No airline, indeed no business, can conduct its affairs with the parochial interests of its own employees as the centerpiece of its business strategy.
I disagree with this statement because:
When Southwest first started and things were not going well, they realized they needed to get rid employees, or an aircraft to stay in business. As we all know the choice was the aircraft, the employees stayed and have made history because of the very fact the employees came first. Yes the UAL problems are a LOT bigger. But there are too many successful companies that have put employees first. Success is based on large part by the employees treatment of the very customers that make it a success, why would anything less then great employee relations make an airline a success? Now in industry where people are not front line employees they can be treated as cave dwellers without hurting the bottom line. I see both sides here and really don't have an answer, but the answer is not going to be one sided either way.
DCAFlyer response:
I dont' see this so much as puting employees first as I do recognizing that employees are a significant asset to the company, not a liability. This is a major problem with the large carriers right now. Southwest has always recognized that happy employees results in a more well-run operation. If you treat people well, they will not only be happier, they will look happier, act happier, and work harder. Once Bethune went to CAL and changed the corporate culture, the airline turned around. Once he gave gate agents the final authority to offer upgrades, comp hotel rooms and meals on delays, and deal with the passergers because they are the front person, attitudes changed. Bethune essentially said 'I can sit in the executive suite and make rules, but I'm not the one who has to face a passenger when there is a delay.' (paraphrased) He held a bonfire in the parking lot at HQ and burned the employee manuals. He replaced them with employee guidelines and told the employees you have a brain, you figure out the solution to XXX problem. He went on to say that he was amazed at the creativity that employees displayed in problem solving.
Changing attitudes toward your employees is one piece of the puzzle, but not the entire answer. What we see now with the major carriers is a mish-mash of different work groups commanding different benefits and varying levels of rights which have been written into the different contract over the years. It is no wonder Dave had the mismanaged mess to clean up. The majors also have instances, I believe, where the people responsible for giving away the farm did so thinking or knowing that they wouldn't be around when the do-do finally hit the fan. Classic example, parity plus one, which never made sense in the most liberal of business schemes. The WolfGang figured they would be long gone when this became a problem.
I don't know that there is a perfect solution... perhaps one union for one airline negotiating for all labor groups at the same time. Not a perfect answer, though. I think the perfect answer would be an airline treating its employees with dignity and respect, across the board, so we don't need unions in the first place. Oh, to dream!
I disagree with this statement because:
When Southwest first started and things were not going well, they realized they needed to get rid employees, or an aircraft to stay in business. As we all know the choice was the aircraft, the employees stayed and have made history because of the very fact the employees came first. Yes the UAL problems are a LOT bigger. But there are too many successful companies that have put employees first. Success is based on large part by the employees treatment of the very customers that make it a success, why would anything less then great employee relations make an airline a success? Now in industry where people are not front line employees they can be treated as cave dwellers without hurting the bottom line. I see both sides here and really don't have an answer, but the answer is not going to be one sided either way.
DCAFlyer response:
I dont' see this so much as puting employees first as I do recognizing that employees are a significant asset to the company, not a liability. This is a major problem with the large carriers right now. Southwest has always recognized that happy employees results in a more well-run operation. If you treat people well, they will not only be happier, they will look happier, act happier, and work harder. Once Bethune went to CAL and changed the corporate culture, the airline turned around. Once he gave gate agents the final authority to offer upgrades, comp hotel rooms and meals on delays, and deal with the passergers because they are the front person, attitudes changed. Bethune essentially said 'I can sit in the executive suite and make rules, but I'm not the one who has to face a passenger when there is a delay.' (paraphrased) He held a bonfire in the parking lot at HQ and burned the employee manuals. He replaced them with employee guidelines and told the employees you have a brain, you figure out the solution to XXX problem. He went on to say that he was amazed at the creativity that employees displayed in problem solving.
Changing attitudes toward your employees is one piece of the puzzle, but not the entire answer. What we see now with the major carriers is a mish-mash of different work groups commanding different benefits and varying levels of rights which have been written into the different contract over the years. It is no wonder Dave had the mismanaged mess to clean up. The majors also have instances, I believe, where the people responsible for giving away the farm did so thinking or knowing that they wouldn't be around when the do-do finally hit the fan. Classic example, parity plus one, which never made sense in the most liberal of business schemes. The WolfGang figured they would be long gone when this became a problem.
I don't know that there is a perfect solution... perhaps one union for one airline negotiating for all labor groups at the same time. Not a perfect answer, though. I think the perfect answer would be an airline treating its employees with dignity and respect, across the board, so we don't need unions in the first place. Oh, to dream!
