Parker Video With Fortune on Culture

[MetalMover]

http://fortune.com/2018/02/02/american-airlines-doug-parker-culture/

 

[Matt1200]

Doug needs to be concern on the culture in his company. The management in maintenance could use classes on how to treat people. Especially in Philadelphia! They work through intimidation, writing mechanics up. Instead of teaching young mechanics who come from schools or commuters how to maintain aircraft they write them up for not meeting ETR’s. The allow lead mechanics to continue to work who are clueless. Wake up Doug and start listening to your employees!

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Doug needs to be concern on the culture in his company. The management in maintenance could use classes on how to treat people. Especially in Philadelphia! They work through intimidation, writing mechanics up. Instead of teaching young mechanics who come from schools or commuters how to maintain aircraft they write them up for not meeting ETR’s. The allow lead mechanics to continue to work who are clueless. Wake up Doug and start listening to your employees!

Wow!!!!

Allow me to break down your post because there are parts I question.

Doug needs to be concern on the culture in his company.

I agree but that statement applies to EVERY CEO and, let's be honest here, that "culture" predates Doug. Employees themselves are part of that culture as well, you want to see a change, start with YOU. What can YOU do to turn American Airlines into a place you are happy and proud to work for?

The management in maintenance could use classes on how to treat people. Especially in Philadelphia! They work through intimidation, writing mechanics up.

That might have something to do with them having to deal with lazy incompetent people they can't do anything with and can't fire because the UNION protects them. Then you have the troublemakers always causing problems and then running to HR or the UNION when it catches up with them doing their best to play the part of the "victim" of management abuse.

Instead of teaching young mechanics who come from schools or commuters how to maintain aircraft they write them up for not meeting ETR’s.

Why should management train them? Don't you have senior mechanics and leads/crew chiefs for that?

The allow lead mechanics to continue to work who are clueless.

Do they?

No.

A UNION contract that only looks at seniority instead of ability and merit allow that.

Wake up Doug and start listening to your employees!

Doug has better things to do with his time than try to placate a group of employees who create 99 percent of their own problems.

 

[Buck]

Why would Senior Mechanics and Crew Chief's take time to train with No. 1 no compensation like a Tech Crew Chief.
No. 2, The IAW will keep mechanics from sticking their necks out.
Institute a Junior Mechanic program.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Why would Senior Mechanics and Crew Chief's take time to train with No. 1 no compensation like a Tech Crew Chief.
No. 2, The IAW will keep mechanics from sticking their necks out.
Institute a Junior Mechanic program.

You are going to have to explain your position on this matter to me in more detail because I am not following your logic.

It only makes sense to me that a senior mechanic should provide guidance and do his best to pass along his knowledge. It should be your goal to pass along a legacy and hope that those you helped along the way become even better than you were.

That is why we have champions and record setters. Someone to set a bar and say "There, take what I have done and do better".

I can tell you in my job I am what they call a Tech 3. I just happen to be lead on my shift however even if I was not it is part of my job description so assist lower level techs and attempt to improve their performance and I think it should be that way.

Do you really think a "you figure it out" attitude is best for the craft, the aircraft, or the customer?

As far as a Junior Mechanic Program American Airlines tried that before and mechanics complain about it to this day. You can find posts all over this forum of mechanics criticizing the program.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

http://fortune.com/2018/02/02/american-airlines-doug-parker-culture/

Good grief! I just could not get thru that video. Trust? Give me a freaking break. Parker had the chance to change the culture and build some trust but he blew it. He pissed that chance away with us and all of M&R, FSC. There is no plausible scenario in which I see M&R ever trusting in anything this leadership team says or does. They have made it perfectly clear how they feel about folks below the wing.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Good grief! I just could not get thru that video. Trust? Give me a freaking break. Parker had the chance to change the culture and build some trust but he blew it. He pissed that chance away with us and all of M&R, FSC. There is no plausible scenario in which I see M&R ever trusting in anything this leadership team says or does. They have made it perfectly clear how they feel about folks below the wing.

Why should it be totally on Parker's shoulders to change the culture that was here LONG before he ever took CEO?

You want to talk about culture how about the adversarial relationship the TWU has pushed for decades. Everything is always a "fight like hell" and "we will get them next time". They make their money by painting the company as the "enemy" and themselves as the "saviors".

Where is your criticism for that?

 

[WeAAsles]

Good grief! I just could not get thru that video. Trust? Give me a freaking break. Parker had the chance to change the culture and build some trust but he blew it. He pissed that chance away with us and all of M&R, FSC. There is no plausible scenario in which I see M&R ever trusting in anything this leadership team says or does. They have made it perfectly clear how they feel about folks below the wing.

To quote swampy “You’re 100% correct”

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Why should it be totally on Parker's shoulders to change the culture that was here LONG before he ever took CEO?

You want to talk about culture how about the adversarial relationship the TWU has pushed for decades. Everything is always a "fight like hell" and "we will get them next time". They make their money by painting the company as the "enemy" and themselves as the "saviors".

Where is your criticism for that?

Leaders lead, thats a part of what he is compensated so richly for. He has failed 1/3 of the company. Leaving M&R and FSC hung out to dry. The TWU certainly gets no free pass either. Their failure are many. The most recent and most glaring imho was the formation of this illegitimate association. That being said, for the life of me, I don't know why you care. There was a time I agreed with most if not all of your posts. You seem to have gone off the rails of late. Best of luck in your new career. Those of us still employed here fully understand everything that is in play.

 

[Buck]

You are going to have to explain your position on this matter to me in more detail because I am not following your logic.

It only makes sense to me that a senior mechanic should provide guidance and do his best to pass along his knowledge. It should be your goal to pass along a legacy and hope that those you helped along the way become even better than you were.

Risk and Reward, 10 years ago there was no question of a Senior helping train a Junior. However, it does go on today. I do not mean kicking the Junior mechanic in the teeth, but with IAW, the Risk of signing off the repair or aircraft places the mechanic in a potentially dangerous area. Will the Union or the company protect these mechanics? To obtain their License(s) a mechanic has to be able to read. We have both type of Senior mechanics. Letter of the Law or risking a chance that a FAA Inspector doesn't catch anyone of deviating from the Fed Regulations or the companies approved maintenance program.

That is why we have champions and record setters. Someone to set a bar and say "There, take what I have done and do better".

I can tell you in my job I am what they call a Tech 3. I just happen to be lead on my shift however even if I was not it is part of my job description so assist lower level techs and attempt to improve their performance and I think it should be that way.

Do you really think a "you figure it out" attitude is best for the craft, the aircraft, or the customer?

Of course not, but do you think putting a mechanic there to protect the Junior has no risk?

As far as a Junior Mechanic Program American Airlines tried that before and mechanics complain about it to this day. You can find posts all over this forum of mechanics criticizing the program.

I am not sure when the Junior Mechanic program started, but when I came on in 1984 I started as a Junior and member of the B-Scale. Then the junior program faded away and the C-Scale was brought in and so on. Do not mix up the two.

 

[swamt]

http://fortune.com/2018/02/02/american-airlines-doug-parker-culture/

Um, hold on here,Um, I have a question, Um, I was wondering, Um, how many freakin times, Um, did he say Um??? Someone take the,Um, charge and count how many,Um, times Parker said Um...

 

[Rogallo]

The amount of Um's is directly proportional to the amount of bovine excrement being discharged!

 

[737823]

As usual Parker is not a polished public speaker and rarely has anything original or genuine to share. Y’all hate old management but at least Horton, Virasb, Bella Goren could actually have intelligent things to say and were a better public face of the company.

Josh

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Leaders lead, thats a part of what he is compensated so richly for.

That should be the way it is but that is not the reality of it this day and age. His job today is to make sure that investors see a short term return. I think we can all agree that with American Airlines current profit margins he is delivering.

Until investors see evidence of American Airlines labor issues heavily impacting profit margins then management will see it as a non issue.

That is the unfortunate reality of the situation today.

He has failed 1/3 of the company. Leaving M&R and FSC hung out to dry.

He certainly failed my shop. My coworkers and I were shown the door remember?

Not to mention the only 2 people in our title group not to see an interruption in employment or relocation happened to be the 2 UNION officers.

The TWU certainly gets no free pass either. Their failure are many. The most recent and most glaring imho was the formation of this illegitimate association.

TWU plays a large part of the culture of American Airlines as well.

Again, they make their money by painting the company as the "enemy" and themselves as the "saviors". They have basically become less about representing you and more about selling you propaganda.

That being said, for the life of me, I don't know why you care.

I care for 2 reasons.

#1 I and all of title 3 at TUL/TULE lost benefits and pay and eventually their jobs (or had to relocate) except the two UNION officers who were moved to another title group. I believe that was their reward for pushing a concessionary contract. There is a part of me that that wants to see that injustice corrected. If not for us then at least for you. In my eyes the only way to correct that is to return the employees to pre concession levels.

#2 My wife still works for American Airlines. I certainly do not want to see her lose her job. I want you to have strong language that protects your jobs, benefits, and pay because frankly that has a very direct impact on me and my household.

It is possible, because my wife is still employed at American Airlines, I will not only get hit once by a bad contract........ but twice.

I know may of you think of me as an outsider or a "used to be" but the fact is I am just as impacted by this contract as any of you. That is a fact.

So yes I care. I care a lot.

There was a time I agreed with most if not all of your posts. You seem to have gone off the rails of late.

I am sorry to hear you say that because, though not everyone agrees all the time, I think we both have the same basic goals.

Best of luck in your new career.

Thank you.

Those of us still employed here fully understand everything that is in play.

In all fairness I really doubt it because negotiations take place behind closed doors. What you have is conjecture and rumor.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Risk and Reward, 10 years ago there was no question of a Senior helping train a Junior. However, it does go on today. I do not mean kicking the Junior mechanic in the teeth, but with IAW, the Risk of signing off the repair or aircraft places the mechanic in a potentially dangerous area. Will the Union or the company protect these mechanics? To obtain their License(s) a mechanic has to be able to read. We have both type of Senior mechanics. Letter of the Law or risking a chance that a FAA Inspector doesn't catch anyone of deviating from the Fed Regulations or the companies approved maintenance program.

I never really implied that you should have to sign off for another A&P mechanic (they should sign for work they do) only that you should offer advice and expertise when requested as part of your senior status. However if you are being put in a position where you have to sign off on someone else's work then I can see your point of view.

Of course not, but do you think putting a mechanic there to protect the Junior has no risk?

That is not really the direction I was coming from. I was not insinuation you should take legal responsibilities for their work. I was saying you should take more of a mentor approach to junior mechanics.

I am not sure when the Junior Mechanic program started, but when I came on in 1984 I started as a Junior and member of the B-Scale. Then the junior program faded away and the C-Scale was brought in and so on. Do not mix up the two.

Noted.