cross fire.


I had higher expectations for where this thread would have gone and I guess I was a bit overly sensitive about things. I just would love to have some sort of positive forum where employees can see that someone does notice that they did something great.

 

[longing4piedmont]

Pit

It took a while to compose this and there have several posts since I started, but I too hope you had a great weekend. Please take this epistle in the spirit it is intended….

I did not want to get into this subject this evening, but now that we are here.

The constant hard line on both sides has got to stop, and now is a good of time as any. I am not going impugn your feelings about the folks from CCY, or how they feel about labor, as that is not my point. I know the feeling are very strong and they run very deep, however the time has come to find a way to work together or the company we all love is history.

Both sides have got to start by looking at what they can admire or can at least agree with on the other side as a starting point. Dave and the boys inherited a company that was going out of business if something had not been done. US was poorly managed long before the current crop of management arrived. The challenge of saving US was and continues to be daunting task. Labor amd management needs to start focusing on how the task in front of all can be addressed together as a TEAM. A perfect example was a thread started in this forum about a week ago that ask for “constructive ideas†started by one of your own f/a’s. The thread got a measly seven responses of which one was “No Thoughts†from you.

You are a member of a powerful organization. The stance you have taken is a very hard one. You have left the other side no choice but to run over you and take you out of the game. The downside to this action is the company may simply cease to exist. You don’t want that and your fellow employees do not want that either. If something doesn’t change that is exactly what is going to happen.

Management needs to look for the things that labor can offer to turn this place around, and I’m not talking about more wage concessions at this point. For one, the employees of this company have worked hard to save the airline. They have given their hearts, souls and income to the place. Many of the employees have great ideas that will in fact work if they will just listen. They need to start from an understanding they have great employees many of which have the very answers they are looking for. They also need to be honest in there dealings and communications with the employees

I’ve been in similar situations before and you start by looking for the positives, not the negatives. You come to agreement on the strengths of the other side and then work on the negatives one at a time. Each side has to have the goal of making it work in the end and yes there is give and take on each side. Your constant posting of negative responses and attacks makes me wonder if you really have the goal of seeing the company survive in the end. I know you do, but it does cause me to pause and wonder.

One example, then I bid you a good night. The issue of the reserve system is one I’ll admit I have less than a complete understanding. It did does appear that the current system is protecting the senior f/a’s and costing the company money by paying the less senior f/a to be on call until they are needed. The new system appears to save money by meeting the true staffing needs of the fleet while saving much needed cash. Will there be additional layoffs under the new system? Yes it appears that would be the net effect. But if it meets the current staffing needs, then it should be implemented. This company can simply not afford to keep the old system in place. It is my humble opinion US is very close to going back in to bankruptcy and this time it will not come out. Rather than planting the flag and fighting something that appears to make business sense, offer a solution that works for both sides. I admit I have no idea what that might be, but just saying “over my dead body†is not the answer.

I’m not in any way attacking you and I think you know that. I’m just a customer who wants to see this company survive. Heck I may even be on the wrong side of the examples cited above and you know that when it comes to the fight I tend to take the employees side. They were are only used to make my point that a hard line every time is not the answer and will not work in the long run. As hard as it may be, look for the positives and dwell them. All I’m asking of you is to think about it. Like I said before you catch more with sugar than salt…….

 

[PITbull]

Pit

Longing,

With all due respect to you, our valued customer, thank you for such a long response. It surely validates to me your caring for the employees and thus U.

Yes. I agree. U and many other airlines were going "out of business" and things had to change. What didn't change, obviously is this mangement insatiable appetitie for concessions, and looking at that element as THE formost and neverending avenue to turn a company around. How uningenius of this new management that has somehow captured our airline and has made the employees hostage to their "whimsacle" thoughless business plan.

If management's aim is to take Me out of the "game", as you have put it, then I will be waiting for them ready on the extreme LEFT side of the "table".

You say to look at the strengths of the "other side", what strengths? Show me one, and I will start from there. Do I want the co. to survive? Come on? That is a question that should not be pondered. I have been here my entire adult life. Not be pro-management does not mean I don't want the best for our company and to survive. I just would like for someone to make a decison and throw the bums OUT. We will survive, because it is the will of the employees; not management.

Labor has done everything that was asked. Folks have lost their livilihoods, and those who stay on struggle not just financially, but with emotional and family problems because of the pervasiveness of this task of sacrifice.

How dare they ask again, third time in 1 year! Its appalling.

This management has been given the duty and sacred trust by the employees through their sacrifices to make this airline successful. If they are not capable of this endeavor, either they need to remove themselves , or someone needs to remove them. It is not Labor who decides whether a company lives or dies, or succeeds or fails. Management makes the "blue print" and we in turn as Labor implement that structure.

If that fails, then we face that reality. I have fought for success of our airline for a long time. THere are some things in life that are truly out of your personal control.

It is deafening for me at this point to have someone sit on the "outside" of this matter and explain the realities of our airline to the meployees and say what needs to be done, and give us the "sultimatums" that we have heard repeatedly from this management.
Frankly, my friend, ask me, first, if I understand the realities before me...... before explaining them to me.

 

[longing4piedmont]

Pit

Thanks for the thoughtful response. I agree with everything you have said especially “How dare they ask again, third time in 1 year! It’s appalling.†BTW, the “you†in “take you out†was a metaphorical you, but I have no doubt you will be on the left side of the table.

You know, I wish I could give you an example of a strength of this management team. I’m not close enough to it to know anything other than we are still here and that was not a sure thing a year ago. And that in and of it’s self is a sad statement as they done little to promote the positives of US. I sense they have had to tackle many tough issues (other than labor) and it appears that they have done enough to get them to this point. What they do from here is up for discussion and there are many in our community who doubt they can pull it off. (I’m not throwing rocks at them here either). I am equally sure that you know of some even if you don’t want to list them here.

And that is my point. The employees have some if not all of the answers they are looking for. They may not understand or believe that, but my past business experience tells me that this has been the case in every situation I have ever been a part of. An idea is presented, and granted it may not be the right idea, but the dialogue is started and the answer eventually comes from the discussions every time. My point is that you (your union) are in the position to offer up ideas and solutions that work, as alternatives to more wage concessions. If they are well thought out and make business sense, they will eventually listen.

That my friend is why I’m suggesting positive, proactive responses to the issues at hand. No, that does not mean rolling over and playing dead. I’d be disappointed in you if you did. I admire your tenacity. You said earlier you weren’t interested in catching anything…. You’re wrong about that. You want to spin the web my dear and draw in to the sugar.

 

[PITbull]

Longing,

Thank you for caring enough about us...you definitely had me at "I agree with everything that you said", LOL......

 

[longing4piedmont]

Pitbull

It is deafening for me at this point to have someone sit on the "outside" of this matter and explain the realities of our airline to the meployees and say what needs to be done, and give us the "sultimatums" that we have heard repeatedly from this management.
Frankly, my friend, ask me, first, if I understand the realities before me...... before explaining them to me.

Longing,

Thank you for caring enough about us...you definitely had me at "I agree with everything that you said", LOL......

Well almost everything. Me thinks you added this to your post after I started typing.

I'm not taking you to the wood shed and I'm not talking "down" to you. Just tryiing to offer a suggestion that might help! As a matter of fact there were a couple of things in the post that I chose to ignore like "throw the bums out" but you knew that about me too. That's how it works. Look for the things you can agree on and leave the rest till later. I know you know that too, but I couldn't let you get the last word.

Going to bed now. Don't stay up too late.

 

[MarkMyWords]

Preliminary operating stats for Friday:

Booked to over 130,000 system wide.
5 Mainline Cancellations - weather related
Departure performance:
Sked:0 - 73% Sked:5 - 83% Sked:14 - 89%


Operation impacted by ground stop and ground delay programs for PHL, LGA, EWR, DCA, BWI and ORD at one time or another during the evening.

Still very strong operating statistics.

Bravo!

 

[PITbull]

MMW,

You crack me up....am I allowed on your topic or not?

 

[MarkMyWords]

Why do I crack you up? I think it is important that people know how their efforts paid off this weekend.

I can't stop you from posting, but I would ask that you keep it positive and reinforce the great efforts of the employees.

 

[PITbull]

OK.... I'll make sure not to dilute the "brain washing" fluid...

Ditto on the Kudos to our great employees of U who always always rise to the ocassion and go above and beyond their responsibilities and duties to address customer care specifically on holdays where the staffing has been cut so drastically by management, and the demands are great by the customer who only wish to go through the travel process with ease, simplicity, and comfort.

I do believe this is validation to management that the employees don't need any modifications to their work rules, as their performance speaks for itself specifically this holiday and handling all that traffic uneventfully!

 

[tadjr]

OK.... I'll make sure not to dilute the "brain washing" fluid...

I would like to thank Mark for posting a positive post. Its too bad that everything positive somehow gets turned into a negative here. I know, I know, I dont need a lecture, heck I was even lucky enough to be one of the Hawks personal PM recipients (I spent the day serving fellow agents and crew at the airport so I had a nice time on Thanksgiving, pix maybe on the hub soon), so dont tell me I'm drinking anything. You and I both know whats coming next, but until then, can we at least cheer for ourselves once?