I have spent the past few days digesting your recent news-line letters to your local constituents. It took that amount of time to sift through all the hyperbole. Indulge me by answering the following questions:
1. As leaders of your respective locals, neither one of you took a firm stand by unequivocally stating a YES or ''No vote on the T/A. Why? Are you afraid of the repurcussions should the T/A be voted down and Chapter 7 does occur?
2. Mollie, you state you are not a psychic, yet you say you believe there is nor real intention to put US Airways into Chapter 7. On what do you base this statement, woman''s intuition? Are you willing to put the livelihood of your membership in jeopardy on such a statement that is not based on any fact?
3. Teddy, you write this T/A will have an effect across the industry? Why should we care about American or United? We are in the fight of our lives to remain viable. Are you seeking national office in the AFA because of your concern with other airlines?
4. Both of you love to obfuscate the matter at hand with inflammatory rhetoric about other airline CEO''s and their pay, how Jerry Glass does this and that, etc, etc. What does it matter? Either we emerge from bankruptcy and build for a better tomorrow or we don''t.
This much I do know. Over 2000 of your members are on voluntary furlough, enjoying time with their families as well as other perks. What happens to them if Chapter 7 occurs? I would think they would not be too happy to lose their current life style. I know, even with a pay cut, increased medical premiums, more work hours, and less vacation, I still make a good living. I am not living in Slavery which is defined as Involuntary Servitude.
Please, Mollie and Teddy, stick to the facts. You are supposed to be leaders. Take a stand!!! If you think the T/A stinks, tell your members. If not, shut-up. I give credit to the the other unions who had the courage and decency to say to their members,that as painful as this is, they believe it is in their best interest to vote YES.
Finally, Mollie, you seem to enjoy impressing your members with your knowledge of history. Why don''t you tell your members that we are part of a revolution,a very painful revolution, a time in airline history that has never been experienced. Much like our forefathers, we will have to sacrifice and build for a better tomorrow. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin and the rest of the leaders had to convince a very skeptical group of citizens that their plan for a new country would work. I am not comparing Dave Siegel to George Washington, but I do believe he is positioning this airline for future growth and continued employment.