How Much Will You Give For The New Ceo?

[Tim Nelson]

Consider history. Airline Labor Organizations have advocated no concessions time and time again only to displace a current CEO with a new one and then give bigtime concessions. That's the game that is played.
We have seen this with Wolf at United, Goodwin, and even Tilton. We need to look no further than home to see that Wolf couldn't get concessions so Seigel was called in and all the unions ordained him as Labor Friendly Dave. So what is going on now.

IMO, you have to cut through all the smoke and mirrors of the Unions rhetoric. Their past actions speak far greater than their words. When I read the "Concession stand is closed" I hear that it is closed to Seigel, and the Union is positioning the membership to take further cuts by manufacturing the following:
It is setting up Seigel as the fall guy or enemy number one. Then they will
solicit and court another CEO, proclaim him the savior and deliver further
concessions at his altar.

The last part, i.e., delivering further concessions, will be manufactured through fear and a 'doing your part' campaign to try to convince its members that the union knows best. Again, I'm only repeating history and the unions have a well paven path with this stuff, often dabbling into picking CEO's only to find out that they once again picked the wrong guy and didn't have a clue as to what they were doing.

The unions armed with further concessions will in fact have the 'ear' of the Board of Directors. The Board probably doesn't want to get rid of Seigel but money talks. With a piggy bank full of million$ of further concessions [your money] being dabbled in front of their nose by the unions, I believe the Board will consider a change at the top.

At any rate, whether or not you agree with me, would you give more if in fact your union "teamed up" with a new CEO and stuck their hands into your pocket again? And if you would, then what would it take for you to do that?

IMO, it would be like throwing money into a running toilet. The employees did their part already no matter who is running this airline. And as a ramper I know that there is nothing we can do to save this airline...rampers could work for free and this airline still would be losing bigtime money!

 

[usjacket]

Everyone has already given ENOUGH! A new (truely employee friendly) management team is this airlines only hope!

 

[PITbull]

Not every union thought Dave and team was "Labor Friendly". In fact, that was a cynical joke.

Labor won't give any more to any new CEO. We need new mangagement that can restore morale, build team spirit, and operate the airline using ingenuity with a different vision to elevate our company.

 

[crazyincanton]

Absolutely NOTHING!!!

Crazyincanton

 

[Colby]

Hey, I know .... I'll give them my Unemployment check!!!

 

[wings396]

I bet that your Unemployment check is bigger than my Mainline Express Check...

 

[Light Years]

I think that already happened.... Wolf left and brought in new blood to do a song and dance and get money from us. The bank is closed now though, there is no silent majority willing to lower thier lives more.

 

[ACrazy8]

I think the company is betting on the fact that's it's employees have invested almost their entire lives with this company. So they instill fear every holiday. The time of year when our hearts are warm and fuzzy. The time of year when we take time to be thankful for everything we have. My question is??? Why wouldn't one so pissed off at the situation they find themselves in with this company.....change it??? Yes, CEO's make a mint. And the rest of us make do on what we make. Go back to school. Pursue something else. Life does not begin and end with USAir. People....yes you've invested time, energy, and yes money. But, if your not happy. Then hit the door. I'm not pro-company. Just being realistic. If USAir doesn't adapt quickly to the marketplace, we'll be history. Period. Oh...now that would give us the time to pursue something else now wouldn't it? IMHO I think we have a senior workforce who does not believe anything bad can happen to them....."for they are senior". The unemployment line doesn't care how long you've been standing in line!!! Get it. Gripe and moan all we might. If you think that the 99.00 fare paying SWA customer is willing to let go of his hard earned money and will forgo an extra hundred bucks, just to fly USAir beacause of our vast route network, (give me a break)......then your only fooling yourself. Spend some quality time with people who are living "outside the bubble". You'll be surprised how good you have it. And if your not making what your worth. Get an education and leave this place you detest so much. Only you know what your worth. However, in this biz. The customer is telling you and the airline what your worth.....

 

[wench]

NADA....

ZERO>

0.00

GET THE PICTURE>>>CCY SHOULD RETURN OUR MONEY>

WHAT'S NEXT????? BLOOD????

 

[High Iron]

I think the company is betting on the fact that's it's employees have invested almost their entire lives with this company. So they instill fear every holiday. The time of year when our hearts are warm and fuzzy. The time of year when we take time to be thankful for everything we have. My question is??? Why wouldn't one so pissed off at the situation they find themselves in with this company.....change it??? Yes, CEO's make a mint. And the rest of us make do on what we make. Go back to school. Pursue something else. Life does not begin and end with USAir. People....yes you've invested time, energy, and yes money. But, if your not happy. Then hit the door. I'm not pro-company. Just being realistic. If USAir doesn't adapt quickly to the marketplace, we'll be history. Period. Oh...now that would give us the time to pursue something else now wouldn't it? IMHO I think we have a senior workforce who does not believe anything bad can happen to them....."for they are senior". The unemployment line doesn't care how long you've been standing in line!!! Get it. Gripe and moan all we might. If you think that the 99.00 fare paying SWA customer is willing to let go of his hard earned money and will forgo an extra hundred bucks, just to fly USAir beacause of our vast route network, (give me a break)......then your only fooling yourself. Spend some quality time with people who are living "outside the bubble". You'll be surprised how good you have it. And if your not making what your worth. Get an education and leave this place you detest so much. Only you know what your worth. However, in this biz. The customer is telling you and the airline what your worth.....

A point here and a point there, but I've got a few questions/comments:

--"Just being realistic. If USAir doesn't adapt quickly to the marketplace, we'll be history. Period."--

To be more realistic yet, that's specious in the sense that it is true only in a vacuum...at face value. If "adapting" means the same business plan/modus operandi, albeit with deeper cuts/shrinkage...we'll be history. Exclamation point.



--"Oh...now that would give us the time to pursue something else now wouldn't it? IMHO I think we have a senior workforce who does not believe anything bad can happen to them....."for they are senior". The unemployment line doesn't care how long you've been........."--

Believe me, everyone knows what is at stake here, so what's with all the putting all the ignorant hubris in everyone's mouth? If your argument is sound enough, you do not need to distort the other side's argument so as to make them sound less reasonable. IMO it's really simple, almost metaphysical: One is either of the mindset that labor ( I hate that term, in the collective sense ) is merely a commodity, or one is not. If one is, then yes, "If you don't like it- Quit!"....If not, then we work, within the scope of any influence we can bring to bear, to reverse negative trends.

 

[UseYourHead]

Go back to school. Pursue something else. Life does not begin and end with USAir. People....yes you've invested time, energy, and yes money. But, if your not happy. Then hit the door. I'm not pro-company. Just being realistic...The unemployment line doesn't care how long you've been standing in line!!! Get it. Gripe and moan all we might. If you think that the 99.00 fare paying SWA customer is willing to let go of his hard earned money and will forgo an extra hundred bucks, just to fly USAir beacause of our vast route network, (give me a break)......then your only fooling yourself. Spend some quality time with people who are living "outside the bubble". You'll be surprised how good you have it....

ACrazy8,

You make some good points here. The atmosphere in this forum is one that seems to imply that there is a rosy world awaiting those who feel abused around here.

I am back in college while I continue to enjoy a mid seniority job here as a pilot. I am in school with folks ranging in age from 20s to late 50s. I have spent several months now networking with these folks, as we work through team projects and so on. You get to know people, and talk about many things. We are all in school for the same reasons, to become more qualified to seek more money.

Let me assure you, that one theme holds steady amongst the students and intsructors, "It is a tough, cold world out there." For the people around here who think otherwise, I would suggest getting out there and finding out. Do yourself a favor and instead of talking the big talk, get out there and prove it to yourself. You are going to be surprised at how good you have it.

I have yet to hear a story of someone who has lost a job here that found a wonderful warm world awaiting them. In fact, just the opposite is what I hear from many who took leaves and so on. Does that mean we cannot survive or prosper should the unfortunate event occur where we lose our jobs? Of course life will go on, and many will land on their feet. I will, as I am spending countless hours daily and a large sum of money to see to it.

What is my first choice, by far? Keeping my job here, it is a great job, and I will never replace it if I were to start over at another airline. It is in all of our best interests to embrace a mindset that will help US Airways to prosper. As labor, that is all we can do. Management must do the rest.

Do we have a cost problem? If we are losing money, things will have to change, and they will, one way or another. Am I advocating labor give backs? What about changing for the better, what everyone claims they would love to do. If we only did things like ___, then we would be ____.

How about if we change all of our work rules to exactly what SWA has? Or JetBlue? How about American? All would be a paycut (except SWA), and work rule wise, it we worked under all those rules we could get a pay raise?

What if...what if we considered that to increase blockhours, bring back some furloughees (all would nice)?

I would embrace this concept, would you?

+

 

[700UW]

Mechanics, Utility, Stock Clerks, Ramp Agents, Customer Service Agents at AA, UA, NW, DL and WN all make more then the current pay levels at US Airways.

 

[High Iron]

Use Your Head: "Do we have a cost problem? If we are losing money, things will have to change, and they will, one way or another. Am I advocating labor give backs? What about changing for the better, what everyone claims they would love to do. If we only did things like ___, then we would be ____."

I've read your posts over the last few weeks, and while they are ostensibly well meaning, the underlying theme seems to have a "whatever it takes", let's get on board and...", "let's grab the bull by the horns and...." tone to them. All abstractions. Let's be specific though. "Do" what??? Do you honestly believe the present business plan is sound, and only needs ( yet more ) cost cuts to sustain it? The shrinking route network ( and service levels ) are creating ( have created ) a situation of diminishing returns with each effort to bring costs down...creating yet another crisis...and so on.

 

[PITbull]

Use Your Head,

I say by the sounds of your posts, you really NEED to stay in school. You need some business classes and HR classes thrown in there it'll do wonders for your mind, and broaden your scope.

I can hear you already...."oh please, save me, save me, fellow workers". I am not ready to find another job. Save me, and sacrifice yourself for me".......I too afraid of the big bad wolfe. He's going to hurt us, boo hoo hoo.

Blah, blah, blah....


Hey I have a novel idea....How about our CEO taking the salary of JetBlue for the next 5 years, no bonus, and he can keep his stock, but it must stay restricted until 2009. Think he can stand it? Bet, hel'll stay on longer than a year.

Management must consolidate and make much much deeper cuts at the top. I am waiting to see their medica/dental packcage and SPD.

 

[USFlyer]

For once I agree, asking for more labor concessions is not the answer.

US needs drastic improvements in productivity in terms of employee utilization, aircraft utilization, gate utilization, etc. Let's take PHL. If O&D traffic cannot fill up the existing flights to make them profitable, something is terribly wrong. It's a major metropolitan area. De-bank PHL already. That airport comes to its knees during the major banks, in good or bad weather. Sure, some folks from some of the smaller cities may have to wait longer for a connection. Whatever, so be it. We keep hearing those cites aren't profitable anyway, so why make a hub unprofitable to support them. Give them access to PHL, CLT, LGA, etc., but don't create a ton of inefficiencies to go after unprofitable revenue. That makes no sense. (And who knows, if crews aren't sitting in these out stations for hours on end, maybe the revenue will suddenly become profitable.)

And, ok, so management is worried about losing business travelers from these smaller stations due to longer connection times. Create a new policy. If a passenger is on a F, C, Y, B fare and has a connection longer than 60 minutes, give them a one day pass to the Club when they check-in. A kiosk could issue such a pass or be provided by a ticket agent. (And, if US could finally join the 21st century and have wireless Internet access in the Clubs, those passengers could be productive even while waiting for a connection.)

Also, I'm sick of hearing "demand isn't there". Clearly, it is. If a LCC can move in and fill flights, the demand is there. Also, stop abandoning markets. SEA is a prime example. I'm at the point where I almost NEED to book on UA or AS since the flights on US are terribly timed in many cases. If AS can serve BOS-SEA, why couldn't US have done so? No feed in SEA? That point is now moot with the UA codeshare. If UA can serve IAD-GCM, why couldn't US have done so (even if it's not daily). If LH can serve CLT-MUC, why couldn't US also do so? They now have feed on both ends!

Anyway, I could go on. My main feeling is US could become more point to point and drive inefficiences out of the system which in turn drives costs out. Sure, some semblence of "hubbing" is needed, but the way US does it now is clearly not working.

Also, I'm not one of these US1s who really cares whether we have glass or plastic in FC. I fly for work, not to be wined and dined. However, I do care that I cannot access e-mail on a six hour transcon. I do want to confirm an F seat at time of booking (whether thru a B fare or an F fare I can justify to my manager) -- the latest PHL-SEA F fares are perfect! I do care that I cannot upgrade online, pick my seats, change seats when a new one opens up, etc. I do care I cannot see all of my future reservations online.

Ok, enough ranting for now. And, yes, PITbull, I'm starting to come around.