LCC CEO has history of DUIs

[BoeingBoy]

The portion of the corporate policy manual I quoted in the other thread prohibits, among other things, the following:

"Consuming alcohol while at work or on duty, except that US Airways recognizes that certain employees, by virtue of position or assignment, may ingest alcohol by virtue of their performance of their duties after normal business hours. In such instances, the employee is expected to demonstrate good judgement and refrain from inappropriate alcohol use."

That's why the reason for Parker's presence at the event that night is important. If it was because US sponsored the event, the above applies. If he was a guest because he was the CEO of US, it appears to apply. If he was there because his neighbor and good buddy Joe Blow invited him, it probably doesn't apply but another section does:

"All employees are prohibited from misusing alcohol when such misuse negatively impacts US Airways."

That's where Parker's position as CEO applies - everything he does may impact US.

Jim

 

[BoeingBoy]

Agreed, Bob. That's why I haven't been in either the "He's evil incarnate" side or the "He's better than the Second Coming" (Jesus could only walk on water, Parker can drive on beer ) side.

My only issue has been the uniform application of the corporate policy, or lack thereof.

Take the event fly4free attended. If the alcohol consumption had gotten a little out of hand and fly4free decided to run down the street "nekked" (as we say in the South), got arrested, and the headlines read "US Airways (insert position) fly4free Arrested for Public Indecency", what would happen?

Would corporate communications be putting out press releases saying how sorry fly4free was? Would they be saying that fly4free had learned a lesson and vowed to never do such a thing again?

Or would those press releases be saying that fly4free's actions were in no way representative of the values or behavior that US expects of it's employees? Would they be saying that fly4free would be disciplined appropriately (up to and including termination)?

Jim

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

No. LCC is making money. Last thing the company needs is a loss of confidence on Wall Street.

Last thing I need when I have my family in the car is a three-time loser DUI on the road with me, a DUI who has ruthlessly cut his employees' pay all the while claiming he and other airline execs are 'different' and held to a higher standard and therefore deserve mind-boggling sums of money to remain in their job and lifestyle.....

Credibility my arse. Parker should be tossed overboard. Everyone connnected with USAir is a coward if they allowthis bozo to remain as an employee.

Grow a pair somebody!

 

[Pylit]

Yes, he should resign.

 

[FWAAA]

By time you reach middle age, youth-like alcohol problems are no longer excusable as mistakes of youth.

In my opinion, a fourth DUI should result in hard time, not yet another slap on the wrist/probation/community service/license suspension/small fine. That's what should happen for the FIRST conviction, not the FOURTH.

Yes, he should resign. And he should do some hard prison time. The loser clearly is incapable of learning how to behave like a law abiding citizen. In some countries, he'd face the death penalty. Here, he should do a few years.

 

[delldude]

without offering any opinion, it will ultimately depend on how much pressure the unions place on the BOD and how much of a stink they make out of the zero tolerance policy.

How much of a stink?
What the hell you think zero tolerance means?
Zero tolerance.....except for the Ruling class. :down:

In my opinion, a fourth DUI should result in hard time, not yet another slap on the wrist/probation/community service/license suspension/small fine. That's what should happen for the FIRST conviction, not the FOURTH.

Pennsylvania allows a seven year spot between episodes....however some Judges look at ten.

 

[FA Mikey]

If it were YOUR son, spouse or other loved one would you be so quick and harsh?

I would want them to be accountable for there actions, and get the help they need. This is not a first offense, its a pattern.

I wonder if people would be so forgiving if it had resulted in a death or injury to someone else in the car or in another car on the road. With 4 DUI's under his belt its only a matter of time before someone pays the ultimate price for his hypocrisy.

 

[FWAAA]

If it were YOUR son, spouse or other loved one would you be so quick and harsh?

Hell, no, Piney. I'd be on TV giving interviews and saying things like "He's innocent - he didn't do it" just like the loser families of criminals do each and every day.

Ok, Piney. If the FOURTH DUI conviction doesn't warrant some hard time, which conviction would be the right time to actually lock someone away? The sixth? Maybe the tenth? Should we wait until he kills YOUR wife and children in a drunken stupor to take him off the road for a long time?

I'm not an anti-alcohol prohibitionist. I actually enjoy alcohol in moderation. But in my several decades on this earth, I've managed to avoid driving while intoxicated, let alone being stopped and arrested by the police for it.

Society makes rules we must obey, and if you repeatedly break them and can't learn by the age of 45 how to abide by them, the rest of us should be protected from the lawbreakers. Doug Parker has demonstrated that he is incapable of learning from his past drinking and driving mistakes.

I'm not advocating throwing away the key for the first DUI arrest. But the fourth?

 

[Squonk]

Absolutely not. 99% of us have been DUI and most have been never caught.

 

[diogenes]

FWIW, every US front-line employee was required to pass an FBI background check a few years ago, and things in some folks' past(stretching back a decade)prompted them to resign.

Why should Doug be any different?

If this were a one-off incident, I'd be more inclined to the "anybody can make a mistake" side of the equation.

Given the pattern, given the circumstances, you have to question the man's judgment - not something you really want in a CEO.

The BOD needs to show him the door, and Doug needs to seek treatment.

But I'd bet he'll continue to consider his $$$ sets him above the law and accountability, and the BOD will not give one rat's a$$ about the fact employees are not going to respond well to a double standard.

I'll also bet not one single union will make this an issue (other than a little PR hot air), showing who is in bed with whom.

 

[longing4piedmont]

But I'd bet he'll continue to consider his $$$ sets him above the law and accountability, and the BOD will not give one rat's a$$ about the fact employees are not going to respond well to a double standard.

I would not be so sure that the BOD will not take action. There appears to be a rift developing among board members over how the company is being managed. In the words of people I have communicated with, the concern started developing over the DL tender offer. The concern evidently became more apparent when an increased tender offer was floated in the press without the approval of the board. The word “amateurishâ€￾ was used.

Now the board appears to have been blindsided by this latest development and is furthering the concern of certain board members. Regardless of Mr. Parker’s belief that is job is not in jeopardy, some of his bosses appear to think other wise.

I also believe that you will see very little of Mr. Parker for the next few weeks.

Another interesting rumor floating around the castle is that someone inside the ranks of management tipped the press off concerning the DUI.

 

[PITbull]

are not going to respond well to a double standard.

I'll also bet not one single union will make this an issue (other than a little PR hot air), showing who is in bed with whom.

And that's a fact. The unions will not use this for leverage. They so fear higher authority.

If it were me at the table, I pressure the company to put him in REHAB, and if the BOD didn't dismiss him, I would use this wreckless behavior .. until my group got what they needed including more protection and assistance when one finds themselves in this type of situation.

 

[hp_fa]

Another interesting rumor floating around the castle is that someone inside the ranks of management tipped the press off concerning the DUI.

Didn't this news come out on a Friday? If it did I would speculate that the PR department might have done the same thing we see being done repeatedly by the White House and that is to release bad news on Fridays so that the news cycle is somewhat lessened over having the news come out earlier in the week.

Let's face it, there was little to no chance of this staying quiet forever and they simply kept it quiet long enough to attempt to manage the fallout and have time to discuss it with the BOD members.

 

[longing4piedmont]

Didn't this news come out on a Friday? If it did I would speculate that the PR department might have done the same thing we see being done repeatedly by the White House and that is to release bad news on Fridays so that the news cycle is somewhat lessened over having the news come out earlier in the week.

Actually just the opposite. The weekends do tend to be quite when it comes to news, so you release good news on Fridays so the press will pick it up and run it more often over the weekend. You never want bad news to come out on Fridays for the same reason. Bad news on Fridays tend to hit the Sunday papers which is the most read day of the week. And in politics, the news then gets run on all the Sunday news shows.

Somebody knew what they were doing on this one.

 

[whlinder]

Regardless of Mr. Parker’s belief that is job is not in jeopardy, some of his bosses appear to think other wise.

OOOOHHH, lets start a thread on possible replacements!

I'll toss one out... B.B.B