Last night on the local news here in FL, Congressman Ric Keller (FL Eighth District) was asked on camera his thoughts about the auto industry bailout. His response:
"I fly US Airways every week and US Airways has been to bankruptcy more times than Courtney Love has been to rehab" and they are doing OK.
Now maybe after all the Bankruptcies and the concessions I might be a little spring loaded on this issue... but for me it wasn't funny, and it's not a laughing matter.
I made sure to send the Congressman my thoughts, and I implore you to do the same (even if you don't live in the State of Florida).
When I can get the video link I will put it up.....
Send the congressman your thoughts about being referred to as the "Courtney Love" of the Airline Industry.
Congressman Ric Keller
Here is a little sample of the views I shared with our most "distinguished" congressman from Florida. :down:
Congressman Keller:
I happened to be watching the local new last evening and happened to see an interview where you were speaking about your "thoughts" regarding the Automaker Bailout. Our positions on this matter could not be any more different than that of Democrat Vs. Republican. But, it wasn't your comments regarding the Auto Industry that made me feel the necessity to write this message to you, rather you comments regarding US Airways.
You see I have flown for US Airways for 20 years and in that time, I have seen this airline go from a profitable, and successful airline to the mass transit it has become today.
Our current management team inherited from the former America West during a merger in 2005, for the past 3 years have exploited concessionary contracts US Airways employees provided their company under bankruptcy protection to keep the airline viable.
As you so eloquently put it: "I fly US Airways every week and US Airways has been to bankruptcy more times than Courtney Love has been to rehab".
The only fundamental difference in your analogy is this: Courtney Love is an individual of questionable moral character on a path of self destruction that provides entertainment fodder for the media masses, the other is an airline were 50 thousand (now 35 thousand) hard working employees that by no fault of their own were impacted by BAD management and then provided THEIR company a financial bailout through painful salary concessions and work rule changes.
Employees had their pensions slashed if not eliminated (substituted with the PBGC aka the GOVERNMENT), then sat back and watched in horror as they were told "your lucky you even have a job" while the "NEW" corporate officers from America West rewarded themselves with MILLIONS in bonuses and salaries for their invaluable management expertise.
This airline is still viable because of the sacrifice of the US Airways employees.... Because three years after a supposedly "merger" with America West we are still conducting operations separately because management is unwilling to give up that golden egg of concessions that were extorted under bankruptcy. These contracts are amendable in 2012, and if I was a betting man, you won't see a joint contract for the airline before then. The pilot union (ALPA) was voted off the property because because of an equitable seniority integration could not be reached through arbitration.
I was always under the assumption that in life that you would be rewarded for hard work and integrity. Obviously I was very wrong. It's all about CAPITALISM at any cost.
This reminds me of a time back in 2003 when our then current management (Wolfe and Gangwal) bought back on the open market almost 2 billion in company stock with the companies dwindling cash reserves to prop up their own stock options ...thinking that a merger with UAL was imminent.
Turned out the Justice Department thought differently, No merger and no plan "B", no management plan moving forward. Just filing for bankruptcy, both bailing out with over a 45 million in a golden parachute and US airways and it's employees went into bankruptcy. We ended up picking up the tab for bad management and moved forward. We emerged out of bankruptcy only to re-enter shortly thereafter after some legendary BAD MANAGEMET (Dave Siegel). So again back into Bankruptcy and again the employees left to pick up the tab again for now some REALLY bad management decisions.
US airways under a new CEO Bruce Lakefield got a major investor Dr. David Bronner who kept publicly upstaging (with press conferences) then CEO Lakefield.
Dr. David Bronner (Alabama Teacher's Retirement) felt that he shouldn't lose money because the retirement plan he managed couldn't lose money and jeopardize the retirement of the teacher's he represented, but it was OK for US Airways employees to lose their retirement to insure ALABAMA teachers would not lose theirs. Seems to be a disconnect wouldn't you agree?
Then Dr. Bronner held a press conference three weeks before Christmas and announced he would "shut the airline down if he didn't get pay concessions from the pilots and flight attendants".....killing bookings exponentially at one of the busiest travel times of the year. Now that's a management team.
Now maybe you think that Bankruptcy works, well you would be right if you are talking with regard to the companies they protect. But not for the shareholders, creditors, or employees. Seems that bankruptcy will fix everything because it "allows the free market to work", well that's right to a certain extent. Excuse the pun. What about all the employees that had to file for personally bankruptcy or lost their jobs? The loss of tax revenue? Ironically all the provisions and protections provided had been eliminated under the revised Bankruptcy code implemented in the BUSH administration (and by the banking lobbyist). I was fortunate enough not to have to file for bankruptcy, but I knew many that were forced into it by no fault other than greed and stupidity of their employer. Seems that it is far more equitable practice for corporations than individuals.
Ironic.
So now enter Doug Parker and America West in 2004/2005......Bronner and Lakefield wanted out and AWA wanted unrealistic wage and work rule concessions to make merger deal attractive to investors and shareholder (who now owned all the paper, assets, and the aircraft of their airline and ours) and they were successful in getting those concessions because we wanted to see our airline survive at any cost.
And the deal was done. Once again leaving the employees to pick up the tab "but lucky to have a job", as CEO Doug Parker put it.
Bankruptcy sure helped the airlines out alright.
Just ask of the employees of:
Eastern
Pan Am
TWA
Midway
Independence
Aloha
ATA
and the many many more.........
I am sure Bankruptcy will do wonders for the Auto Industry. Just look what it has done for the Banking Industry. Oh that's right - they got bailed out.
One last thought Congressman, I remember Rick Santorum, former Senator from PA spoke much you did last evening providing "his" opinion. Mr. Santorum felt is was the employees of one his state's largest employers and union's fault for what was happening to US Airways and that "bankruptcy would do them and the public good."
After public outcry Senator Santorum later retracted those statements very publicly.
That was the last time I felt so compelled to write a letter to my elected leaders. I also remember, Senator Santorum lost his seat shortly thereafter.
So Representative Keller, The next time your on of your "weekly US Airways flight to DCA" take moment and take a say hello to your pilots in the cockpit who get you there safely, your flight attendants in the cabin who make sure your safe and comfortable (well as much as possible on a cattle car) or just speak with any of the myriad of other employees that have sacrificed and given so much to keep US AIRWAYS operating so you could enjoy a non stop flight to DCA National from OIA.
You might want to think about those people, those constituents, the next time the cameras are rolling and your thinking of a clever sound byte for the nightly news (at someone else's expense).
On behalf of the thirty five thousand employees still working at US Airways.....Your little joke wasn't funny.
Good luck on your upcoming re-election.
Very Sincerely,
Glucose Intolerant
P.S.
4th term incumbant Keller denied another term in Congress
"I fly US Airways every week and US Airways has been to bankruptcy more times than Courtney Love has been to rehab" and they are doing OK.
Now maybe after all the Bankruptcies and the concessions I might be a little spring loaded on this issue... but for me it wasn't funny, and it's not a laughing matter.
I made sure to send the Congressman my thoughts, and I implore you to do the same (even if you don't live in the State of Florida).
When I can get the video link I will put it up.....
Send the congressman your thoughts about being referred to as the "Courtney Love" of the Airline Industry.
Congressman Ric Keller
Here is a little sample of the views I shared with our most "distinguished" congressman from Florida. :down:
Congressman Keller:
I happened to be watching the local new last evening and happened to see an interview where you were speaking about your "thoughts" regarding the Automaker Bailout. Our positions on this matter could not be any more different than that of Democrat Vs. Republican. But, it wasn't your comments regarding the Auto Industry that made me feel the necessity to write this message to you, rather you comments regarding US Airways.
You see I have flown for US Airways for 20 years and in that time, I have seen this airline go from a profitable, and successful airline to the mass transit it has become today.
Our current management team inherited from the former America West during a merger in 2005, for the past 3 years have exploited concessionary contracts US Airways employees provided their company under bankruptcy protection to keep the airline viable.
As you so eloquently put it: "I fly US Airways every week and US Airways has been to bankruptcy more times than Courtney Love has been to rehab".
The only fundamental difference in your analogy is this: Courtney Love is an individual of questionable moral character on a path of self destruction that provides entertainment fodder for the media masses, the other is an airline were 50 thousand (now 35 thousand) hard working employees that by no fault of their own were impacted by BAD management and then provided THEIR company a financial bailout through painful salary concessions and work rule changes.
Employees had their pensions slashed if not eliminated (substituted with the PBGC aka the GOVERNMENT), then sat back and watched in horror as they were told "your lucky you even have a job" while the "NEW" corporate officers from America West rewarded themselves with MILLIONS in bonuses and salaries for their invaluable management expertise.
This airline is still viable because of the sacrifice of the US Airways employees.... Because three years after a supposedly "merger" with America West we are still conducting operations separately because management is unwilling to give up that golden egg of concessions that were extorted under bankruptcy. These contracts are amendable in 2012, and if I was a betting man, you won't see a joint contract for the airline before then. The pilot union (ALPA) was voted off the property because because of an equitable seniority integration could not be reached through arbitration.
I was always under the assumption that in life that you would be rewarded for hard work and integrity. Obviously I was very wrong. It's all about CAPITALISM at any cost.
This reminds me of a time back in 2003 when our then current management (Wolfe and Gangwal) bought back on the open market almost 2 billion in company stock with the companies dwindling cash reserves to prop up their own stock options ...thinking that a merger with UAL was imminent.
Turned out the Justice Department thought differently, No merger and no plan "B", no management plan moving forward. Just filing for bankruptcy, both bailing out with over a 45 million in a golden parachute and US airways and it's employees went into bankruptcy. We ended up picking up the tab for bad management and moved forward. We emerged out of bankruptcy only to re-enter shortly thereafter after some legendary BAD MANAGEMET (Dave Siegel). So again back into Bankruptcy and again the employees left to pick up the tab again for now some REALLY bad management decisions.
US airways under a new CEO Bruce Lakefield got a major investor Dr. David Bronner who kept publicly upstaging (with press conferences) then CEO Lakefield.
Dr. David Bronner (Alabama Teacher's Retirement) felt that he shouldn't lose money because the retirement plan he managed couldn't lose money and jeopardize the retirement of the teacher's he represented, but it was OK for US Airways employees to lose their retirement to insure ALABAMA teachers would not lose theirs. Seems to be a disconnect wouldn't you agree?
Then Dr. Bronner held a press conference three weeks before Christmas and announced he would "shut the airline down if he didn't get pay concessions from the pilots and flight attendants".....killing bookings exponentially at one of the busiest travel times of the year. Now that's a management team.
Now maybe you think that Bankruptcy works, well you would be right if you are talking with regard to the companies they protect. But not for the shareholders, creditors, or employees. Seems that bankruptcy will fix everything because it "allows the free market to work", well that's right to a certain extent. Excuse the pun. What about all the employees that had to file for personally bankruptcy or lost their jobs? The loss of tax revenue? Ironically all the provisions and protections provided had been eliminated under the revised Bankruptcy code implemented in the BUSH administration (and by the banking lobbyist). I was fortunate enough not to have to file for bankruptcy, but I knew many that were forced into it by no fault other than greed and stupidity of their employer. Seems that it is far more equitable practice for corporations than individuals.
Ironic.
So now enter Doug Parker and America West in 2004/2005......Bronner and Lakefield wanted out and AWA wanted unrealistic wage and work rule concessions to make merger deal attractive to investors and shareholder (who now owned all the paper, assets, and the aircraft of their airline and ours) and they were successful in getting those concessions because we wanted to see our airline survive at any cost.
And the deal was done. Once again leaving the employees to pick up the tab "but lucky to have a job", as CEO Doug Parker put it.
Bankruptcy sure helped the airlines out alright.
Just ask of the employees of:
Eastern
Pan Am
TWA
Midway
Independence
Aloha
ATA
and the many many more.........
I am sure Bankruptcy will do wonders for the Auto Industry. Just look what it has done for the Banking Industry. Oh that's right - they got bailed out.
One last thought Congressman, I remember Rick Santorum, former Senator from PA spoke much you did last evening providing "his" opinion. Mr. Santorum felt is was the employees of one his state's largest employers and union's fault for what was happening to US Airways and that "bankruptcy would do them and the public good."
After public outcry Senator Santorum later retracted those statements very publicly.
That was the last time I felt so compelled to write a letter to my elected leaders. I also remember, Senator Santorum lost his seat shortly thereafter.
So Representative Keller, The next time your on of your "weekly US Airways flight to DCA" take moment and take a say hello to your pilots in the cockpit who get you there safely, your flight attendants in the cabin who make sure your safe and comfortable (well as much as possible on a cattle car) or just speak with any of the myriad of other employees that have sacrificed and given so much to keep US AIRWAYS operating so you could enjoy a non stop flight to DCA National from OIA.
You might want to think about those people, those constituents, the next time the cameras are rolling and your thinking of a clever sound byte for the nightly news (at someone else's expense).
On behalf of the thirty five thousand employees still working at US Airways.....Your little joke wasn't funny.
Good luck on your upcoming re-election.
Very Sincerely,
Glucose Intolerant
P.S.
4th term incumbant Keller denied another term in Congress
Agreed! US Airways is currently like Courtney Love floundering on the floor with DTs! 
