PHX Crew News 7/8/08

[boeingtamer]

I just watched the Pilot Crew News session of July 8th in PHX and wow. I couldn't really believe what I was seeing... Angry Men and Women in full Parker attack mode. You really have to watch it on the hub for yourself, but I suspect a few of these folks are going to be shocked to see how they looked. The "Furloughs" section is the most amazing. Some guy stands up and starts lambasting Parker and ends yelling at Lyle Hogg and the camera saying "to Lyle Hogg, this is two airlines, East and West, and we HATE you guys!". A real class act way to deal with one's boss. Parker goes on to say that America West would never have been able to survive today absent the merger. There is a rambling female pilot that is under the topic "New Way of Thinking" that rants explaining how good she is at saving the company and how the bad East pilots are. ( "Mrs. Johnson, Bobby didn't do his homework but I did!") It is amazing that she can go on so long jumping from topic to topic but I never quite got her point. She eventually says she thinks declaring bankruptcy may be the best thing we can do...and gets a rousing round of applause after her rant. Doug disagrees.

All in all this is a real side show and I suggest you take a look and decide for yourself.

 

[GolfNovember]

I just watched the Pilot Crew News session of July 8th in PHX and wow. I couldn't really believe what I was seeing... Angry Men and Women in full Parker attack mode. You really have to watch it on the hub for yourself, but I suspect a few of these folks are going to be shocked to see how they looked. The "Furloughs" section is the most amazing. Some guy stands up and starts lambasting Parker and ends yelling at Lyle Hogg and the camera saying "to Lyle Hogg, this is two airlines, East and West, and we HATE you guys!". A real class act way to deal with one's boss. Parker goes on to say that America West would never have been able to survive today absent the merger. There is a rambling female pilot that is under the topic "New Way of Thinking" that rants explaining how good she is at saving the company and how the bad East pilots are. ( "Mrs. Johnson, Bobby didn't do his homework but I did!") It is amazing that she can go on so long jumping from topic to topic but I never quite got her point. She eventually says she thinks declaring bankruptcy may be the best thing we can do...and gets a rousing round of applause after her rant. Doug disagrees.

All in all this is a real side show and I suggest you take a look and decide for yourself.

It is quite a set of videos. Doug kept his cool, and that's good, a very good thing. Unruly behavior... (makes you wonder if they knew they were being taped) Sad, even. It's been the talk of the ticket counter at a few airports, that's for sure. The behavior, mostly. :unsure:

 

[flybynite]

I haven't seen it yet but I can understand the rant about the "two airlines".

Yes, we are. And it's high time the company got off their lazy ass and combine the two. There is no excuse for it.

Just my opinion.

 

[28L_or_10R?]

The gentleman that made the remark about West pilots hating East pilots was not yelling and did not come close to what one would consider an outburst. He was saying what he felt. He was keeping it real. Doug Parker needs to hear these things. He has minions that keep this information away from him. He can blow this off and trivialize these emotions to this airline's peril.

 

[Toothy Grin]

I wasn't able to go, but handling parker and co with kid gloves because I'm worried about how i'll look is completely secondary in importance imhop.

I agree they need to hear it...normally i'd say feel it, but robots do not have that capacity.

Congrats to those that b slapped em. things have digressed far beyond situational manners...how dissapointed would you be if shambles held a meeting and those present were polite as georgia peaches.

the unleashing of anger is a good thing overal. After anger comes silence...then action.

 

[prechilill]

I wasn't able to go, but handling parker and co with kid gloves because I'm worried about how i'll look is completely secondary in importance imhop.

I agree they need to hear it...normally i'd say feel it, but robots do not have that capacity.

Congrats to those that b slapped em. things have digressed far beyond situational manners...how dissapointed would you be if shambles held a meeting and those present were polite as georgia peaches.

the unleashing of anger is a good thing overal. After anger comes silence...then action.

The poster that started this thread is an east pilot with a prejudicial view on anything the west does. Just a disclaimer.

I watched the video and applaud the employees who told Parker like it is. The Sand Castle needs to feel a little Arizona heat. Rome is crumbling and these guys haven't a clue. We are in the fourth year since the merger and LCC still has an east and a west. Amazing.

 

[elixir]

The poster that started this thread is an east pilot with a prejudicial view on anything the west does. Just a disclaimer.

I watched the video and applaud the employees who told Parker like it is. The Sand Castle needs to feel a little Arizona heat. Rome is crumbling and these guys haven't a clue. We are in the fourth year since the merger and LCC still has an east and a west. Amazing.

"...we have no union...we have no union..."

These types of remarks to Parker just show him how much you don't get it. Parker's response to the "vein-popping" remark to Hogg about hating the East pretty much says it all...

"...well, that's just not productive..."

neither is hanging cupie dolls, writing "status updates" to ALPA, or refusing to engage in a union shop resulting in termination proceedings under the law.

Don't get me started about your Susie...she needs some time off to regroup, apparently...where's all my friends from the training department? Who needs this stupid AQP? The chic is all over the map, and her ONLY question was (after 15 minutes) unanswerable.
I think she shocked Doug with her "hopes for bankruptcy" speech.

Because at the end of the day, the LAS FO had a real point: PHX and LAS are primarily leisure markets generating less revenue, what do you think would go away first? And which side has the expensive payroll?

brilliant.

 

[prechilill]

"...we have no union...we have no union..."

These types of remarks to Parker just show him how much you don't get it. Parker's response to the "vein-popping" remark to Hogg about hating the East pretty much says it all...

"...well, that's just not productive..."

neither is hanging cupie dolls, writing "status updates" to ALPA, or refusing to engage in a union shop resulting in termination proceedings under the law.

Don't get me started about your Susie...she needs some time off to regroup, apparently...where's all my friends from the training department? Who needs this stupid AQP? The chic is all over the map, and her ONLY question was (after 15 minutes) unanswerable.

brilliant.

please do not hijack this thread. Thank you.

 

[elixir]

please do not hijack this thread. Thank you.

I'm sorry, was I not quoting the meeting to your liking?

"hijack"...to take off course.

Please explain...it's about the PHX meeting, right?


I know it's embarrassing, but it is what it is....

You westies all want Parker to feel the heat and make you feel better...

He's gonna deal with the bargaining agent for this airline, (which you claim doesn't exist) just as he said he is in the video...and it may or may not make you feel better...not really his concern.

 

[boeingtamer]

The poster that started this thread is an east pilot with a prejudicial view on anything the west does. Just a disclaimer.

I watched the video and applaud the employees who told Parker like it is. The Sand Castle needs to feel a little Arizona heat. Rome is crumbling and these guys haven't a clue. We are in the fourth year since the merger and LCC still has an east and a west. Amazing.

Obviously I look through the eyes of an Eastie and that colors my view. Still, I think saying "we hate you guys", while it may be his true feelings, shows a total lack of decorum and control. Look at the video again and tell me that this guy is in full control of his emotions... right from the start of his questions it is obvious. My point is that telling the whole east pilot group on a company posted video "I hate you" would be bad enough. Saying "We hate you" implies the view represents ALL or a large number of West pilots. I may disagree but I DO NOT hate any west pilot. I got to tell you that that comment stung me, a fairly senior pilot only minimally affected by Nic.

After over 30 years of marriage, I've learned that there are things you just don't say in an emotional moment if you plan to stay married. It may feel good at the time, but it can seriously damage the relationship. I still think that this gentleman's comments and demeanor are regrettable and will further damage the chances of having a "marriage" of our pilot groups that can survive together in the future. Unless some compromise is found any victory, be it Nic or DOH, will certainly be a Pyhrric one.

The real question is why would the company post such inflammatory rhetoric on their website. Perhaps to honestly show what went on? Perhaps to further divide our pilots so that management can have an easy labor victory? For west pilots I ask you to look at the latest system bid and tell me how well this war is working our for you so far? I know $124.88 /hr and 21 days vacation isn't working for me. If we are divided we fall...all of us... East and West. We will have no one to blame but ourselves either. We can just all languish and luxuriate our hatred toward each other. Sad way to live!

 

[flyastrojets]

Any chance this makes it to youtube? I'd pay to watch.

 

[luvthe9]

. The "Furloughs" section is the most amazing. Some guy stands up and starts lambasting Parker and ends yelling at Lyle Hogg and the camera saying "to Lyle Hogg, this is two airlines, East and West, and we HATE you guys!". A real class act way to deal with one's boss. Parker goes on to say that America West would never have been able to survive today absent the merger. There is a rambling female pilot that is under the topic "New Way of Thinking" that rants explaining how good she is at saving the company and how the bad East pilots are. ( "Mrs. Johnson, Bobby didn't do his homework but I did!") It is amazing that she can go on so long jumping from topic to topic but I never quite got her point. She eventually says she thinks declaring bankruptcy may be the best thing we can do...and gets a rousing round of applause after her rant. Doug disagrees.

All in all this is a real side show and I suggest you take a look and decide for yourself.

I think they should be thanking us for supporting them and giving them OUR profit sharing, I think they realize that and that was just a few of the loud mouths.

 

[N924PS]

I also wondered why the company would allow such a flame bait video to be presented.

The most salient point from this video was that bankruptcy will be a very bad thing for the employees of USAirways this time around. I hope Susie got that message. Because with 4 kids that need the income and medical insurance from a mom and dad that BOTH work for USAirways, she should be very concerned.

Kudos to Mr. Parker and Captains Hogg and Bular. I'm sure it took a great deal of restraint for Lyle or Doug not responding to Susie as Sam Kinison might have.

 

[electricjet98]

Unless some compromise is found any victory, be it Nic or DOH, will certainly be a Pyhrric one.

If we are divided we fall...all of us... East and West. We will have no one to blame but ourselves either. We can just all languish and luxuriate our hatred toward each other. Sad way to live!

I agree; so where do we go from here?


Mod; perhaps this entire thread should be moved to the US pilot labor thread.

 

[EastUS]

Kudos to Mr. Parker and Captains Hogg and Bular. I'm sure it took a great deal of restraint for Lyle or Doug not responding to Susie as Sam Kinison might have.

Such behavior was just surreal to even see happening. I've never otherwise seen any person...presumably wishing to even remain employed, act in any such fashion. Telling the Boss of Flight Ops "We hate you guys", at a company meeting no less, is insubordinate behavior by any definition I'm aware of. Truly..words just fail me with that.

"I also wondered why the company would allow such a flame bait video to be presented." Fully agreed, and equally wondered about here. It would seem that the labor strife's being played upon...and the "We don't have a Union" bunch is being played like poorly tuned violins that are clearly coming apart at the seams. I mean no disrespect to any/all out west with the following observations and wish only to note my, and I'm certain, many others general impression as to the efficacy of the presenters. The emotional dynamics were incredibly child-like, and will serve no one's purpose at all well...except for the management that hasn't the slightest reasons to be swayed in any way, nor to do anything other than fully relish and exploit the opportunities afforded them by a divided group. I was honestly amazed, and hardly think myself at all unique in that respect. I was struck by the general "theme" = "USAPA's in a negotiating mode" but simultaneously: "We don't have a Union!".."We're saving fuel.....and we're really the best, good-est and cutest kids Daddy...Please, please please..won't you do something about those bad people out east!!??"..We hate them!"....."We're ready for our Nic now...Won't you just give it to us Daddy?...Furlough all of them...and not ever US!!"...or, well Waaah!!". One wonders what the/ANY logical thought or point was, behind any of it.

All are in this together folks....Like it or not.....Time to wake up and smell the coffee/etc.