My Letter To Lakefield And A Reply

[local 12 proud]

At the end of the day, I think Doc received an accurate and poignant response from Lakefield (or his assistant). There's nothing in the response that is inaccurate or sugarcoats reality - US' problems existed long before he took the helm, and quite frankly, he can't do much more than stabilize the company into a "serious but stable" condition anyways. Furthermore, when a company is in distress, it becomes difficult to maintain and attract good managers (and yes, US DOES have some good managers despite the over-abundant bad apples) - the company either has to offer generous compensation to attract good talent or else make do with whatever talent it can scrounge up with pocket change.

[post="201651"][/post]​

well with this analogy they should be happy to srounge up non english speaking guest workers to fly the planes, fix the planes, service the planes, etc.....right?-" THE COMPANY EITHER HAS TO OFFER GENEROUS COMPENSATION TO ATTRACT GOOD TALENT OR ELSE MAKE DO WITH WHATEVER TALENT IT CAN SCROUNGE UP WITH POCKET CHANGE"

 

[luvthe9]

As much as don't agree with the USA320pilot all the time, I have to agree with him on this one. You can't blame Lakefield all the way.

 

[WestCoastGuy]

But I do blame Lakefield for swallowing all the spoon fed crap from Jerry Glass. Just goes to show the man has no sense about running an airline, or any big business. Glass is out to grab everything he can from labor and Lakefield is setting in his office without a clue.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

is there any evidence of actual letters being exchanged? Is there any evidence that the 'response' at the beginning of the thread is what was actually written from U? It seems paraphrased to me. Maybe I'm not seeing the original text.

 

[Doc]

There is no excuse for disrespect, period. If you do not like US Airways, why remain employed by the company?

Why be miserable, amigo?

Doc, if I was Lakefield I would terminate you for your disrespect.

With no due respect,

USA320Pilot

[post="201548"][/post]​

We should have all fired you for your... me too clause....and no express flying...

Any coments.

 

[Doc]

OK enough is enough …no disrespect was in tended…..It was a telling truth to how I and I think a lot of people feel. First of all I don’t think he even responded second do you think that these guys care how you feel.

Oh and by the way USA320pilot……

I show my respect for a man that will stand tall, face me and tell the truth and accept reasonability for his mistakes.
I know he has not been here from the beginning but what I have seen in these negotiations is a man that so far has not show any of these qualities…..

I sent another reply not sure I will share the next…only time will tell.

 

[4merresrat]

I sent another reply not sure I will share the next…only time will tell.

[post="201737"][/post]​

oh, come on, do tell. Please share it with us. Hey, I resepect you more because you didn't get defensive when WE criticized you about your letter. It seems to me you accepted the criticism for what it was worth and were able to debate it. ALOT of people would have gotten very huffy!!!

 

[firstamendment]

I guess it doesn't take a member of Mensa to figure out your limitations. :blink:

[post="201507"][/post]​

Wow,
Things must really be bad if I don't see "respectively" anymore.

Welcome to the world of us who gave our all, smiles and courtesies and all. I have seen more go-getting, positive employees finally put their arms up and say screw it.

This team has NOT negotiated in fair terms. You see what people don't understand is it get's down to who do you want to decide your fate? IF this judge allows US Airways to negate those contracts, I feel we f/a's will get the same contract offered except NO healthcare and the % year payscale implemented placing all of us at $26 an hour...for lay people..flight hours. Thank you, but I trust this group as far as I can throw them and would rather stand up and be out of a job then continue to take the continued abuse. With what they would do, I CAN find a 9-5 at home every night....I don't know, I can NOT sit back any longer and watch this happen.

It appears, A320, that you are upset because we are standing up and you won't be able to recover your huge (well not as big as before) salary compared to ours if we go down. Have you really educated yourself on the contract proposals of the other work groups. It is deplorable. I'll take my chance. I've hadit!!

I WILL NOT CROSS!!!

 

[firstamendment]

But I do blame Lakefield for swallowing all the spoon fed crap from Jerry Glass. Just goes to show the man has no sense about running an airline, or any big business. Glass is out to grab everything he can from labor and Lakefield is setting in his office without a clue.

[post="201708"][/post]​

And if Lakefield cared about morale, he would have required 21% from all management, including himself. That's not team effort! And when you decide you are going to negate good faith contracts, knowing the piece of s### coming your way, yeah, I can blame him. This man is a puppet of Bronner and has done NOTHING to mend fences with labor.

For those at SWA who seem to somehow think it isn't all management's fault, how would you feel if this was happening to you?

 

[Hawk]

And if Lakefield cared about morale, he would have required 21% from all management, including himself.

For those at SWA who seem to somehow think it isn't all management's fault, how would you feel if this was happening to you?

[post="201792"][/post]​

The majority of MSP salaries are equal to the LCCs. We have reached our target number. Most of the CCY employees are entry level (grade 76-78). The salaries are in the 30's. Itrade will tell you that 35K won't get you much in the DC area.

We are losing quality management on a daily basis that are going to other industries with higher salaries. Most CCY departments are understaffed and many employees are working 60-80 hrs. I worked 75 hrs last week. How many did you work?

SWA isn't on the verge of liquidation so that is an unfair comparision. They don't have antiquated work rules.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Itrade will tell you that 35K won't get you much in the DC area.

[post="201808"][/post]​

Maybe you shouldn't ask F/A's, FS, FSA, etc to work for lower, then. They also live & work in some high rent areas of the country.....like the DC area.

Jim

 

[firstamendment]

So what Hawk,

I'll give you the same argument that Lakefield uses...they are making money..we aren't. When a management team of ANY kind proves they know how to run a company correctly, I will personally support a raise.

Because of all the furloughs and this joke of a new reserve system, I have a buddy who would had made $15,000 this year. $15000 Now 21%? How shameful that so many no not the truth of the many with poverty salaries, so please, you and A320, give your inline with the lcc a freakin break because I will promise you 95% don't buy it. :angry: :down: <_<

 

[ELP_WN_Psgr]

SWA isn't on the verge of liquidation so that is an unfair comparision. They don't have antiquated work rules.

One could make a pretty valid argument that WN is not in danger of liquidation because they lacked the same type of well-paid, corn-fed, Harvard-business-school-trained, gotta pay them more to keep them on the premises type management that USAirways has enjoyed.

You might be surprised at the sort of people who built WN....the management types.

The first President/CEO went to a teacher's college in San Marcos, TX and got an accounting degree. In his youth he drove a candy delivery truck. He took a job as an accountant for TTa.

The VP/Ground Opns...the guy who invented the 10 minute turn.....had two yrs of college (Engineering) at a cow college in West Texas...no degree....after a stint in the Navy took a job as a station agent in BWD. (also TTa)

VP/Inflight Service for many years had no college degree either, although both his daughters did graduate from Baylor...so he follows Baylor football. Talk about a thankless task! His first airline job was also TTa, although he did a lengthy tenure at another local service powerhouse....Central Airlines.

The director of information systems, if I remember correctly, has no 4 yr degree either. He did start out on the phones at Dallas Res Center in 1975 at the age of 18.....and worked his way up the food chain.

You hire people who have never been there, don't act surprised whenever they are unable to take you anyplace.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

The majority of MSP salaries are equal to the LCCs. We have reached our target number. Most of the CCY employees are entry level (grade 76-78). The salaries are in the 30's. Itrade will tell you that 35K won't get you much in the DC area.

We are losing quality management on a daily basis that are going to other industries with higher salaries. Most CCY departments are understaffed and many employees are working 60-80 hrs. I worked 75 hrs last week. How many did you work?

SWA isn't on the verge of liquidation so that is an unfair comparision. They don't have antiquated work rules.

[post="201808"][/post]​

Hawk, reading your note only solidifies the fact that this company is doomed. Leadership comes from the top down. Your post is a hypocritical slap at a work force that has sacrificed more than you executive level clowns in CCY ever have or will. You obviously don't have a clue what its like to be out there day-in-and-day-out working alongside the very people that pay all of our salaries: The Customer. The customer is the life-blood of any company and management in its zeal to cut-costs-at-all-costs has neglected everything that entices a customer to a product. There's no way US Airways is going to succeed when you treat the front line people like dirt. Until management "gets" that it needs to treat employees as assets rather than liabilities we don't have a chance.

 

[usair_begins_with_u]

You cant teach and old dog new tricks.. Uair will never compete profitably with the likes of air tran or southwest.. LCC's are more than just a cheap ticket... its a way of doing business, a mind set if you will.. Anyone who's taken a college level business strategy class knows Uair simply cannot transform a 30 year old business model by strongarming labor.. what a joke, what are these clowns trying to prove??? The arrogance is mind numbing.. Kellher must be laughing his ass off at these butt monkeys...