Pit Paper

[WestCoastGuy]

I agree, JavaBoy, you've got the cahonnes to step up to the plate, but I dont think the current regime has them enuf to step aside. This situation reminds me of a terminally ill patient on life support. The "doctors" around the patient dont really know what to do, so they keep draining his blood thinking this will improve the situation. They wont even let him pass with dignity. When the patient expires, they'll wring their hands and say they did everything they could. Then slam the door shut. With this group, it's either time to pull the plug, or get new doctors who know how to treat the patient.

 

[enilria]

With that "extra" household Bruce has, it would be a terrible sacrafice for him to take a paycut. With all his talent, and those around him, the company should probably give them all a 23% raise

[post="190226"][/post]​

Let's say ATA called you, WestCoastGuy, and asked you to leave what you've been doing at US Airways to go work at a company in very bad shape that you had never worked at before. I'm guessing you'd want to be paid??? Am I wrong?

Lakefield has no years invested in US Airways, the stock is worthless, and he has no other reason to join US Airways except to be paid a salary. You know its probably not easy getting any QUALIFIED person to even come to US Airways...and why is that?

Because of this thread!

This guy has barely arrived and he is already being soundly attacked and asked to work for nothing. If it were me I'd say, enough of this cr@p, move on to your second choice for CEO (or in this case 20th choice).

As much as everyone thinks management is bunch of boneheads, it is better than no management at all...and establishing this "us versus them" mentality only pushes the company closer and closer to the day the doors close and the LCCs scream with glee.

 

[MarkMyWords]

MarkMyWords
Lakefield knew what he was getting into when he took this job. At that time, no one was asking for give backs. He accepts his position for the amount of compensation that he was given. Then he asks labor for give backs, but does not give back himself, nor does his exec's. That only inflames the fires of mistrust at CCY. Then he goes public with his woes and crys about being away from his family and having to pay for a second home. That man is NO TRUE LEADER in any regard. He is simply a puppet for Dr. Boner and is protecting his compensation and those around him, with gusto. If the board of directors can not find a competent CEO and COO, labor can not help them even if we give 100% of our pay and benefits to them. Respect and leadership is a 2 way street. And I see NO LEADERSHIP on the horizon. It is unfortunant for everyone.

[post="190255"][/post]​

I'm afraid I have to disagree. Lakefield took this job to help Bronner protect his investment. When Dave S was let go, Bruce was called out of retirement to try and turn things around.

Bruce didn't start the talk of concessions, Dave S. did.

Bruce did not take a pay cut but the position of CEO's compensation was reduced 43% from Dave S. Plus he does not have any of the benefits that Dave, Steve or Rakesh had.

The other executives of the company ALL took cuts ranging from 15-20% with reductions in benefits, sick/vacation time, pension contributions, etc. Add to that the vacant positions and the severence packages that will be delivered starting today and through next week. There are going to be staffing cuts in CCY and PIT that cut across all management levels.

I agree that Bruce's comments were inapproriate and I am sure he went to the same media/employee relations classes that Doc Bronner did, but he is making nothing compared to what he could make outside of this company.....if he so desired. There is not a management team that any of you would agree with or take to heart because they are all going to tell you the same thing. Employee concessions are necessary. I am not happy about that, I don't like what is happening and I don't want to give up what I have worked very hard for.....but there is NO ONE that will come in here and leave all the contracts in place. Sorry, but that is reality!

I agree with Clue......perhaps the next CEO will have his compensation package directly tied to the performance of the company. But right now, I think that Bruces compensation package is undervalued and he is right to not have to take any additional cuts. My opinion......as unpopular as it may be.

 

[SpinDoc]

Explain to me in that light how the good folks at LUV are paid more than your counterparts to fly planes, maintain planes, staff planes, load planes, and reserve flights on planes yet manage to make more money for their shareholders?

SpinDoc replies:
They are paid more because they are more productive.
It takes less WN employees to do the same amount of
work as US employees. Think about it, WN has 350+
aircraft and LESS employees than US. Part of the
savings comes from the lack of a true hub and spoke
system for WN, but most of it comes from higher
aircraft utilization and less employees per aircraft.
Their union contracts permit them to cross utilize
employees and US CBA's hinder that efficiency.

 

[neverhome]

I agree that Bruce's comments were inapproriate and I am sure he went to the same media/employee relations classes that Doc Bronner did, but he is making nothing compared to what he could make outside of this company.....if he so desired. There is not a management team that any of you would agree with or take to heart because they are all going to tell you the same thing. Employee concessions are necessary. I am not happy about that, I don't like what is happening and I don't want to give up what I have worked very hard for.....but there is NO ONE that will come in here and leave all the contracts in place. Sorry, but that is reality!

In fairness to Bruce, I'm reading his comments a bit differently. I think when he is referring to being paid to maintain a second home, he is talking about the home he moved into in VA in order to take the job; not a second vacation home.

 

[WestCoastGuy]

Many of us have "Been there...dont that" with this company. Goes with the job..he knew that when he took the job.

 

[700UW]

Fuzzy math?

Dave was making $600,000 a year and Bruce is making $425,000.

MMWs please explain to me how $425,000 is 43% less then $600,000.

 

[awayfrmitall]

The bankruptcy court and the creditor's are calling the shots and the creditor's now require employee concessions of at least a 23% pay cut to permit continued financing and operations past Friday, October 15.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

[post="190260"][/post]​

Question... if what you are saying about the creditors wanting "at least" a 23% cut is true, does that now mean that the tentative agreements with the TWU & the pilots are effectively null & void and won't be sent out to the membership for a vote since they are not the 23% these new creditor's are demanding???

 

[Winglet]

How do you know what Lakefield's REAL compensation is? Anybody naive enough to think that it's just what they show the public??? If so, I've got an airline I'd like to sell you.

 

[X-U]

Explain to me in that light how the good folks at LUV are paid more than your counterparts to fly planes, maintain planes, staff planes, load planes, and reserve flights on planes yet manage to make more money for their shareholders?

SpinDoc replies:
They are paid more because they are more productive.
It takes less WN employees to do the same amount of
work as US employees. Think about it, WN has 350+
aircraft and LESS employees than US. Part of the
savings comes from the lack of a true hub and spoke
system for WN, but most of it comes from higher
aircraft utilization and less employees per aircraft.
Their union contracts permit them to cross utilize
employees and US CBA's hinder that efficiency.

[post="190326"][/post]​

How many VPs per aircraft does WN have compared to US? Are the VPs at US less productive than their counterparts at WN? How about sacking some CCY employees and cross-utilizing the remainder to make them more efficient?

 

[uairhv]

If the creditors are running things and Lakefield is not, We can let him go NOW and save the money and he can spend his time with his wife. Upon our coming out of CH11 we can THEN find a CEO who really wants to run an airline, not do a favor for a friend. No-one is asking him for a full paycut just what he is asking of the rest of management 5-10% as 23% would be too much to retain his talent. There are plenty of folks in-house who are very well educated to do senior management jobs, however everytime you turn around they bring in folks from the street rather than post in-house postions for folks that have been here for decades, that have ideas that would really work. I've heard ideas all thru the system. That so called suggestion mess is a joke. While folks are saying he is underpaid, What has he really done since he took over. His first week in office he Flew on a flight where I was at the gate. He never intoduced himself or anything. That is where B^ and WN CEO's get the respect from there workforce. They are not scared to speak to the folks on the front line as they travel. Take a walk thru stations and actually say hello, YES he will have alot of angry folks BUT suck it up and keep moving to the next person. I would bet if he took the time to talk to folks he would probably get some great ideas. The same for Bronner as he flew on one of my flights last week. I am very much into giving something back, however please :angry:

 

[bobcat]

Who in their right mind would even consider taking a position, let alone such a high ranking position, when they have absolutely no experience and no knowledge of the industry? And...not feel guilty about collecting a paycheck when they are not even "calling the shots"! And...all the while gouging the employees and driving away customers! And...not to mention the company being on the brink of extinction!

Must have had some ulterior or self serving motive. It surely couldn't have been to save this company!

 

[PITbull]

I swear you people cease to amaze me. Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't we paying Steve and Rakesh 650,000.00 each to run the company into the ground? We paid Just Call Me Dave 750,000.00 plus stock, etc. Bruce comes to the company, out of retirement, for 425,000.00 (a savings of 875,000 from Steve/Rakesh and 325,000 from what Dave was paid) and it is still not enough? Now he should come to work for free?

Give me a fricken break.

[post="190239"][/post]​

Mark,

What's your pay cut...the 5% or the 7.5%? Gee, wish that was all our group had to take...hell, we offered 8.5 and 10% and got it rubbed in our nose.

Easy for you to say you're amazed by what we post...I guess I would to if my pay cut was only 7.5% and I could get the rest of union labor to carry the rest for me at 10% 20%, or 23%....

I think that THIS CEO needs to take the same salary as the CEO of JetBlue which is $275,000, (court hearing slide)

And if the company profits in two consecutive quarters, his salary "snaps back".

PS: Bruce was called out of retirment to help his best friend the "bonehead", however he is absolutely CLUELESS, and promoted himself on shear deception of saying agreements would be consentual and it would be without threats...AS HE TOLD THE AFA MEC...

 

[PITbull]

WestCoast....

What do you think is a fair wage for the CEO of a company on the verge of collapse? He didnt' put us in this position, he is the one tryig to get us out. So he should make what? 100K? 50K? The CEO's compensation has been reduced 43% but you want more. What do you think will happen if Bruce leaves? Do you think you will attract a talented individual to the CEO job if the money isn't there? Bruce came into this job for far less then Dave, with a lot less stock and benefits.

A CEO will always make more then the guys/gals doing the grunt work.

First -

I agree....I think it would be a great moral boost and a sense of victory if we could go after past CEO's to recoup the monies they stole from the company. But I think you and I will both agree that the men in the Millionaire Mens Club will always protect one another.

[post="190247"][/post]​

Delta is 2/3 bigger than U and the CEO will not recieve any more salary through the end of the year, and then commence with a 10% pay cut.

U managment copied Delta, but the CEO, (whose protected by the majority of the
BOD (bronner's boys), will not have his salary reduced.

Gee, he's such a nice guy, though. :angry: he's just got to maintain that second commuter house for taking the job....wish the f/as could afford a second commuter residency just to commute to work, especially LGA, DCA, BOS...yea real cheap living there...

 

[GeezLouis]

Correct me if I am wrong, but weren't we paying Steve and Rakesh 650,000.00 each to run the company into the ground? We paid Just Call Me Dave 750,000.00 plus stock, etc.

[post="190392"][/post]​

Hey! It's just like Steve and Rocky said in the late 90's! We have to keep the Pay High to keep the Talent! Weren't you listening??? :blink: