NWA tells attendants price of rejection

[700UW]

How can maintenance levels be the same when NWA outsourced all heavy and lots of line stations, grounded numerous planes and reduced the schedule?

A good key would be the MEL level, but we all know NWA is cooking the numbers and Pilots generally don't write as much up during a strike.

 

[robbedagain]

How can maintenance levels be the same when NWA outsourced all heavy and lots of line stations, grounded numerous planes and reduced the schedule?

A good key would be the MEL level, but we all know NWA is cooking the numbers and Pilots generally don't write as much up during a strike.

That is Dougie's flawless plane there 700!

 

[finman]

How can maintenance levels be the same when NWA outsourced all heavy and lots of line stations, grounded numerous planes and reduced the schedule?

You misunderstood. I was referring to the performance of the work being done (both in-house and outside), which can be measured in various ways, but is always measured using some sort of volume as the denominator, and some sort of maintenance related metric as the numerator. Thus, the resulting "performance" figures that are compared now vs. then are volume adjusted. That is the case with any type of operational measurement, they are always adjusted for changes in flying, A/C, or whatever volume driver is most appropriate to measure that particular operation.

 

[finman]

I think my response about public perception of NWA's MTC should an incident occur and Neil Cohen's "Me First" attitude was exactly on point.

I don't have the numbers on MTC so I can't comment. I do know having sold non mission critical outsourcing that outsource providers without proper oversight will cut every corner known and previously unknown to man. Based on my observation NWA hasn't shown me the ability to organize a one car funeral to date.

I wasn't talking about you, Bob. Although I may not agree with you a majority of your points, you always make well thought out arguments that often make me reconsider my opinions.

I was just referring to Local, who had a string of 5 or 6 replies that had no substance at all, and were nothing more than very weak and very overplayed insults. You'd think these guys would come up with something new one of these days; the "making coffee", "shining shoes", "bootlicker" insults have grown very stale. Are mechanics really that unoriginal?

 

[local 12 proud]

You misunderstood. I was referring to the performance of the work being done (both in-house and outside), which can be measured in various ways, but is always measured using some sort of volume as the denominator, and some sort of maintenance related metric as the numerator. Thus, the resulting "performance" figures that are compared now vs. then are volume adjusted. That is the case with any type of operational measurement, they are always adjusted for changes in flying, A/C, or whatever volume driver is most appropriate to measure that particular operation.

Like I said...Finny's moto: "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, blind 'em with bullshit".

 

[local 12 proud]

You'd think these guys would come up with something new one of these days; the "making coffee", "shining shoes", "bootlicker" insults have grown very stale. Are mechanics really that unoriginal?

just stating the obvious finny ol boy. Debating with you is pointless, you see everything from a numbers/statistics angle which we all know are manipulated in order to achieve a desired result. You sit at a desk reading charts, crunching numbers and then pretend you know something about maintenance because you are smarter than mechanics(so you think). Your a babbling fool who probably has to get someone to put air in his tires because he is afraid to get his hands dirty, or to change his oil because he has no idea where the oil plug is, yet your an expert on what a fine maintenance program NWA has. ...yea your a shoe shining, coffee making, bootlicking, pencil pushing, company suck up! Don't like it? then use your ignore key.

 

[finman]

Your a babbling fool who probably has to get someone to put air in his tires because he is afraid to get his hands dirty, or to change his oil because he has no idea where the oil plug is

You would be grossly mistaken. Let's just say that I'm not your stereotypical "bean counter". I've likely spent more time in my life fixing and building fencelines, operating (and maintaining) heavy haying machinery, and working cattle in Montana on my parents family ranch than I've spent here in Minnesota in a cubicle. I'd still be there today, but it's not a big enough ranch to support more than one family, and the land prices have escelated to the point where the cost of entry is too high.

Now you see why I get a chuckle when you guys throw around the stereotypcal "bean counter" and the like insults. In the 5 years I've been here, I've attempted to keep myself sane in this profession by taking on large-scale home improvement projects to satisfy my appetite to "get my hands dirty" and build things. To date, I've finished a basement, designed and built a second bathroom in our basement, built a couple privacy fences, built a patio, built and installed an island and countertops for our kitchen, built a bar, relandcaped our entire lot, and am just starting to build a new garage.

By the way, I don't think I'm smarter than anybody else, and I'd never suggest anything of the sort. If anything, I envy those that make a living building and fixing things, since as you now know, that is still where my greatest passion lies. It just so happens that my financial, technical, and other skills provide a more stable and comfortable lifestyle for my family, so that is how I choose to make my living.

 

[groundcontrol]

Good...
When Northwest goes down the crapper you'll have something to fall back on.

Maybe you should be debating home improvements instead of NW maintenance, since you have more "skills" in that field.

Thank you and have a nice life....

 

[jenny@nw]

A very dominating victory to be more precise. The maintenance operation is performing at pre-strike levels, and doing so with drastically improved efficiency.

So how do you know those numbers weren't "fudged". I know from working as a manager that I've seen people fudge their numbers, create these ghost inventories to get a pleaseant bonus at the end. (I think in this case its KEEP YOUR JOB)

I always have had sympathy for the font-line workers. We're all in the same boat here.

I hardly think frontline workers are equal to someone that does number crunching. You don't deal with screaming people who puts on this show just to get an exit row seat or hide their luggage they are going to carry onboard the aircraft.

I am better suited where I currently am, so I won't be volunteering for replacement duty. I'm not one of the few hundred management employees that were F/A trained during the previous contingency buildup.

my understanding by talking to one of them this wasn't exactly volunteering. Either you go do it or look for another job. That's what I was told by one guy who was on their "IOE".

As for toasting beers with PTO, you're right, he does deserve a toast. What would you guys talk about if he weren't around to fuel the flames.

Well perhaps we saw how scabs work on "empirical observation" where I even witnessed myself 2 scabs trying to install a new lightbulb on a wingtip. Plane took a delay because these guys clearly didn't know what they were doing. Finally a NW scab comes along and shows them tenderly how to instal it. WOW. Delay due to fixing a lightbulb. That's complete ineffeciecy.

this board would be pretty boring without him. He should be charging you guys counseling fees, as I'd guess that the venting that occurrs at PTO's expense is very therapuetic for all of you guys (and gals

In a sense, true. We all need to have an outlet for our anger. This is why I try to host these strike parties. Next one is at the end of next month. All you people are invited, if you can make it. It's great to have those gatherings because we get to discuss what everyone is up to. It's all positive. Most of them found jobs paying almost the same or a little less WITHOUT SCABBING.


Now with all this said and done, why is it that NW ONCE AGAIN pissed away potential money making opportunities?

For instance utilizing some MX on their down time, and picking up a maintenance contract for an airline that has 1 flight a day. How much did that airline pay? $18,000 a month?

What about all those "assets" just sitting in the desert? why not break them apart and sell the parts?
Planes don't make money on the ground.

Why not take the lead that WN did. With their savy marketing scheme they picked up customers and now have a good reputation among the public, although it cost more (then) to go on WN. Northwest? forget it. Advertising seems to be some frivilous expenditure.

They're pretty much STANGNANT, something that happens to companies before they go down the toilet. No savy marketing. I don't see any advertising going on where I live.

On top of this no corporate vision. I almost died laughing when I saw some old pamphlets from 1995 about NW's corporate vision.

NW created this enviorment where they have very angry/upset frontline workers. How can this be productive? I think it is 100% counterproductive. Who wants to go back to a company where they experienced bad service? Then they'll tell 7 of their other friends, then they will in turn tell more people... and more... It costs more to get back those people as customers again. I don't think those frequent flyer miles are going to be a useful tool to bring back those customers.


I think they had two viable options to cut down wages. One was to treat the employees with RESPECT, treat all UNIONS with respect and inform them that how we have to work as a group and take wage cuts ect. ect. ect. and keep the layoffs at a mininum. This way is the most scariest for most managers because they are not certain how it will go through. But with some airlines that went this route, it has worked into their favor.

The other option is to do what NW did. BOY! Unethical is an understatement. They took this route and kicked it up a notch. Seems like someone gave this airline to a kid to "play with". Mismanagement at its zenith.

Seems to me they are/were postiioning themselves to be bought out by "someone". And forced themselves into bankruptcy. (((loved it when my friend in Mecca told me NW did its best to AVOID bankruptcy! I told him/her what the hell drug are they on!?!?)))

They haven't done as much business as they use to so if this happens soon they will not have any obstacles with people screaming "MONOPOLY". However I think that in their master plan they didn't put into the factor that fuel prices are going to sky rocket bigtime. Stock market is due for a major tumble. No smart person is going to put NW in their stock portfolio. That's just crazy.
B)

 

[justanadd]

I think at the end of the day, the T/A terms are still much better for a vast majority of these poeple than the alternatives they might find in other fields. I won't go into the reasons why, but I think an honest sampling of F/As would show that they're not indifferent as to whether their job at NWA continues to exist, thus I don't think there is much stomach for forcing a Ch.7.

You obviously haven't talked to many flight attendants. Or maybe you just don't understand how bad the TA is. PFAA has agreed to give away basic work rules that have taken years to get. My guess is PFAA and NW know this TA isn't gonna pass or this letter would never have been written by Boda.

 

[finman]

My guess is PFAA and NW know this TA isn't gonna pass or this letter would never have been written by Boda.

I think you're probably right.

 

[finman]

B)

A Lot of good points. So does this mean I'm invited to the strike party? I could whip up batch of devilled eggs or something.

 

[Necrophilias]

A Lot of good points. So does this mean I'm invited to the strike party? I could whip up batch of devilled eggs or something.

The NW FAs deserve much better than what they have to contend with at work. FAs are "frontline" employees and to demoralize them is poor business judgement...IT'S THAT SIMPLE!

Unfortunately I don't see NW becoming a better employer any time this century. The wage and benny issues are now receiving more heat as Southwest has made it official that they are coming to MSP.

If the FAs simply walked off the job without notice and never returned that would give the NW execs what they deserve.

 

[Nor'Easta]

Please clarifiy what "this" is that you're referring to.

This = Letter to NW f/a's about price of rejection.

Letter to f/a's = Interference

Interference = Illegal under the RLA

Any questions?

 

[finman]

[quote name='Nor'Easta' post='383636' date='May 24 2006, 08:29 PM']This = Letter to NW f/a's about price of rejection.

Letter to f/a's = Interference

Interference = Illegal under the RLA

Any questions?[/quote]
The letter certainly could have used softer language to enhance it's effectiveness, but it's quite a stretch that providing information to your employees is somehow "interference" with a contract vote.

That language in the RLA is more designed to prevent actual interference when a group of employees are attempting to unionize. You'll have to explain to me how getting out factual information about the ramifications of a vote is somehow "interfering" with an F/As ability to vote. I think the approriate term for what was done here is "influence", which I don't think is covered by the RLA.