What If

[vc10]

Suppose US Airways were to announce an investor group was to invest several hundred million dollars to take US Airways out of Ch 11, while announcing the identity of a new CEO who would take over US Airways as it exited Ch 11 and install a new management team (suppose, for argument sake it were Gordon Bethune, who would receive a large ownership stake and would take a $1/year salary).

All of this would be contingent on new labor contracts, which would include the profit sharing provisions previously discussed.

Forget how unlikely you think this is.

Would that improve employee morale? Would that make the medicine go down easier? Would that give employees hope?

 

[PITbull]

vc,

That would be a great first step in building back up the morale, HOWEVER,

With these types of proposals with huge paycuts for 5 years, the burnout will be great, and folks just won't make it.

Short of someone could infuse money into U and pay employees a wage they could live on, ITS NOT GOING TO WORK.

Pensions will be gone, retirement medical, wage reductions below average LCC for many years to come, work rules that have eliminated any quality of life for the employee and their families....medical cost to high, not enough vacation days to recoup with long hours and long duty days....takes money just to keep the job. Folks won't even be able to save a couple bucks per pay for retirment...


I don't see a sparkle of light anywhere in this scenerio. I see a mass exodus.

 

[bobcat]

Too far gone and too far fetched.

 

[Bluestreak]

That scenario would match Gordon Bethune's style. He did the same thing at Continental; take over after other hatchet men did the serious cost cutting. Bethune didn't do much at Continental. He inherited low wages brought on by other management teams and then played the good guy by not asking for anymore paycuts. Read his book. It isn't very impressive. About the only thing Gordon did at Continental was get rid of Continental Lite. Everything else was done for him. Other managements brought down labor costs and got the required scope so Continetal could build Coex.

I'll grant that Bethune was smart enough to spin off Coex when it reached it's highest point in market value. Continental has been able to live through the recession by burning the cash created by that Coex deal. Now that the Coex cash is almost gone and it's time for Bethune to make some tough decisions he has decided to step down. He doesn't want to hurt his nice guy image.

I'd find it hillarious if Bethune took over U. He could write a new book. It would open with a chapter about how U would be the biggest challenge of his career. He could have quotes from various articles where he had previously trash talked U. Then he would talk about his open door policy and how it saved employee moral after the employees had been lied to by big bad Dave Siegel and Bruce Lakefield. There could also be a chapter about him growing express and doing it while not having to lower wages for any work groups.

It would be nice if they got Bethune to be CEO. That would be a signal from the true powers that be that the hardest times are over and it's now time to get a warm fuzzy CEO for the employees.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

You forgot the part about "they all live happily ever after"....

 

[usjacket]

You are delusional, but I like it!

 

[aafsc]

That scenario would match Gordon Bethune's style. He did the same thing at Continental; take over after other hatchet men did the serious cost cutting. Bethune didn't do much at Continental. He inherited low wages brought on by other management teams and then played the good guy by not asking for anymore paycuts. Read his book. It isn't very impressive. About the only thing Gordon did at Continental was get rid of Continental Lite. Everything else was done for him. Other managements brought down labor costs and got the required scope so Continetal could build Coex.

I'll grant that Bethune was smart enough to spin off Coex when it reached it's highest point in market value. Continental has been able to live through the recession by burning the cash created by that Coex deal. Now that the Coex cash is almost gone and it's time for Bethune to make some tough decisions he has decided to step down. He doesn't want to hurt his nice guy image.

I'd find it hillarious if Bethune took over U. He could write a new book. It would open with a chapter about how U would be the biggest challenge of his career. He could have quotes from various articles where he had previously trash talked U. Then he would talk about his open door policy and how it saved employee moral after the employees had been lied to by big bad Dave Siegel and Bruce Lakefield. There could also be a chapter about him growing express and doing it while not having to lower wages for any work groups.

It would be nice if they got Bethune to be CEO. That would be a signal from the true powers that be that the hardest times are over and it's now time to get a warm fuzzy CEO for the employees.

[post="201013"][/post]​

Very good post and I agree. The are two reasons CO is still here today. First, the EAL assets that were transferred to CO, and the fact that since the end of Lorenzo to the present, the CO people have made much less than the folks at the other airlines. Plus a lot of their work is farmed out. The have lived for a long time under the vestiges of the Lorenzo era.

 

[EternalOptimist]

You obviously have a narrow perspective. Have you been looking for a new job? It's not pretty in the real world. I have neighbors who are going through the same changes we are at USAirways and they work in non-airline jobs.

Is it not apparent to you that there are junior f/a's at this company that have been taking bigger paycuts than you will ever have to. For example, the new reserve system! 15 to 20 year senority reserves who are not even breaking their minimum guarantee. That is, no matter how you slice it, a hugh paycut.

Get positive. Pro-active is better than unemployeed. Don't you think?

BTW, if you don't like our company you need to make your exit and quit sabataging the rest of us who want to keep their jobs.

vc,

That would be a great first step in building back up the morale, HOWEVER,

With these types of proposals with huge paycuts for 5 years, the burnout will be great, and folks just won't make it.

Short of someone could infuse money into U and pay employees a wage they could live on, ITS NOT GOING TO WORK.

Pensions will be gone, retirement medical, wage reductions below average LCC for many years to come, work rules that have eliminated any quality of life for the employee and their families....medical cost to high, not enough vacation days to recoup with long hours and long duty days....takes money just to keep the job. Folks won't even be able to save a couple bucks per pay for retirment...
I don't see a sparkle of light anywhere in this scenerio. I see a mass exodus.

[post="200901"][/post]​

 

[Whatnow?]

You obviously have a narrow perspective. Have you been looking for a new job? It's not pretty in the real world. I have neighbors who are going through the same changes we are at USAirways and they work in non-airline jobs.

Is it not apparent to you that there are junior f/a's at this company that have been taking bigger paycuts than you will ever have to. For example, the new reserve system! 15 to 20 year senority reserves who are not even breaking their minimum guarantee. That is, no matter how you slice it, a hugh paycut.

Get positive. Pro-active is better than unemployeed. Don't you think?

BTW, if you don't like our company you need to make your exit and quit sabataging the rest of us who want to keep their jobs.

[post="201335"][/post]​

You know I'm not sure what will kill this Airline first, bad management or employees who are so down and out and soo NEGATIVE! The grass is NEVER greener on the other side! I think the negativity has turned many dillusional!

 

[orville]

Eternal and Whatnow...I couldn't agree more. If it is so bad here then leave...But leave US here for those of us who want the company to survive.