Please Explain Siegel's Sins

[AgentOrange]

OK, if Siegel was such a bad CEO, what did he do wrong?

Should he have asked for more concessions? Maybe in hindsight, but what credibility do the unions have in making that charge? He should have asked us for something we wouldn't have agreed to? He should have asked us for something that we would have instantly responded to with a charge about management's own shortcomings?

Should he have turned this aging unionized airline into an agile low-cost carrier in only 1-2 years?

Should he have busted the hub-and-spoke model and somehow survived the resulting operational chaos to come out with an airline with higher RASM and/or lower costs (is this even proven?)?

Should he have somehow started a Jetblue-like operation within US Airways?

Should he have hedged fuel more aggressively?

What should he have done? Can there rational explanations in perhaps 10% of the posts instead of roundhouse condemnations without solutions?

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Man, how much napom did you inhale? Hello??!! The guy LIED over and over. Fellow employees indulge AgentOrange in SIEGAL'S-LIST-O-LIES.

LIE #1 - "We aren't looking to file bankruptcy protection." Noted in Business Week in July 2002. We filed in August8. 2002.

LIE #2 - "Hi Everyone, this is Dave..." Trying to be friendly.

LIE #3- "We want to keep the pilot pension"

Keep the LIE-O-METER running. Let's refresh everyone's mental clarity on what it's been like have a guy with a Napoleon Complex at the helm the last few years.

 

[El Gato]

OK, if Siegel was such a bad CEO, what did he do wrong?

Should he have asked for more concessions? Maybe in hindsight, but what credibility do the unions have in making that charge? He should have asked us for something we wouldn't have agreed to? He should have asked us for something that we would have instantly responded to with a charge about management's own shortcomings?

Should he have turned this aging unionized airline into an agile low-cost carrier in only 1-2 years?

Should he have busted the hub-and-spoke model and somehow survived the resulting operational chaos to come out with an airline with higher RASM and/or lower costs (is this even proven?)?

Should he have somehow started a Jetblue-like operation within US Airways?

Should he have hedged fuel more aggressively?

What should he have done? Can there rational explanations in perhaps 10% of the posts instead of roundhouse condemnations without solutions?

You want to know what Siegel's sin was in reality?

He should have asked the judge back in Chapter 11 to abrogate all the unions contracts, and set down new wage scales, and new work rules. He should have cleaned house of not just managers but employees as well.

He should have dumped the managers who were working no-show jobs.

He should have fired every last employee over the age of fifty, and slashed the remainders wages by 50%.

He should have closed PIT.

He should have moved CCY to CLT.

He should have grown the airline.

He should have shown more balls.

And now, inspite of his $4.5 million parachute, his name is MUD. He will never work in this industry again, all because he mistaken and foolishly believed that he could reason with unions, and politely "talk" them into changing their greedy, lazy, unionista ways. But don't worry. What SIegel and Bronner could not teach, unemployment, the horror of losing ones possesions and family life, the spectre of looking for jobs that no longer exist, and such will teach the employees in a way no CEO ever could. Welcome to the school of misery and pain.

Welcome to unemployment.

 

[cavalier]

Welcome to unemployment.

You got to be kidding! With the money he walked away with you called that unemployed, it's called a vacation, forever.

 

[El Gato]

You got to be kidding! With the money he walked away with you called that unemployed, it's called a vacation, forever.

Uh, Cav, I suggest you re-read the statement. It is not addressed towards Siegel. It is addressed towards YOU. I am welcoming YOU to the wonderful world of unemployment. Jeez...

 

[Hope777]

Be respectfull of the employees and they will respect you. The man Lied to everyone and he lost the trust of his most valuable asset, his employees.

 

[avek00]

OK, if Siegel was such a bad CEO, what did he do wrong?

Should he have asked for more concessions? Maybe in hindsight, but what credibility do the unions have in making that charge? He should have asked us for something we wouldn't have agreed to? He should have asked us for something that we would have instantly responded to with a charge about management's own shortcomings?

Should he have turned this aging unionized airline into an agile low-cost carrier in only 1-2 years?

Should he have busted the hub-and-spoke model and somehow survived the resulting operational chaos to come out with an airline with higher RASM and/or lower costs (is this even proven?)?

Should he have somehow started a Jetblue-like operation within US Airways?

Should he have hedged fuel more aggressively?

What should he have done? Can there rational explanations in perhaps 10% of the posts instead of roundhouse condemnations without solutions?

FWIW, my only real criticism of Siegel is that he did not seek deep and decisive enough concessions from labor during the bankruptcy process that would allow for sweeping changes to the company's business plan. Beyond that, I praise him for continuing the work begun during the Wolf/Gangwal period, which, at the VERY least, has kept US in existence for far longer than most industry observers predicted, especially post-9/11.

 

[Dea Certe]

Dave's sins? Well, I'd have to say alienating labor, customers and the State of Pennsylvania to be the Big Three.

Dea

 

[El Gato]

Be respectfull of the employees and they will respect you. The man Lied to everyone and he lost the trust of his most valuable asset, his employees.

I agree he should have been more honest to the workgroups, but that doesn't excuse obstinate behavior on behalf of the unions. Siegel may leave with the company money(in a sense), but it is now the employees who leave with blood stained hands of their fellow man's livelihoods.

 

[Fatherknowsbest]

I really believed we were in trouble on day 1. Crystal City announced a new FF award that would allow members to "fly into space" with their mileage. What shear stupidity. When I read the PR spin and Siegel said it would be a great enhancement to the program, I realized that we were in BIG trouble. I was so embarrassed. I was of the opinion that Siegel should fire whatever idiot came up with the idea and tell everyone to forget that on the first day.

Siegel also promised that the "Management that got us into the current mess were not the ones likely to get us out of it". He promised to clean house right away. He never did. I emailed him like so many other employees. I suggested that no one put a gun to his head and that I would know in 4 to 6 weeks if he was for real or a BSer.

If Crellin isn't the next one or three to go.....I don't hold out much hope this time either. Someone who defines peter principle to the T.

I wish I knew how we could turn this around. If we are to survive we must hire some outside airline talent. We now have money Bronner & money Lakefield. Where is the airline talent?

Please do not forget that Siegel refused to go after the $35 million paid to Wolf, Gangwal and 2 others while in Chapter 11. This was so no one would likely go after HIS golden parachute when he departed.

One final opinion. To bring back Bob Johnson from the previous BOD is nothing but reckless. He authorized the repurchase of $ 1 Billion + in stock AND was for the hiring of Siegel. That BOD needs to be investigated by the SEC because all they did was "ruber stamp" everything Wolf and Gangwal wanted. They had a fudiciary responsibility to look out for stockholders and turned their heads to all the unethical actions brought by senior management.

 

[cavalier]

Uh, Cav, I suggest you re-read the statement. It is not addressed towards Siegel. It is addressed towards YOU. I am welcoming YOU to the wonderful world of unemployment. Jeez...

You should be a lobbyist because you can spin it into the twilight zone.

 

[aerosmith]

Dave's sins, Hmmm. He's a pathalogical liar! :down:

 

[firstamendment]

The true meaning of the word sin is "missing the mark." Dave failed to truly be authentic with his employees. Yes, he wanted to be called Dave...and yes, he spoke to us every Friday...BUT...these kind of actions never cut it and came across as insincere as he would talk about how wonderful we are one day and less than 24 hours lay hundreds or thousands off. And might I just add that Dave did this to the mechanics in TPA, I do believe, right before Christmas.

For this, Dave commited a huge sin. He missed the mark where employee relations were concerned.

 

[E-TRONS]

Let us not forget Dave's mastery of the "Bait-n-switch" technique that he so often employed......just ask PIT airport authority and the pilots :huh:

 

[Walmartgreeter]

Dave, the new airline failure- thief CEO following Carty and Leo, could have done nothing different. He was a loser from the start, and even with the benefit of the doubt from the employees and 2 rounds of givebacks...did NOTHING to change the culture at U. U may or may not make it now, and it WILL be especially tough to change CEO's at such a critical juncture. USAirways OPERATIONS are one of the finest in the industry, despite it's management. Good riddance, and anyone now aligning themselves with said loser are just that...losers. Good luck to all the employees of U...you have the ability and will to survive...the only thing you need is LUCK in finding a real LEADER. This is indeed a fine day. ZERO chance of survival with loser DAVE at the helm, at least a chance with him gone. Best to all, greeter.