Bruce Lakefield Shot Back At Retirees

[700UW]

CEO: "I feel awful"

At a break at Friday's bankruptcy-court hearing in Alexandria, Va., reporters asked US Airways chief executive Bruce Lakefield what it felt like to be pushing to terminate pensions and cut retiree medical benefits.
In response, Lakefield described how difficult it has been taking over a company faced with such challenges.
He said: "I feel awful. I wonder what I'm doing here. I wonder why I came on board. ... I don't see my wife but every so often. I'm working 12-hour days. It's a tough position for everyone.
"People want to blame me. People want to blame the management. The blame goes on the industry."

 

[mwereplanes]

[post="229781"][/post]​

The above quote from Lakefield epitomizes the very essence of the main problem at US Airways. There is no leadership. Zip. Nada. Zero.

Imagine Patton acting like that. Or Iacocca. Or Kelleher. Or Neeleman. We have no one running the ship. Apparently this man was ill during his leadership courses at Annapolis. Apparently this man was never in a position of leadership before. This is disgraceful and totally unnacceptable.

Leaders solve problems and motivate individuals. No matter what the situation. No matter what. Leaders utter phrases like "lets roll". Leaders do not snivel and complain regardless of what is thrown there way.

Disgraceful and shameful. Pathetic.

mr

 

[Smartest Loser]

[post="229781"][/post]​

Oh my lord...."I feel awful"..!!!

I felt awful when my cat died, I felt awful when my car wouldn't start, I felt awful when I opened my first -21% paycheck....Ect.

I wonder if a tear came to his eye..??

 

[Finish or Ignore]

"The day also included a brief but contentious encounter between US Airways Chief Executive Officer Bruce Lakefield and angry CUSTOMERS who did not receive their luggage from yet one more PHL flight"

The broken wheel can't be fixed!..feel our pain Bruce!

 

[18yrsandstillonnights]

Good news for our esteemed mr Lakefield, with all those hours you're putting in at work and only being able to see your wife every so often, YOU too may qualify for our positive space tickets awarded for showing up during this holiday season !!
( i'm sure the company will help you out with the taxes that would apply )

and by the way, I will be enjoying my Christmas eve and Christmas day off at my new job...

not to mention i will also be enjoying New Years, Thanksgiving, July 4th, and those other little holidays that i usually had to work over the last 20 yrs... oh, and weekends off too....

It was hard thinking of leaving after 20yrs but the time has come to move on.
I wish everyone the best and for a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...

 

[gso-crew]

As bad as this is guys ... you need to look around … this is happening everywhere.... not just in the airline industry either. The only retirement plan worth a nickel is a 401k.... the only type of corporation to work for is an employee owned one. There’s no dependable healthcare anywhere. I think Lakefield took the job believing he could turn it around, but he didn’t realize how mismanaged we’ve been for the past 15 years and how deep the hole we are. I bet he wishes he hadn’t gotten involved with us.

 

[WestCoastGuy]

Lakefield shows time and again the pathetic group that leads this company. It's amazing this company has stayed in business the past 6 months! This group in CCY is a disgrace to corporate America. Once again Lakefield shows when he opens his mouth, he has not a clue about this business or being in a leadership position of any kind. He needs to get back down to Florida and the golf course with his cronies.

 

[thepoohbear]

What Bruce did'nt say is that after all this stuff is done with all the labor groups that the board can tell hem to get lost and he walks with 1.25 mil. Not bad for a couple months away from the wife and kids. I'm sorry Bruce but it would take me 20 more years added on to my 22 now and I still won't be close to that.
:blink:

 

[D M G]

What have those two been doing for the last decade? I'm not paying for their lack of responsibility. Screw them. Cancel Their pension. Bruce has every right to be angry with these slackers. Since when does being a mechanic or pilot entitle you to retire at 51? If I retire at 51, at least I will hedge my bets with a second job or a small business. Who is dumb enough to count on an airline for a pension.

[post="229766"][/post]​

Pretty sad post.

A lot of these guys put in over 30 years with the company and busted their balls to help this company grow. Many of them did get other jobs after accepting the buyout, and you're calling them slackers. They didn't ask for early retirement, the company offered it to them. These guys were FSA in PHL, not mechanics or pilots. FSA weren't even unionized during these buyouts. The company was getting ready to shaft the FSA and CSA groups and offered the early outs (age 50) as a way to get rid of TOS employees. Their pensions should be guaranteed, it's the loss of medical benefits that's going to hurt.

Lakefield can be angry at whoever he wants. FSA in PHL don't give a FF what he or any other executive flunkee thinks.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

Sorry,
I don't see any difference in management taking away from present employees, which they have already, and taking from retirees. I personally won't think either should be legal, but apparently it is. Actually, there is a lot of precedence for reducing or eliminating retiree benefits, and it's legality has already been tested. Retirees really don't have a leg to stand on in this situation. I hope they've invested well somewhere else. What management is doing is DISPICABLE, but apparently legal.

 

[Winglet]

Legal contracts only apply to the fat cats when it benefits them. The rest of us are just working slim to be used.

Enjoy your new Repulican administration. Lots more corporate BKs with workers getting screwed and corporate executives driving away in their Mercedes with a trunkfull of cash.

 

[USAirBoyA330]

Is it me or why aren't the unions in a twitter about this statement? They need to come out and denounce this crap! If Lakefield doesn't want to be here then I hope the door doesn't hit him on the way out. We need some young blood that wants to be here and not someone "dragged" out of retirement. We just keep getting LOOSER after LOOSER with NO CLUE for leadership. If your listening AFA an E-line with some statement and comment would be nice.

 

[Mike]

>>Enjoy your new Repulican administration. Lots more corporate BKs with workers getting screwed and corporate executives driving away in their Mercedes with a trunkfull of cash. << Yes, and the Republican's can ride right with John Kerry on his $8000 bike, share nights with him in one of his many US homes, or just fly to visit in Teresa's 25 Million dollar Gulfstream 5. I dont see many Democrats much less Republicans trying to salvage anyones pensions that are getting canned.

 

[OldGuyinPA]

Siegel was a loser. Wolf and Gangup were losers. Seth was a loser...

Do you see a trend...We seem to attract .....LOSERS.

Catch our Smiles.....

 

[wench]

Mike,
love your latter statement!