A Message to USAirways Pilots- A Chance to Save Our Jobs

[HogDriver]

I am as saddened, shocked, angry, pissed as the next pilot to see the latest pile-on furloughs and cutbacks announced yesterday. The frustrating thing is I can see why it is happening due to the fall-off of revenue, the 9-11 fallout, and our companies absolutely awful financial state. I am not going to rehash the past bad management, votes, MEC he said/she said arguments, or anything else. This is not a blame game, we don''t have time for that right now. We simply either step up to the plate with a temporary offer of more cash/relief to help bridge the 100-200 million more required to get the DIP/ATSB financing, or we allow another terrible, expensive, and hurtful sacrifice of more pilots careers.
It seems the company has been able to restructure most of the lease costs to keep the fleet to 279 aircraft, but they are being squeezed to come up with 100-200 million more from the financiers. The company has stated they have asked for all they can already from labor, and will not come after more. Except to furlough. So, the solution? Chop more heads ( aprox. 750 in Nov-Apr ) and under utilize the fleet until revenue returns. I am no financial wizard, but the costs of chopping, re-training, paying severance, disruption to the schedule, etc. have got to be enormous and the cost savings do not show up (except on paper) for months. Now add the costs to lives, families, mental health, etc, and you see the real expense. Add to the mix; the MDA/J4J soft cushion is months away at best with the start-up money tied up to getting out of bankruptcy, revenues that may return this spring or not, war with Iraq (which may scare passengers away or may not), our great code-share, savior partnership is with a sick UAL, and the fact that the job market is as barren as the mojave, makes the picture even bleaker for our fellow pilots.
My response to all of this? I have already contacted my LEC rep in PHL, Mike Tosi. I have asked him to bring up a resolution to the MEC on coming up with ways to TEMPORARILY give cash, relief, productivity, paycaps or any other ideas to help the company bridge the current gap, achieve the needed financing, get MDA flying and keep the furloughs from occurring. These savings would be immediate, not months away. They would allow the company to have the pilot structure to respond quickly to market changes rather than have to go through the long slow recall process. It would stop the insane costs of furloughing pilots for a few months, paying them to sit at home then recalling them again (hopefully) with almost double pay. I see no other good response, except to surrender, keep the status quo, and maybe not have much of an airline left. I ask all who read this, please contact your reps. There is a MEC meeting coming up on Nov.6th. Tosi says he will bring up the ideas and will need support from others. If you have better ideas, please air them. We are either a union with vision, or simply a group of guys that doesn''t mind pulling up the ladder. Trouble is, that ladder is getting smaller and smaller. Soon there may not be anything to pull up to.

 

[pitguy]

I commend your clear and somber thinking.

 

[Formatman]

paying them to sit at home then recalling them again (hopefully) with almost double pay

What the heck does that statement mean? Nobody should be paid to sit at home. Maybe that's part of the financial problem US is in now...

 

[ILS28R]

There is one way the pilot group can help without giving any addtional pay. grant the company scope relief for an addtional 35-50 Small jets, Regional jets, whatever you want to call them. While U is parking planes they have nothing to replace them. The additional revenue gained by the 35-50 jets will help somewhat until Mid Atlantic and the J4J program with the WO can be implemented. I know what the response will be but here me out. Tie any relief of scope to job protections,prefrential hiring, etc. I think the contract carriers are better positioned now to provide for addtional flying until U comes out of chapter 11. Not a perfect solution, but one that can yelp tie U over until 3Q 2003.

 

[HogDriver]

[blockquote]
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On 10/25/2002 11:44:28 PM Formatman wrote:

"paying them to sit at home then recalling them again (hopefully) with almost double pay"

What the heck does that statement mean? Nobody should be paid to sit at home. Maybe that's part of the financial problem US is in now...
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[/blockquote]
I am refering to the past situations where furloughs were set, pilots were cut and began to receive severance pay. The business plan then changes a few months later and then the pilots are recalled back to work, have to be re-trained, and begin to get paid without a break in income from the severance. The wasted costs in training and severance are what I am trying to avert.

 

[Chuck]

I hear this will take the furloughs back to 1988 hires. Almost 30% of the seniority list sacficed for Z-scale Regional pilots....all with the blessing of gold old ALPA. I can't believe that financing expensive RJ's would be cheaper to operate than proven and paid for DC-9's that are parked in the desert.
Don't let anyone fool you, this is a cheap labor issue, not a small jet issue.

 

[michael707767]

Exactly right. All the airlines are taking advantage of the current situation to do nothing more than shift work to lower paid labor groups.

 

[cavalier]

Don't let anyone fool you, this is a cheap labor issue, not a small jet issue.



EXACTLY! Under to guise of ATSB

Remember when Dave stood in front of us all and stated that there are people who feel the airline industry workers are over compensated, I remember it very clearly. The entire airline industry is collapsing while Bush continues to pound his war drums. His father was a joke and he is no better. History will show how Reagan and the Bushes ruined the airline industry making it a career of choice for high school drop outs.

 

[airbrush]

Blaming the Bush family for the current crisis in the airline industry is quite a stretch. The problems faced by all the carriers are more the result of years, even decades, of accumulated problems, compounded by the attacks of 9/11 and the consequent (or coincidental) downturn in the business cycle.
The trend of the general public to constantly seek the lowest cost for a product has been growing for years. Do you still patronize your local hardware store, mom-and-pop corner grocer, or small clothing stores, or have you shifted your buying patterns to the get-it-all-at-once-in-one-stop-for-a- cheaper-price Super Walmart? Even if YOU haven't changed out of a sense of loyalty or principle, the masses have spoken, and the wholesale closing of small businesses that can't compete is the evidence. IMHO, the airlines are now experiencing the same trend, with 9/11 and the general economy serving as catalysts. I think it is a long-term situation, the result of world-wide macroeconimic forces rather than the specific policies of particular Administrations.
Besides, let's say for the sake of argument that our President is in possession of specific information showing a threat from Iraq (People like to believe George W wants to settle a score for his dad...what if Saddam wants to settle the score with the Bushes for kicking his butt in '91?) Would you prefer he take measures to nullify the threat if we have the means, or ignore it for the sake of our precious economic concerns while those who applaud 9/11 target us and our children for future (possibly more devastating) attacks because we are too weak-willed to protect ourselves. I don't work for the CIA, but I have to trust those who know more than me in these situations, and not believe every techno-thriller conspiracy theory from made for TV movies about maniacs in the military industrial complex. The world is a complicated and dangerous place (ask the folks who simply went to a play in Moscow) that goes far beyond our little lives (Just like Humphrey Bogart said in Casablanca).

 

[cavalier]

Blaming the Bush family for the current crisis in the airline industry is quite a stretch. The problems faced by all the carriers are more the result of years, even decades, of accumulated problems, compounded by the attacks of 9/11 and the consequent (or coincidental) downturn in the business cycle.
The trend of the general public to constantly seek the lowest cost for a product has been growing for years. Do you still patronize your local hardware store, mom-and-pop corner grocer, or small clothing stores, or have you shifted your buying patterns to the get-it-all-at-once-in-one-stop-for-a- cheaper-price Super Walmart? Even if YOU haven't changed out of a sense of loyalty or principle, the masses have spoken, and the wholesale closing of small businesses that can't compete is the evidence. IMHO, the airlines are now experiencing the same trend, with 9/11 and the general economy serving as catalysts. I think it is a long-term situation, the result of world-wide macroeconimic forces rather than the specific policies of particular Administrations.
Besides, let's say for the sake of argument that our President is in possession of specific information showing a threat from Iraq (People like to believe George W wants to settle a score for his dad...what if Saddam wants to settle the score with the Bushes for kicking his butt in '91?) Would you prefer he take measures to nullify the threat if we have the means, or ignore it for the sake of our precious economic concerns while those who applaud 9/11 target us and our children for future (possibly more devastating) attacks because we are too weak-willed to protect ourselves. I don't work for the CIA, but I have to trust those who know more than me in these situations, and not believe every techno-thriller conspiracy theory from made for TV movies about maniacs in the military industrial complex. The world is a complicated and dangerous place (ask the folks who simply went to a play in Moscow) that goes far beyond our little lives (Just like Humphrey Bogart said in Casablanca).



BLAH BLAH BLAH...and you believe every word that spews from Rush Limbaugh’s mouth too.

Funny how everything turns to S*** when the republicans are in control. Funny how just today the entire world community stood up and made their feelings known on Bush's war plans. Funny how no matter how bad things get, for the working man I hear it's a cyclical thing. Funny this only happens when the republicans are in control. Since Carter I mean...and even he just got the big peace award, something Bush will never receive.


And by the way; Please please tell me something this current president has done to make this country any more secure when he has his top people making these kinds of statements: Bin Laden's henchmen could strike the U.S. again soon, the heads of the FBI and CIA say -- and there's little we can do about it

The airline industry woes may not have been brought on directly by our current president, but his actions and inactions sure have not helped matters. Maybe when LUV starts faltering the powers that be just may consider taking action. Then again maybe not, after all this is called capitalism where we all can own our own airline.

 

[airbrush]

Whatever. Obviously reasoned discussion of differing viewpoints is off the table here, and only makes you a target for a nastygram.

No, I don't listen to Rush Limbaugh. I try to gain information from various sources, then try to decide where I think the truth might be. Like most people, I have neither the time nor the inclination to make it a full-time job.
I have no desire to turn this into an endless political debate, which as we all know would produce only aggravation and no positive result. Instead, let people get back to the original intent of the thread, which is worthy of debate.

Bye.

 

[HogDriver]

Well, I started this thread so I guess I can weigh in on the off shooting discussion. Cavalier, do you really believe that an American administration of ANY political leaning actually has the power to control markets, or an industry or even the US economy? Get real. That is not the way it works. There are only limited things a president, or congress or even the Fed can do to steer this huge rolling economy. We are seeing and reaping the results of poor management, bad business models, a slow but still expanding economy, off season trends, and an attack against our country that has had an effect on OUR business greater than any thing else. What the heck would Clinton or Carter do different to fix things? Raise Taxes?? Keep the big bad bosses away from labor?? Ignore the threats from abroad? Give me a break. One of the things that has kept the economy still growing, yes- it actually is still growing slowly at aprox. 3% a year, is the tax cuts that Bush started last year and will continue through the next few. That is a tangable action to make things better. As to the subject on Security and Iraq. I happen to know a bit about this as I am a Guard Pilot with 3 combat tours in that region and that will be heading back that way in a few weeks. This is not some made up scheme to set things right for Daddy, nor a wag the dog plan set up for the elections. The threat is real. VERY real. I just came from a briefing that scared the hell out of me because of the type of weapons available to this butcher. It is not hard to imagine folks in this world that would like to see a lot of dead Americans, and a shattered country. There are lots of bad weapons in different places in this world, but only a limited number of megalomaniac mad men with money and the mind to use them, or pass them on to someone who will. Saddam is the leader of that pack, and he must be disarmed, soon, before he can black mail the world later. Just because some of the rest of the world doesn't seem to care, it does not make it safe. It just makes them week, scared, stupid or greedy. You see, a lot of the countries saying we should just back off are doing billions in business with Saddam. Open your eyes, and stop buying what some sound bite tells you.

If you want to believe our situation is caused by people in power,just to put us down, you are entitled, but a clear look at the real facts will tell you: 1) we are being led by guys that do want to run a profitable airline...2)we are being hurt by market forces not political ones.... 3)hard cuts and decisions have to be made to survive... 4)we can either complain and fight with each other, or roll up our sleeves and help make a difference. I am suggesting we offer help in the form of temorary relief, on top of what we have already given, to bridge the bad economic time (see my starting post). I will be furloughed in Jan. after flying for USAirways for 15 yrs. It will occur while I am overseas on a combat tour in Afghanistan, with a good chance of visiting Baghdad in the near future. I will do so knowing that our president is not blowing my job, and career I love, out of the water, and I will also do so knowing that going after the real threats to our country is not some stupid game.

 

[cavalier]

This is not some made up scheme to set things right for Daddy, nor a wag the dog plan set up for the elections. The threat is real. VERY real.
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Sure it's real, and so are the consequences of war!

The real threat is the entire planet, not the one man Bush is after. You are dreaming if you believe leveling Baghdad will bring peace to the world. I know, you will do what is asked of your country, after all that is the way they have programmed you, follow orders without question. Yes we live in a dangerous world, and we currently have a dangerous president leading this country. This president is simply trying to fix his daddies follies and he has you to help him do just that! I BELIVE THAT with or without the news media telling me!! FYI.. I listen to short wave to get the unbiased facts, then make up my own mind from the half truths everyone feds us. I actually voted for Bush, but NOT his Father. I will not make that mistake again. You can believe anything you want, but since this man has been in office, nothing good has come of it, nothing! Like father like son.

Fly safe and keep an eye peeled for those stingers that will be aimed at you.

By the way; I will be making the aircraft parts to keep you flying your Bushy missions. Good or bad, people like myself will earn a living keeping the military supplied with parts to fly those killing machines, and probably for a long time because this Bush mission will only start the real problems!

 

[ONTHESTREET]

[blockquote]
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On 10/28/2002 7:42:50 AM pitguy wrote:

I heard that pilots get paid 72 hours of pay guaranteed each month even though several fly allot less hours. I also hear that the are bought out of trips they don't fly and that if the company needs them to fly and crew scheduling calls them they can opt out of flying by just saying they are busy.
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[/blockquote]
72 hours is the guarantee, It is there to cover the reserve pilots that are on call each month. When on short call reserve you must be within 1.5 hours of the airport ready to fly at anytime. You might only fly 30 hours for the month but you must be avialable and packed for up to 6 days at a time.

Not true about the last item. Crew scheduling can call anytime on your days off. If you answer the phone you are required to work, you cannot refuse the assignment. They are required to give your day off back. However it is on a day of their choosing. Most pilots are gone from home about 20 days a month. (24 hours a day) It is not uncommon to be away from your family for 10 to 12 days at a time.

I have worked 9 to 5 jobs and as a pilot. From personal experience I can assure you that Ground crews have much more time at home with their families than most pilots do.

One good side effect of being furloughed and flying corporate is the extra time I have with my Wife and Son.

 

[pitguy]

I heard that pilots get paid 72 hours of pay guaranteed each month even though several fly allot less hours. I also hear that the are bought out of trips they don't fly and that if the company needs them to fly and crew scheduling calls them they can opt out of flying by just saying they are busy.