Carmine headed to negotiations?

[Boomer]

Say what you will with respect to the TWU and the upcoming negotiations: having been at opposite ends of the fence from Russ Newill over several issues that had to be dealt with; I have met few AA Management types that are more stand-up guys.

I have seen Russ defend deals he made which HR attempted to scuttle. He never waffled, he never lied. There are few I ever dealt with about whom I could make that statement, none currently.

 

[The Goose]

Thats one aspect that I didn't think of, but why would they want to give up an upper management slot.

If they do, in fact, give up a slot, it'll be for show only, no more than something to bring up at an appropriate time. Be assured someone in (mis)management will get the pay, regardless of having a slot or not.

 

[eolesen]

Despite what you might want to believe about it being for show or not, reducing headcount is one thing that is workgroup-blind at AA.

Cutting away at management headcount is one of the quick-fix things that can be done to bring your departmental budget in line without too much fear of backlash. The entire time I was at HDQ, about half the vacancies I had were able to be posted and filled right away. A quarter were eventually backfilled on a delayed basis (two to six months of working short-handed), and the remaining quarter were either eliminated entirely or the headcount given to someone else who couldn't get approval to add headcount to meet their workload.

If Reding thinks he can make things work with one fewer VP, or can get away with downgrading the base VP position to a MD position, he'll do it in a heartbeat. His performance review is all about meeting a budget.

 

[lpbrian]

Anyone know what happened to Culhane? I think he was "VP M&E Negotiatons", for a while, even when there are no negotiations taking place. If he is still around, it sounds like he is just dead weight.

 

[The Goose]

Anyone know what happened to Culhane? I think he was "VP M&E Negotiatons", for a while, even when there are no negotiations taking place. If he is still around, it sounds like he is just dead weight.

As is 75%+ of the present (mis)management, but if there were fewer in the salaried/management ranks the balance would be actually be expected to manage and too many of the wrong people would have to answer for their actions; i. e., the plausible deniability of major stupidity would immediately disappear, creating one helluva problem for the elite.

 

[The Goose]

Russ Newill is a good guy. He was a sup. in LGA when I hired on and he was a common sense guy. He was also a mechanic. Yes, he is management but that doesn't mean he has forgotten where he came from.

If the guy is a relatively honest management type and actually possesses a measure of common sense, how is it he still has a job at American? Those qualities don't appear to have been very high on the company's list of favored attributes with respect to most of the current crop.

I guess every company occasionally fouls up and lets in an undesirable.

 

[eolesen]

Sorry, but I found 75% or more of the middle to upper management staff to be honest and reasonable. It's not all that different from any other workgroup -- you'll always have 10% that are worthless and thus become the stereotype everyone outside that workgroup refers to.

Guys like Russ (was he in ORD for a while? I think I may have dealt with him as well), Ralph Richardi, and going back a few years, Bob Baker, John Judge, and Tom Kiernan aren't anomolies.

I know nobody wants to admit that there may actually be good managers out there, but there are. And there are more than you give credit for.

 

[Hopeful]

Sorry, but I found 75% or more of the middle to upper management staff to be honest and reasonable. It's not all that different from any other workgroup -- you'll always have 10% that are worthless and thus become the stereotype everyone outside that workgroup refers to.

Guys like Russ (was he in ORD for a while? I think I may have dealt with him as well), Ralph Richardi, and going back a few years, Bob Baker, John Judge, and Tom Kiernan aren't anomolies.

I know nobody wants to admit that there may actually be good managers out there, but there are. And there are more than you give credit for.

John Judge was a stand up guy. I believe he was forced out because he "stood up" to Peggy Sterling some time ago in DFW.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

I know nobody wants to admit that there may actually be good managers out there.....

I would love to admit it. Already did with Russ. More? Who dat? Maybe his replacement at ORD. As for Judge, he did not choose his acolytes well. Bozo, case in point. That choice did not speak well for Judge.

 

[ch53D]

If the guy is a relatively honest management type and actually possesses a measure of common sense, how is it he still has a job at American? Those qualities don't appear to have been very high on the company's list of favored attributes with respect to most of the current crop.

I guess every company occasionally fouls up and lets in an undesirable.

Boston Consulting hasn’t made their recommendations for level 7 and above yet. But give it time.

 

[The Goose]

Sorry, but I found 75% or more of the middle to upper management staff to be honest and reasonable. It's not all that different from any other workgroup -- you'll always have 10% that are worthless and thus become the stereotype everyone outside that workgroup refers to.

Guys like Russ (was he in ORD for a while? I think I may have dealt with him as well), Ralph Richardi, and going back a few years, Bob Baker, John Judge, and Tom Kiernan aren't anomolies.

I know nobody wants to admit that there may actually be good managers out there, but there are. And there are more than you give credit for.

I'll be the first to admit there are a few (but damned few) good management personnel out there. Most however, are the bobble heads that manage to hold their position only because of the negative pressure they generate.

Unfortunately, you (through no fault of yours) are unable to see the idiocy that is rampant - you might say 'can't see the forest for the trees' because of the position you held at American. I understand the obvious to one group is hidden/not apparent from/to another.

 

[lpbrian]

Sorry, but I found 75% or more of the middle to upper management staff to be honest and reasonable. It's not all that different from any other workgroup -- you'll always have 10% that are worthless and thus become the stereotype everyone outside that workgroup refers to.

Guys like Russ (was he in ORD for a while? I think I may have dealt with him as well), Ralph Richardi, and going back a few years, Bob Baker, John Judge, and Tom Kiernan aren't anomolies.

I know nobody wants to admit that there may actually be good managers out there, but there are. And there are more than you give credit for.

Who are you to be the Judge?

 

[lpbrian]

Sorry, but I found 75% or more of the middle to upper management staff to be honest and reasonable. It's not all that different from any other workgroup -- you'll always have 10% that are worthless and thus become the stereotype everyone outside that workgroup refers to.

Guys like Russ (was he in ORD for a while? I think I may have dealt with him as well), Ralph Richardi, and going back a few years, Bob Baker, John Judge, and Tom Kiernan aren't anomolies.

I know nobody wants to admit that there may actually be good managers out there, but there are. And there are more than you give credit for.

Yes there are. But they are in LOWER management, not Upper.