You can take my lanyard, but you can never take my freedom

[Iclubbabyseals]

The USAPA ad in the USA Today was unfortunate, and I don't believe we should be airing our dirty laundry to the flying public.....with that said it still doesn't change the fact that no matter how many press releases Tempe generates to the contrary disputing it - those events happened and that is frightening.

While I agree with much of what you have said, I would like to suggest that the recent ad was targeted to whomever we are to be "sold" to. It was a "nice company you got there, it would be a shame if anything happened to it" kind of statement. It said that maybe the parties need to re-value the deal.

IMHO, it was a plus/plus if there is no deal. It reiterated that US is an extremely safe operation, tolerated for now. My neighbors, who do not even fly US, have already chimed in that they would sooner fly US because they trust a pilot making a positive statement, knowing the lying perfidy of present day corporations. Especially LCC.

 

[767one]

I dont think theres anyone in the company that wants a plane to fly unsafe, but if you could see some of the "safety" concerns and reasons for the delays, you'd be the laughingstock (more than you are now) of the US airline industry.

Also any pilot who after sitting at the gate for 3 or 4 hours having their "safety" issue addressed then decides they're too fatigued to fly once its fixed needs to be taken off the line and put on medical until they can be evaluated and cleared for work again. We dont want an unhealthy pilot in charge and getting a medical clearance when this happens should be mandatory. After all , we want to run a safe operation, dont we?

Do you think we climb out of bed and jump into the cockpit after sleeping until 2 hrs before departure? Many of us have been awake less 14 or 15 hrs. by the time the the flight departs so when the flight gets late fatigue will enter the picture. Also keep in mind that many international flights are flown with only 2 pilots so no rest enroute even though the flight is flown back of the clock when the human metabolism is at its lowest. To get an IRO for a flight not scheduled for one is a frustrating process that usually results in a resounding no way from the chief pilot's office. You are right about people needing evaluated but it is not the pilots it is the management of this place.


Bob

 

[700UW]

The company is just taking notes and documenting everything, dont be surprised to be hauled into court for a TRO, just like what happened to AA's and UA's Pilots and UA's Mechanics.

And then USAPA getting sued, losing and have to pull an APA and give away the house not to pay the fines.

 

[autofixer]

Do you think we climb out of bed and jump into the cockpit after sleeping until 2 hrs before departure? Many of us have been awake less 14 or 15 hrs. by the time the the flight departs so when the flight gets late fatigue will enter the picture. Also keep in mind that many international flights are flown with only 2 pilots so no rest enroute even though the flight is flown back of the clock when the human metabolism is at its lowest. To get an IRO for a flight not scheduled for one is a frustrating process that usually results in a resounding no way from the chief pilot's office. You are right about people needing evaluated but it is not the pilots it is the management of this place.


Bob

Bob, you can't argue with stupid. I would be glad to be taken off the line for a medical evaluation every month or two. A payed vacation and just think how many pilots we would have to hire to cover the schedule. Cool!

 

[Travelpro72]

What a great post Glucose. That has to be THE post of the year.

 

[767one]

Do you think we climb out of bed and jump into the cockpit after sleeping until 2 hrs before departure? Many of us have been awake less 14 or 15 hrs. by the time the the flight departs so when the flight gets late fatigue will enter the picture. Also keep in mind that many international flights are flown with only 2 pilots so no rest enroute even though the flight is flown back of the clock when the human metabolism is at its lowest. To get an IRO for a flight not scheduled for one is a frustrating process that usually results in a resounding no way from the chief pilot's office. You are right about people needing evaluated but it is not the pilots it is the management of this place.


Bob

Correction to the above post where it says less than 14 or 15 hrs it should say more than 14 or 15 hrs.

Bob

 

[767one]

ohhh im all for it .....where was the concern before the contract was an issue? Are you saying it was an issue then or after the contract issue is settled.....You wont pull that wool over my eyes LOL...Its so transparent what is going on...You know it as well!!!!!!!! and just as an FYI your fellow crewmembers arent taking it anymore.... So careful what you say in your briefing next time k?

My briefing begins with (and always has) safety first, it you have any issues with safety please let us know. If you tell me something is broken I will write it up then. If it can be fixed or put on mel we go if not we stay. If something is written up and has to be fixed then I don't see how this can be construed as anything but a safe operation. I try to call all write ups to mtc as soon as possible but if something breaks or gives an unsafe indication just prior to departure then it might make the plane late.


Regards,


Bob

 

[AstroLounge]

Let me elaborate for you since you obviously miss the point.
Unions haven't, nor will they ever "destroy this company". Ignorant and arrogant people will..... and we have plenty.

Whether spelled correctly or used as a pro-noun, A "management"" team:

only views their employee's as liabilities,
encourage intimidation and harassment over harmony,
micro-management over employee empowerment,
promotes a culture of divide and conquer by actually calling their employee's EAST and WEST,
extorts the concessions of one employee group given up in BK, just to be brought down to par to make the merger happen,
Pit the "East" vs. "West" against one another by paying one side more than the other while dragging out joint contracts for six years

That ......is not a management team. That is called Fascism......but misconstrue that as being free market.

Six years since the so-called merger and we are still running separate ops because this place can't seem to get it together. And although the pilot seniority dispute is a big part of that, so is a lack of credible leadership.
I am glad you on the West are content in the way things are being operated and with Parker - probably because this is all you have ever known. But don't begrudge me or anyone else for wanting more, for something I already had.

The primary job of management is to make the business entity profitable and add value for the shareholders. Yes we were profitable this quarter.
I am a shareholder and I am not seeing any value in the stock price or my compensation. Where is the stock price today compared to when it came to market back in 2005? After the several offering and dilutions to raise cash? Only one "group" I know of has seen any value ..... Ill give you a hint - the same ones that can't manage this airline to profitability without doing it on the backs of their employee's and gouging their passenger's.

Without that those two things - this airline is in the red and the stock is in the tank more than it is today.
Now is that is a labor union issue? Sounds more like a mismanagement issue.

The USAPA ad in the USA Today was unfortunate, and I don't believe we should be airing our dirty laundry to the flying public.....with that said it still doesn't change the fact that no matter how many press releases Tempe generates to the contrary disputing it - those events happened and that is frightening.

So excuse me if I get a little miffed when people make this a union vs non union argument, or East vs. West thing. I know what this airline once was and what it is today, more importantly so do our customers.
I am not going to be intimidated by my company trying to run a safe operation, I am not going to be a tattle-tale or denounce organized labor, my fellow employees just because they don't view the world through the same rose colored glasses as you. Even if was willing to I am pretty sure I wouldn't announce that fact over the internet....... but that's just me, but thanks for the heads up.

Great Post......Spot On and True. Wasn't AWA put on a "Watch List" with the FAA several years ago for non compliance of Safety Issues in the past? Please inform from an Apologistic Standpoint out in The Infamous Desert.

 

[700UW]

No they were almost grounded when they outsourced their maintenance, mostly a paperwork issue, the FAA stopped HP from growing and the FAA had to approve every single airplane when added to HP's fleet.

 

[nycbusdriver]

The company is just taking notes and documenting everything, dont be surprised to be hauled into court for a TRO, just like what happened to AA's and UA's Pilots and UA's Mechanics.

And then USAPA getting sued, losing and have to pull an APA and give away the house not to pay the fines.

Don't bet on it. The American pilots, at the time, saw themselves working for a still vibrant company with a future.

Times do change.

 

[LD3]

Because its the same people complaining and using "Pro-nouns" to describe corporate HQ's..... When will people learn its not manaegment.... its the unions that are destroying this company....... Its the one consistent since 1989.... Elaboration complete!

Isn't Southwest a unionized airline?

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

So Tempe has silenced admittedly controversial statements on ID lanyards. I've seen some crew luggage tags that are just as bad - or worse. Will they be issuing official company luggage tags next?

 

[Pi brat]

Because its the same people complaining and using "Pro-nouns" to describe corporate HQ's..... When will people learn its not manaegment.... its the unions that are destroying this company....... Its the one consistent since 1989.... Elaboration complete!

There are a lot of people here that earned Piedmont Airlines it's stellar reputation, but not many, if any, of the management members. Maybe you got it backwards.

 

[Pi brat]

So Tempe has silenced admittedly controversial statements on ID lanyards. I've seen some crew luggage tags that are just as bad - or worse. Will they be issuing official company luggage tags next?

If not I'm guessing AOL backers will become nice metal colored bag tags and USAPA lanyards will be bag bows.

 

[BoeingBoy]

If you tell me something is broken I will write it up then. If it can be fixed or put on mel we go if not we stay.

Careful with your phrasing Bob. I'm pretty sure I know what you mean by the bolded part but some westies got raked over the coals by easties for saying that if something is MEL'ed they go...

Jim