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It only took this guy a few paragraphs to blame labor for AA's position.
http://blogs.forbes.com/steveschaefer/2010/10/11/with-more-airline-mergers-on-the-runway-american-could-be-next/?partner=yahootix
I would like to read an article about how AA has poisoned labor relations or the amount of money wasted on Boston Consulting. This is just another article from a lazy reporter not willing to leave his cubical to investigate anything. That might be a new career field for all of us, reading a company's press release, form an "opinion" then write an article.
Costly to the company??? AA saves One Million Dollars a day on keeping its union members working under the expired contracts. BTW , labor is the back bone of this country !!! All we want is a fair contract that is something and worthwhile. If you saw what AA is wanting us to accept, you'd run the other way. Shame on management !!!Perhaps crushing labor costs, crippling work rules and scope clauses ARE a large part of AA's trouble. Management certainly is to blame as well but labor has not been fully engaged in making AA successful and a competitive player in the global marketplace
How has AA poisoned labor relations with the unions? Besides the executive bonuses which are part of managements negotiated contracts what have they done to stall negotiations? Negotiations are costly for the company in staff time, lost productivity, hotel costs, media relations. The company doesn't want to drag its feet anymore than workers do but they have a responsibility to their shareholders to reach an equitable and fair contract.
If things at AA are so bad, the workers should look for opportunities outside the company. I'm not sure I'd advise you pursue a rapidly changing and shrinking media and communications industry.
Josh
Perhaps crushing labor costs, crippling work rules and scope clauses ARE a large part of AA's trouble. Management certainly is to blame as well but labor has not been fully engaged in making AA successful and a competitive player in the global marketplace
How has AA poisoned labor relations with the unions? Besides the executive bonuses which are part of managements negotiated contracts what have they done to stall negotiations? Negotiations are costly for the company in staff time, lost productivity, hotel costs, media relations. The company doesn't want to drag its feet anymore than workers do but they have a responsibility to their shareholders to reach an equitable and fair contract.
If things at AA are so bad, the workers should look for opportunities outside the company. I'm not sure I'd advise you pursue a rapidly changing and shrinking media and communications industry.
Josh
Josh,
You couldn't be more wrong! "Labor has not been fully engaged in making AA successful and a competitive player in the global marketplace." In what way should we be engaged? Make the executive business decisions? We could certainly be engaged that way, but isn't that the job of the so-called competent executive management? AA is lucky it runs as well as it does thanks to the hardworking front line employees who are constantly undermined by the changing whims of management. How about we just take more pay cuts? Would that be engaging enough for you? Maybe we should work for free and pay AA for the pleasure of working there....just until they get back on their feet? Would that be a tax deductible charity for my income tax filing?
"Negotiations are costly for the company in staff time, lost productivity, hotel costs, media relations. The company doesn't want to drag its feet anymore than workers do but they have a responsibility to their shareholders to reach an equitable and fair contract."
Puleeeez......every single day we go without a new contract SAVES the company millions of dollars. AA is in no hurry get new contracts, especially since retro pay doesn't seem to be on any of the unions' agendas. We're coming close to the year 2011, yet we're all working for wages that were drastically slashed over seven years ago. I would say we've been quite engaged, thank you very much.
Besides the executive bonuses which are part of managements negotiated contracts what have they done to stall negotiations?
Josh
It may come to that but our odds are better if we run AA out of business first. Other carriers would scoop up AA routes , equipment and employees in short order just like AA and other carriers scooped up the routes and employees of EAL and Pan Am.If things at AA are so bad, the workers should look for opportunities outside the company. I'm not sure I'd advise you pursue a rapidly changing and shrinking media and communications industry.
Josh
Go on and finish the rest of upper managements' "negotiated" contracts.....What other goodies do the boys at the top negotiate OHER than PUPS? Expense accounts? Country Club Memberships? Positive space seating for them and their family to go to Disneworld and Cabo San Lucas? Oh yeah,,theyre always on business 24/7..
Anyone else ever notice that AA likes to negoitate its workers contracts DOWN, while they negotiate theirs UP?
It may come to that but our odds are better if we run AA out of business first. Other carriers would scoop up AA routes , equipment and employees in short order just like AA and other carriers scooped up the routes and employees of EAL and Pan Am.
Unfortunately there are employees who do not understand this, or do not want to understand this. Pointing out the reality is like speaking a foreign language or teaching string theory. Many still cling to the fantasy that there is enough money to return to 2003 income levels and more. While there may very well be jobs like that out there, it certainly isn't the current ones at AA/AMR.Compare your earnings as an AA employee to your peers at those carriers and non-union JetBlue, Virgin regionals, and third party contractors like Swissport. Im not advocating that labor work for free, but you labor unions need to understand the nature of their business. Face it, air travel has become a commodity business for the most part with few exceptions.
Unfortunately there are employees who do not understand this, or do not want to understand this. Pointing out the reality is like speaking a foreign language or teaching string theory. Many still cling to the fantasy that there is enough money to return to 2003 income levels and more. While there may very well be jobs like that out there, it certainly isn't the current ones at AA/AMR.
Unfortunately there are employees who do not understand this, or do not want to understand this. Pointing out the reality is like speaking a foreign language or teaching string theory. Many still cling to the fantasy that there is enough money to return to 2003 income levels and more. While there may very well be jobs like that out there, it certainly isn't the current ones at AA/AMR.