John Mckorkle

[Career Reserve]

I especially liked the coverage on Dave Seigel's mess at Gate Gourmet.

That was a classic!
Almost as good as Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld.

 

[sharktooth]

Heard through the grapevine that John was almost fired 3 times! I guess he got the message, that, or he doesn't like paying lawyer fees!
PS I miss his newsletter's too! 😉

Sorry, I'm kinda pissed right now.

ganesha, take your richard cranium "grapevine" and shove it where the sun don't shine.

You are a lying jerk. Not just to pass bad info, but to participate in gossip that literally tears our company apart. While I rarely agree with John, what you did tears it all for me. Coward.

That AFA does not support him is a travesty. That the FAs don't is a crime. The fact that someone is willing to work to provide a different viewpoint is precious beyond all calculation. The fact that you would put a monetary valuation on the fact that cretins could care less about such noble attempt is beyond me. It is a surrender to the facism that we have allowed to govern us.

RIP

 

[Dog Wonder]

Sorry, I'm kinda pissed right now.

ganesha, take your richard cranium "grapevine" and shove it where the sun don't shine.

You are a lying jerk. Not just to pass bad info, but to participate in gossip that literally tears our company apart. While I rarely agree with John, what you did tears it all for me. Coward.

That AFA does not support him is a travesty. That the FAs don't is a crime. The fact that someone is willing to work to provide a different viewpoint is precious beyond all calculation. The fact that you would put a monetary valuation on the fact that cretins could care less about such noble attempt is beyond me. It is a surrender to the facism that we have allowed to govern us.

RIP

Take every pill in your trailer. You will feel much better.

 

[AstroLounge]

That was a classic!
Almost as good as Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld.

Very true. I always looked forward to the latest newsletter as much as Management (it still hurts when I use that term to describe the folks in the Crystal Palace) cringed by John's "TRUTH Hurts Tabloid". Personally, wish he would run for Union Office and get things done.

 

[songbirdstew]

LOL that's funny!

I will speak to the ONE issue I have some knowledge of regarding Mr McKorkle.

AFA DID support him in this instance and saved his collective bacon. He had one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel when AFA got involved. So in this particular case AFA was there for him.

I contacted John and let him know that there was a thread on here about him. He gave me permission to post his reply here.

Hi Songbird,

I don't visit USAviation.com but I did look at the link you sent me regarding 'what happened to John and his newsletters.' So, if you want to post this on that website/message board to let people know, you have my permission.

The answer is quite simple, I have been working more this year, especially this summer, than I ever have. One month I put in 141 hours, the next 144 and in August, 168 hrs. That is all flight hours, NO vacation time. In fact, I quit taking my laptop to Europe several months ago because I found myself never turning it on.

As far as the comment by member PITBull, I was NOT almost fired and AFA did virtually nothing. I handled the situation by myself and I let the former pit rep, Teddy Xidas come to the meeting (after she begged me repeatedly) as an observer only. I did all the talking but I heard that she subsequently tried to take credit for saving my job. She absolutely DID NOT. And AFA did not save my job because there wasn't a job to be saved. The company had nothing on me.

The end result was that the person who had filed the complaint, former US Airways communications person David Castleveter, was found to have lied. He claimed he never signed up to receive my newsletters when in fact he did and my list server, the California-based company that distributes my newsletter, was able to prove it. (He was claiming that I was "imposing" my newsletters upon him without his permission). He was also using a private secondary email address to receive the newsletters at the company's domain, which neither I or the HR people investigating knew about. Also, when I let the company know that I knew about an affair he had with a former PHL-based flight attendant and how Mrs. Castleveter might be interested in what I knew, well that shut everyone in Crystal City up for good. I sent what I knew to former PHL base manager Dave Chapla, knowing he would forward the info to Crystal City, which he did. I never heard another word from anyone again.

Regarding the comment by member ganessha that they have heard through the grapevine that I've almost been fired 3 times, this is just total bullsh*t. Three times????? Where do people get this crap? I would not call being suspended WITH PAY on one occasion close to being fired. Now, if someone was suspended without pay, you might have a problem. That's what happens when you listen to the grapevine -- you don't get the facts. I've had one run-in with the company in 18 years and it was the company person who lied/got caught. I was back to work in a matter of days, with pay, and continued writing my newsletters. Don't people remember that? I was even writing about it in my newsletters. This was back in May, 2004.

So, I will continue my newsletters (hopefully soon) in the very same fashion that I've always written. I just finished my last two DUB trips last week and I'll be flying normal hours 70-90 for the next two months. But the bottom line is I just have been extremely busy working A LOT of hours and I've been back and forth to Europe for the past six months and there's nothing more to it than that.

Also, I'll have a special treat for everyone when Al Crellin 'officially' leaves the airline in just over a week.

Thanks for your inquiry. If anyone has any questions, I still answer all my email at the same address I've had for years, JohnMcCorkle@Bellsouth.net

John McCorkle
Wilmington, NC

 

[N965VJ]

FWIW, John has never held ICBs in high regard.

 

[fatherabraham]

Songbird,
Nice work on getting the truth out. Have heard same words from John himself long ago.


FA

 

[PITbull]

LOL that's funny!

I will speak to the ONE issue I have some knowledge of regarding Mr McKorkle.

AFA DID support him in this instance and saved his collective bacon. He had one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel when AFA got involved. So in this particular case AFA was there for him.

In the above case US Sr. Management saw an opportunity to crush his dissent and used less than honorable means to nearly cost him his job. They got caught and subsequently embarrassed in front of whomever rules in such instances regarding jobs.

Frankly with all of the crap going on with merging an airline I doubt if Tempe has the time or inclination to "Go After" John.

The trend in Corporate America is to attempt to stifle any speech that could in any way be potentially damaging to the company. I actually have "Permission" from my employer to post here so long as I do not reveal my employers name.

Yup, AFA did come to his assistance when he asked. It surely didn't help the company that everyone in the world knew that ALL of senior management was signed on to us. aviation.com... during company time and using company terminals. Plus, some of them voluntarily enrolled themselves in McCorkle's newsletter using their usairways.org, no less. These are all a violations of their own ethics code using company equiptment and internet for usage other than company business. The resolution was mighty swift But, IMO, John would have done more damage to the company as a civilian, than an employee if they would have moved to terminate back when...and it didn't take much to convince senior management of that specifically at a time when the press hated senior management, employees hated management, customers were mad at U, and some governnment reps in Congress thought and stated that senior management were disingenious and basically "liars" 🙄

 

[PITbull]

I contacted John and let him know that there was a thread on here about him. He gave me permission to post his reply here.

Hi Songbird,

I don't visit USAviation.com but I did look at the link you sent me regarding 'what happened to John and his newsletters.' So, if you want to post this on that website/message board to let people know, you have my permission.

The answer is quite simple, I have been working more this year, especially this summer, than I ever have. One month I put in 141 hours, the next 144 and in August, 168 hrs. That is all flight hours, NO vacation time. In fact, I quit taking my laptop to Europe several months ago because I found myself never turning it on.

As far as the comment by member PITBull, I was NOT almost fired and AFA did virtually nothing. I handled the situation by myself and I let the former pit rep, Teddy Xidas come to the meeting (after she begged me repeatedly) as an observer only. I did all the talking but I heard that she subsequently tried to take credit for saving my job. She absolutely DID NOT. And AFA did not save my job because there wasn't a job to be saved. The company had nothing on me.

Wilmington, NC

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised at what John e-mailed out...I would have thought a "thank you" for the support from AFA would have been appropriate.

I think there is some distortion to his version above from what I've heard through the grapevine...Teddy did not beg, and I know that she and he were not even on speaking terms back then. Why would she beg to represent? She was a PIT LECP; not PHL? I think the story went that someone very close to John recomended he call her and not to meet with the company without union representation; and he did. I don't believe she was sitting as an observer. I think what happens in these meetings is instructions for the grievant not to speak too much, no arrogant or accusatory comments or responses, or give too much information, unless asked specific questions. Teddy does not go to meetings to sit quietly. Not that I've ever witnessed. I'm not saying if AFA did not go, or was not asked, that the outcome would have not been the exact same, but it does help to have the support necessary. Back then, I assumed John was very grateful for the support, indeed, from what I was told. In fact, the rest of Teddy's tenure, John never wrote out or critisized AFA again in his newsletters. I remember thinking back then, gee, what a reconciliation and change in the newsletters not viewing hate and venon for the AFA union by John. Memories are short and do become faded in time.

But, we'll let John go off in the sunset and proport what he usually does.. one version of events in the usual arrogant manner. AFA does keep these types of meetings of the specific outcomes and details in confidence. He knows that. B) I know for a fact, and without any hesitation, that Teddy did not discuss the details of the meeting nor the outcome with anyone except the PHL rep that was in the room, and the PHL LECP. And then again, there was managment's version that I doubt stayed in confidence or in the room.

 

[PITbull]

Appears as though Jerry trained them to be union busting execs...and now places them to continue the trend for Ford and Harrison.

I'm quite certain that the union leadership across the country are very aware and were given a "heads-up" regarding these exec types from U when they all of a sudden appear on their property... 😛h34r: