We Already Gave! Concession Stand Closed!

[Reservation Agent]

The workers have been furloughed....beaten down...threatned...Workers have given up pay & benefits worth millions of dollars, and it is never enough....

More millions of dollars in taxpayer funds have been poured into it...

How long will it take for the folks in charge to realize that the failures of the company come from the leadership not the average "Joe" worker...

Siegel, Gangwal, Wolfe, walked away with millions of dollars needed to operate this company...And it is taken as no big deal...

The company acquired PSA with routing in the West and squandered it...

The company has jets sitting in the desert, making payments on them, because it is to stubborn to give the work to USAIRWAYS mechanics....The company is stretched very, very thin at the airports, in Reservations with 200 calls on hold, but can easily add new managers at the drop of a hat...

While fuel costs have increasing the company has been reluctant to do fuel hedging like Southwest.....

Mr Lakefield who I believe is probably has good intensions, is not an airline man....but a financial "wheeler" and "dealer"...looking to make money and then move on to his next project....He realised Mr Siegel was lacking in his "In Your Face" attitude of "take it or leave it" conduct...

He is asking the workers to look forward...To do that is sticking your head in the sand like an ostreich..... We have been here...trying to keep this thing afloat...He is the newcomer....We have not been playing golf at the country club, ya know...

If the only plan is to again put the "burden"on the employees who have little left to pay their bills...He may say we are not a low cost carrier, when Southwest has higher employee costs, as seen in recent comparrisons between USAIRWAYS and Southwest agents done by the CWA union....

Loads are up! The economy is improving... People are getting back to travelling...
Southwest has shown that you can have both low fares & low costs by looking at the "other" costs an airline incurs....The employee costs are not higher at USAIRWAYS... It is the business plan and other associated costs....Multiple aircraft, etc...Smaller planes...Too many complicated fares..."Well I can get you there for that fare but the rules say it is good only... on a Tues or Thurs between the hours of 10Am and 12pm or 7PM and 11pm, with a maximun of a 7 day stay and a minimum of a 7 day stay, if the month has 31 days in it and it is in a leap year."...


It was written recently that USAIRWAYS would have reflected a profit if not for purchasing new regional jets...But it is not so easy to cry Wolfe and say our costs are too high, if you show a profit...It is easier to adjust the books for jet purchases, payments to Mesa, etc....

I have heard nothing of job guarantees to any workers....enough has been taken from these workers, their wives & children....

To survive the company will need to grow, price affordably, be sharp in the marketing of the company, and learn the lesson of Southwest that a "happy" employee is a "hard working", "productive" and "proud" employee! :down:

 

[pitguy]

Reservation Agent,

Nice post. I know most Mechanics are ready for the end soon. They are done giving anything. Nothing.


Tough choice........Either jump on the sword yourself or they will throw you on it.....

No way would I do that to myself or my family.

 

[delldude]

we hear you.....i saw the pilots are already towing the "we ain't doing it alone" mantra.....
so if thats the case....get your bags packed.....

 

[Pragmatic]

Reservation Agent,

I whole heartedly agree with your point of view. What I would add to the list is that, as a company, we wasted 2 precious years waiting and hoping for getting approval on US-UA merger. We basically put everything on hold during that time while the competitors got stronger and stronger. There was no plan "B". I strongly believe that we would not be in such a bad shape if we had not put everything on hold during that time period.

But this is our company. The leaders will change and we have no choice but to make some very tough decisions now. I want this company to survive even if I am not part of it in the future.

 

[NYPD]

Here here. Well said!

Our management "team" has proven over and over that THEY are the losers. The business plan at US Airways has been a losing plan since 1989 when they started squandering the assets of two other GREAT airlines.

Today's climate is different, there's no denying that. But management continues to believe that labor is the problem and management can do no wrong. It is so evident that they have not a clue. No clue for at least 15 years now!

The workers of this company have been beaten up enough. This corporate "terrorism" must end before we can move forward and have a happy workforce and a profitable company again.

 

[FM2436]

Siegel, Gangwal, Wolfe, walked away with millions of dollars needed to operate this company...And it is taken as no big deal...

What's interesting about this portion of your statement is I remember reading previous posters post comments that they would see Siegel in the unemployment line if and when US Airways closed its door. This being the reason(s) why they refuse added concessions. I don't think Siegel is standing in the unemployment line now. The only casulties of US Airways ceasing to exist will be the employees of US Airways.

The economic and operational realities of the airline industry, particularly with respect to US Airways, has changed. Adapt or face the consequences. Southwest and jetblue are bullying US Airways right in it's own playground. And appear quite comfortable is doing so without absolutely no concerns and/or second thoughts being given to US Airways and its employees.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

I don't think Siegel is standing in the unemployment line now. The only casulties of US Airways ceasing to exist will be the employees of US Airways.

The economic and operational realities of the airline industry, particularly with respect to US Airways, has changed. Adapt or face the consequences.

The sad reality is that if a company folds - be it Acme Tool and Die or UAIR , it is the rank and file employees whose lifestyle will change. Suddenly and dramatically. The lifestyle of the upper management will not really change. The have plenty of money in the bank and will soon find other jobs in upper mgmt of other companies. They will still have health insurance and be able to pay their kids' college.

 

[bobcat]

Res Agent you are correct! The employees have given twice trusting that management would put our hard earned money to good use and turn this airline around. Well...SURPRISE...that didn't happen. We surrendered twice and are now still wondering where that money went. Nothing has changed except they are still asking us to give to a losing cause.

We started hearing about how much trouble we were in and the need for more employee concessions and the changes that were needed since last November. Here it is May and there have been no changes as of yet and we still have not heard "THE PLAN". By the time all work groups hear "THE PLAN" and go through the process of voting, we will be well into June or July. That is almost three years wasted! It seems to me that management has just been depending on employee concessions to carry this company!

Even if we stay up and running, how long do you think we will be doing business?
Do you really think we will still be around in two years? As our "wealthy" ex-CEO said "we will never be a LCC". Even with concessions, can we compete? We are being led by management that has no airline experience and even when we did they didn't have a clue of which direction to go.

The answer is definately not more employee concessions. It seems the mechanics and Res Agents don't stand a chance. These two groups are in a no win situation no matter what. As time goes by, both of these groups will dwindle substantially. As was spelled out to us numerous times, outsourcing and the internet are a big part of "THE PLAN". So why in the world would these two groups vote to give more money to this losing battle. They will just be cutting their own throats.

What kind of plan could really be good enough and realistic to save this company from extinction? I don't mean for a year or two, I mean for the long haul. We have wasted so much time already. Do you seriously think this management group has the knowledge and tools to keep it going indefinately? Is it too late?

 

[robbedagain]

i wonder how much was saved then squandered when they turned the tpa hangar into a closed shop, then started to outsource the airbus, then turned selected cities into the circus style mainline express crap, and raisied some medical benefits, then gave up a ton to the former ceo siegel and cohen????

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

You folks will give again because this is a permanently different revenue environment and the money is just not there to pay you the wages you expect.

During the past decade none of you would've accepted Southwest-style wages or workrules because you were fat and happy.

Now you'd probably signover the firstborn to become one of Herb's associates.

And all this gossip regarding how this is all management's fault is a waste of your energy. You should be focusing on the barbarians at your gate.

BOHICA.

 

[USA320Pilot]

Dont call me Shirley:

Dont call me Shirley said: "The sad reality is that if a company folds - be it Acme Tool and Die or UAIR , it is the rank and file employees whose lifestyle will change. Suddenly and dramatically. The lifestyle of the upper management will not really change. The have plenty of money in the bank and will soon find other jobs in upper mgmt of other companies. They will still have health insurance and be able to pay their kids' college."

USA320Pilot comments: I agree and I believe most employees are not prepared for the company to shut down operations. Nobody likes the fundamental realities of the marketplace and either we adapt or die.

I believe it would be better for all employee groups to negotiate new accords and then of unacceptable seek new employment. It's better to have pay and benefits while searching for a job than nothing except unemployment.

Even if an employee is furloughed they are better off accepting the new deals because the will have severance pay, COBRA medical insurance, J4J (some work groups), travel privileges, and recall rights.

Thus, for every employee it's better to keep the company operating with pay and benefits versus forcing a Chapter 7 liquidation.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

 

[delldude]

You folks will give again because this is a permanently different revenue environment and the money is just not there to pay you the wages you expect.

During the past decade none of you would've accepted Southwest-style wages or workrules because you were fat and happy.

Now you'd probably signover the firstborn to become one of Herb's associates.

And all this gossip regarding how this is all management's fault is a waste of your energy. You should be focusing on the barbarians at your gate.

BOHICA.

Now you'd probably signover the firstborn to become one of Herb's associates.

surely you speak of the pilots.....

 

[bobcat]

USA320PILOT

Who are you to say what is better for each and every employee. First of all severance pay is not guaranteed, second, the employees that make $30,000 or less will be hard pressed to afford COBRA when they can barely afford to pay their portion of health benefits now, no J4J, if fares are going to be rediculously low it may be more beneficial to buy a ticket and be confirmed than to fly non rev, and as far as recall, doubt it if there are more furloughs especially Res. and Mechanics.

You make all employees look like a bunch of losers that will never find another job or profession. You basically tell everyone they may as well lay down and die if US folds. Well you are wrong. There are many many employees at US that ARE prepared for US to shut down operations. Life will go on and the majority of talented, hard working employees will find jobs or new careers and they will thrive once again despite what you think and say.

Not all employees here make the kind of money that you make. Maybe your work group can afford to give more but most can't. Maybe your work group is the most unemployable and that's why you continually bash everyone else and make them feel as though they will be useless outside of USAirways. Are you frightened of the big bad outside world? Will you and your family survive after USAirways?

A lot of us are not afraid anymore. We will fight for our pay and benefits until the end. We will not quit. We will see this thing until the end.

One last question...at what point would you personally say "NO" enough is enough?

 

[700UW]

One correction we do not own or lease any planes that are parked in the desert, they were all abrogated or sold.

 

[savyinvestor]

we hear you.....i saw the pilots are already towing the "we ain't doing it alone" mantra.....
so if thats the case....get your bags packed.....

USA320 will give more with or without the other employee groups. Where else is he gonna make $200,000 per year? Savy