- Nov 9, 2003
- 16,512
- 5,865
June 17, 2004
Pittsburgh Airport Hyatt
The following opening remarks were made today by Air Line Pilots Association MEC Chairman Bill Pollack:
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I’m glad to see that many of our pilots are here today to watch today’s presentation. Your MEC realizes that no matter what we think or do about this Transformation Plan, we will not get very far if you are not brought along every step of the way. So thank you for your concern, and we thank you in advance for your participation.
I want to introduce Mr. Bruce Lakefield, our new CEO. Bruce, as you know, comes to us as a former chief executive at Lehman Brothers and chairman of the US Airways Board’s Strategy and Financial committee and the Board’s HR committee. As a Naval Academy Graduate, Bruce spent his Navy career in the silent service of Admiral Rickover’s nuclear submarines.
I have had the opportunity to work closely with Bruce as a member of the US Airways Board of Directors. I know Bruce to be a man of utmost integrity and the consummate man of his word, and he has been involved in the creation of the details and strategy of the Transformation Plan since its inception.
The challenge of undertaking the total transformation of this airline will test the mettle of all of us. But what we need as pilots to make this transformation successful is a culture that respects this profession of ours and the tremendous sacrifices we have already made. Bruce Lakefield brings to this process, and to this airline, the crucial ingredients of honesty, integrity, and credibility.
We like what we have seen of the plan for operational transformation, and we like the changes that are taking place in Flight Ops. It is a refreshing change to the way we have seen this airline marketed and operated in the past. We feel that anagement is finally starting to listen to our suggestions, and as employees with a front-row seat of our airline’s operations, we want to continue to see such tangible evidence that management considers the pilots to be full partners in US Airways.
We’ve solicited and collected hundreds of suggestions from our pilots on our website about how we can accrue significant cost savings and expect some of these ideas to be considered at the negotiating table. We hope that management continues to listen to the pilot group’s ideas during the crafting of the Transformation Plan.
This Plan would make us the first legacy carrier to make the necessary adaptations to the demands of a completely transformed marketplace. But we know that the road to this transformation will not be without significant challenges. Our Negotiating Committee is currently engaged in the analysis of the Company’s cost reduction plan and should be providing a proposal to management shortly.
So while we pursue this path to transformation, please avail yourself of all the opportunities we will provide to keep you fully informed as a genuine partner in this process.
I thank you again and I give you our CEO, Bruce Lakefield.
Following the presentation, Captain Pollock made this statement:
We had the opportunity today to listen to our CEO Bruce Lakefield make a presentation to our MEC in open session. While the economic realities of our situation are not pleasant, we like the approach that our airline is taking under Mr. Lakefield’s leadership.
Of particular importance in his presentation to us were his remarks about the four “Ps†of his approach to running this airline:
1. Pride in our product and the job we perform
2. Professionalism in the way we carry out our duties
3. Partnership with us as we handle the challenges of the Transformation Plan
4. Profitability
We are particularly encouraged that Mr. Lakefield is insisting that we become partners in the process of returning our airline to profitability.
No more has been asked of any pilot group than what has already been asked of us. We are no strangers to economic hardships and challenges. And while the reality of our financial and competitive position is disturbing, the consequences of failing to engage in the transformation process would not be in the best interests of our pilots. We are concluding our analysis of the company’s request for cost reductions and will
respond accordingly.
Pittsburgh Airport Hyatt
The following opening remarks were made today by Air Line Pilots Association MEC Chairman Bill Pollack:
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I’m glad to see that many of our pilots are here today to watch today’s presentation. Your MEC realizes that no matter what we think or do about this Transformation Plan, we will not get very far if you are not brought along every step of the way. So thank you for your concern, and we thank you in advance for your participation.
I want to introduce Mr. Bruce Lakefield, our new CEO. Bruce, as you know, comes to us as a former chief executive at Lehman Brothers and chairman of the US Airways Board’s Strategy and Financial committee and the Board’s HR committee. As a Naval Academy Graduate, Bruce spent his Navy career in the silent service of Admiral Rickover’s nuclear submarines.
I have had the opportunity to work closely with Bruce as a member of the US Airways Board of Directors. I know Bruce to be a man of utmost integrity and the consummate man of his word, and he has been involved in the creation of the details and strategy of the Transformation Plan since its inception.
The challenge of undertaking the total transformation of this airline will test the mettle of all of us. But what we need as pilots to make this transformation successful is a culture that respects this profession of ours and the tremendous sacrifices we have already made. Bruce Lakefield brings to this process, and to this airline, the crucial ingredients of honesty, integrity, and credibility.
We like what we have seen of the plan for operational transformation, and we like the changes that are taking place in Flight Ops. It is a refreshing change to the way we have seen this airline marketed and operated in the past. We feel that anagement is finally starting to listen to our suggestions, and as employees with a front-row seat of our airline’s operations, we want to continue to see such tangible evidence that management considers the pilots to be full partners in US Airways.
We’ve solicited and collected hundreds of suggestions from our pilots on our website about how we can accrue significant cost savings and expect some of these ideas to be considered at the negotiating table. We hope that management continues to listen to the pilot group’s ideas during the crafting of the Transformation Plan.
This Plan would make us the first legacy carrier to make the necessary adaptations to the demands of a completely transformed marketplace. But we know that the road to this transformation will not be without significant challenges. Our Negotiating Committee is currently engaged in the analysis of the Company’s cost reduction plan and should be providing a proposal to management shortly.
So while we pursue this path to transformation, please avail yourself of all the opportunities we will provide to keep you fully informed as a genuine partner in this process.
I thank you again and I give you our CEO, Bruce Lakefield.
Following the presentation, Captain Pollock made this statement:
We had the opportunity today to listen to our CEO Bruce Lakefield make a presentation to our MEC in open session. While the economic realities of our situation are not pleasant, we like the approach that our airline is taking under Mr. Lakefield’s leadership.
Of particular importance in his presentation to us were his remarks about the four “Ps†of his approach to running this airline:
1. Pride in our product and the job we perform
2. Professionalism in the way we carry out our duties
3. Partnership with us as we handle the challenges of the Transformation Plan
4. Profitability
We are particularly encouraged that Mr. Lakefield is insisting that we become partners in the process of returning our airline to profitability.
No more has been asked of any pilot group than what has already been asked of us. We are no strangers to economic hardships and challenges. And while the reality of our financial and competitive position is disturbing, the consequences of failing to engage in the transformation process would not be in the best interests of our pilots. We are concluding our analysis of the company’s request for cost reductions and will
respond accordingly.
