Brundage Bricks

[DFWTWU]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=156608507700307&ref=mf

Simple email needed

 

[Deleted member 17588]

I took the few minutes time to e-mail Brundage, Arpey, Horton and MaryC as suggested and actually received the following reply from Jeff Brundage. It's the same 'ole corporate PR double-talk but I was actually still surprised to get this reply:


Thanks for your email and providing me with an opportunity to respond directly to you. My comments in the Bloomberg story have generated a few questions and I appreciate the chance to provide some context. I understand how my remark may have come across the wrong way. The point I tried to make in the story is that everyone in our industry is trying to scale a mountain and get there faster than the competition. Some carriers have a much easier time doing so, primarily because they have more competitive costs. At AA, our labor costs are significantly higher than our competitors, which puts us at a disadvantage and makes it more difficult to get ahead. That slows our progress and holds us all back. Not just the company, everyone at AA. So we are forced to work harder than everyone else just to keep up. Over the long haul, that’s an unsustainable situation.



I firmly believe our employees are our core strength. That’s why we keep more maintenance in house than any other network carrier, invest in a wide range of important training and development initiatives and partner with employees to improve in areas such as customer service and operational dependability. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and everything you do to take care of our customers.



Sincerely,



Jeff Brundage

 

[eolesen]

Apparently you guys were never Boy Scouts, or you'd understand the brick in a backpack analogy better....

 

[Deleted member 17588]

Apparently you guys were never Boy Scouts, or you'd understand the brick in a backpack analogy better....

I was a boy scout. We learned to be trustworthy, loyal, truthful and honest among other qualities. You just don't see that from corporate America.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Apparently you guys were never Boy Scouts, or you'd understand the brick in a backpack analogy better....

I too was a Boy Scout growing up. I understand the analogy perfectly well. Brundage is out of touch with the work force. As are all upper management at AA.

"I understand how my remark may have come across the wrong way. The point I tried to make in the story is that everyone in our industry is trying to scale a mountain and get there faster than the competition."

His remark came across the way he meant it. LABOR is the problem at AA, that's been their mantra for the 2 years we've been in negotiations. Forget about the BILLIONS of dollars LABOR gave up AA can't make money and it's LABOR'S fault. I am not reading anything into Jeff's statement except the way he meant his words to be taken. Period.

As the SENIOR VP for HR at AA he sure talks like he is out of touch. But I guess receiving bonuses while LABOR lives with concessions will do that to a guy.

 

[Bob Owens]

Well I know its been said before but if our high labor costs are the problem our leaders certainly are not concerned enough about it to lead by example.

 

[DFWTWU]

I took the few minutes time to e-mail Brundage, Arpey, Horton and MaryC as suggested and actually received the following reply from Jeff Brundage. It's the same 'ole corporate PR double-talk but I was actually still surprised to get this reply:


Thanks for your email and providing me with an opportunity to respond directly to you. My comments in the Bloomberg story have generated a few questions and I appreciate the chance to provide some context. I understand how my remark may have come across the wrong way. The point I tried to make in the story is that everyone in our industry is trying to scale a mountain and get there faster than the competition. Some carriers have a much easier time doing so, primarily because they have more competitive costs. At AA, our labor costs are significantly higher than our competitors, which puts us at a disadvantage and makes it more difficult to get ahead. That slows our progress and holds us all back. Not just the company, everyone at AA. So we are forced to work harder than everyone else just to keep up. Over the long haul, that’s an unsustainable situation.



I firmly believe our employees are our core strength. That’s why we keep more maintenance in house than any other network carrier, invest in a wide range of important training and development initiatives and partner with employees to improve in areas such as customer service and operational dependability. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts and everything you do to take care of our customers.



Sincerely,



Jeff Brundage

That is the form letter Brundage sent to all of us !

 

[Hopeful]

Apparently you guys were never Boy Scouts, or you'd understand the brick in a backpack analogy better....

I wouldn't compare any memeber of AA management to the ideals of the Boy Scouts.

It's pretty obvious to see that he meant labor costs are dragging the company down,,,Of course his and his colleagues' costs are exempt from the equation.

 

[midnights]

Apparently you guys were never Boy Scouts, or you'd understand the brick in a backpack analogy better....

No. we understand it just fine, and yes, I was a Boy Scout. Remember, that brick was used to shore up the house before it was in the backpack.