Mechanics Fable

[mastermechanic]

gatemech:

An employee group that has an average total annual compensation (salary plus benefits) of $250K while the rest of the airline employees in their entirety has an average compensation of $86K may influence the ticket price and our ability to get costs down more than the other work groups, wouldn't you say? (Numbers from UAL Corp.)

Don't know how valid this info is, but it gives you an idean of the lopsided compensation structure within our airline. I made this same comment shortly after the y2k contract while other lauded the sucess of the pilots contract. I knew then what this do to the airline...and what impact it would have on everyone else

 

[spacewaitress]

mastermechanic, "I knew then what this do to the airline...and what impact it would have on everyone else"

A lot of us did, in fact. And we were right weren't we.

 

[mastermechanic]

Just re-read my post...glad others could figure out my garbled transmission...but luckily, I think most of us do get the point....

 

[mastermechanic]

I will be maintaining airplanes for less money and benefits, pilots will fly for less, f/a's will work for less...and the bulk of our management will crawl into holes and crevices until the weather clears. I've been here awhile, and I've seen management restructuring. What a joke

 

[gatemech]

mastermechanic,

If I remember right Goodwin offered more than the pilots were asking for. When someone offers me more than I ask for I don't ask questions. I'm really not trying to defend the pilots contract. They just got a better deal. And if the IAM's track record stays intact the pilots will do better again. If you know what I mean.

And all you want is for them to say I love you before getting s****ed? I would settle for a little kiss.

 

[UAL777flyer]

While I understand your anger and frustration, if you want your feelings massaged, you came to the wrong place. This is the most critical time in the history of this company. And if you would like this airline to be around long enough to at least support your career and retirement, I suggest you put your complaints and animosity aside and try be a little constructive. You wanted leadership changes? Well, now you've got them with more to follow. If nothing else, it's a start and a bold step in the right direction. Now it's up to each of us to give Mr. Tilton our complete support and dedication and hope he can lead us through this mess. At this point, do you have any better alternatives?

 

[kcabpilot]

Whatever plan is presented it's gonna have to be more flexible. This idea of locking ourselves into nine billion dollars and six years of concessions is nuts. Nobody knows what the future holds. Our old management team didn't just pull that figure out of a hat, they're trying to match US Air because they never had a plan of their own.

 

[gatemech]

UAL777flyer,

Well I said I wouldn't listen till a new management team was in place. I'll listen to what Tilton has to say. If it's just a carbon copy of the last proposal I'll have to turn a deaf ear again. Do you believe what they threw at the IAM was reasonable? I don't. I don't think it will take that much to help the company. If we are in such bad shape that they need to go after medical and other benefits that will just damage our families then they might as well close the doors. I hope the new CEO will come up with a plan that is satisfactory for all.

 

[Taipan]

Master Mechanic-Vanderlei Silva the axe murderer-Royce Gracie-MMA-[]

 

[spacewaitress]

I don't see how you can expect anyone to give Tilton "our complete support and dedication" 777. I believe someone should earn that. All we have is a new figurehead as far as I'm concerned. That may be a start, but that's all it is, it seems to me.

At this point I have an open mind and reserve any judgement of the guy, either way, it's unwarranted. I think we all are pulling in the same direction though. In his words, "We must have a partnership based on mutual trust and mutual respect." I hope those across the table from AFA get that message as well. If history is any indicator, I'm not holding my breath, but I do have hope.

My dedication is to doing my job well...my part (at this point) in ensuring UAL's future.

This company has so much potential, and it's because of the energy of our people. I hope this time we can get it right...all of us.

 

[mastermechanic]

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On 9/3/2002 9:33:40 PM

While I understand your anger and frustration, if you want your feelings massaged, you came to the wrong place. This is the most critical time in the history of this company. And if you would like this airline to be around long enough to at least support your career and retirement, I suggest you put your complaints and animosity aside and try be a little constructive. You wanted leadership changes? Well, now you've got them with more to follow. If nothing else, it's a start and a bold step in the right direction. Now it's up to each of us to give Mr. Tilton our complete support and dedication and hope he can lead us through this mess. At this point, do you have any better alternatives?
----------------

Where in the heck did United freak'n find you...Jesus, are you an invertebrate or what? I have never seen someone so petrified in my life and I have been in combat. Buck up ole boy, it's just a dang job, and we've all had to find one a time or two. Life will go on. In fact, just received 2 interview offers from BART today [] you'll get your wish my man; concessions are on their way. We won't let this company shed any management, no sir, status quo, that's what we'll buy for everyone.
BTW, what exactly DO you do for this beloved company, and where do you work?

 

[mastermechanic]

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On 9/3/2002 11:22:29 PM

Master Mechanic-Vanderlei Silva the axe murderer-Royce Gracie-MMA-[]
----------------

No doubt about it..he's been on a roll since his loss to Tito 2 yrs ago...one bad mutha[:sun:]

 

[UAL777flyer]

Spacewaitress,

So what's your answer? Continue to whine and complain and criticize and do nothing constructive to help this company while we keep on bleeding to death? Yeah, that's a better alternative I guess.

I wholeheartedly agree that Tilton will have to earn our trust and respect. However, that doesn't mean we can't give him our full support until he proves that he's not worthy of it. He is the guy running this company now. Does it really make any sense to go against him until he wins us over? What good does that do when we're faced with our most critical challenge ever? How deeply in denial are you over our financial situation?

UA has always been known for having selfish, me-first work groups that rarely ever work together. Do you think that might have a little bit to do with our problems? The only way we turn this sinking ship around is by putting aside the wrongs of the past and working together by looking AHEAD, not BEHIND. You complain about the company asking for concessions from you, yet you fail to realize that your attitude of non-support of the CEO until he wins it from you is contributing to the very need for concessions. How much more time are we going to waste? Maybe when we declare Chapter 11, the denial crowd will get a wakeup call. But it'll be a little too late then.

So, yes, Tilton must earn our respect and trust. However, that doesn't mean that we all can't give him our complete support from the get-go, until he proves he's not worthy of it. Without that support, anything he attempts to do to fix this company will fail. Wakeup before it's too late.

 

[mastermechanic]

Once again 777flyer you exude your exalted place in our company. You seem to offer everyone except yourself the door. YOU argue with the very people who are the backbone of this company; the pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics. This board is a place where we can debate, whine and complain between others and ourselves. Support??? My support is there everyday I go and do my job to the best of my abilities. I'm not supposed to save companies, or develop strategic plans for growth...I'm supposed to fix airplanes, that's what they hired me for! Complain, of course I complain...HERE...and I catch holy hell for it sometimes but so what. When the uniform goes on its show time...the pilots do it, the flight attendants do it, and we do it...we run an airline. We have surpassed operational performance and set company records, we have demonstrated that we can get it done. But you don't even have the guts to tell everyone here what YOUR participation in that endeavor is. We would all love to know what you contribute to this "beloved" airline...this is neither attack nor judgment on you. You are just as quick to point fingers at everyone else and tell us how we are the problem.

 

[kcabpilot]

UAL777flyer:

Look, some of your points have validity but; NINE BILLION DOLLARS? SIX LONG YEARS OF CONCESSIONS?

No, it's absurd.

Look at what's happening with US Air. It may sound like a conspiracy theory but I think a group of people are pulling the strings and attempting to create a low cost mega-carrier via a UA/U merger after both go bk and exacting billions upon billions of dollars from the backs of the working people.

We can all be willing to help out but let's not hand over any blank checks or get raped. Otherwise I'm with mastermechanic - out of this sorry ass business.