Pilot and Mechanic Shortage

[nbmcg01]

Nobody's mentioning sabotage except for you.

Until senior management takes a SIGNIFICANT reduction in pay and benefits, including no more "bonus" payments as long as there are concessions in place, you will not see a "buy in" by the rank and file employee. And this significant reduction cannot be offset by the tricks normally used such as title changes (Director to Managing Director, VP to Senior VP etc) to regain said reductions. And the top level from the BOD down needs to publicly acknowledge the sacrifices of the employees, People who have given (whether forced or "negotiated") need to hear that their sacrifices are valued as opposed to constantly being told "you are not productive, you are not worthy". And you can't just say the words, you actually have to believe them.

Taking out frustrations on the flying public is not the way to get managements attention. Being the best is... If that means working by the book (that management wrote) so be it..but always with a smile, a kind word and an apology to the paying customer..(lol)

 

[strikeforce]

Look how far sabotaging equipment and facilities got your "brothers and sisters" at the UAW. Many employees here are disgruntled because you have unreasonable expectations of the company. Ultimately AMR will win over further concessions, it's only a matter of time.

Josh

You immediately assume and jump to idiotic conclusions to job actions and sabotage. It doesn't take much to cause flight delays or cancellations, and IF the majority of the aircraft mechanics followed the "book" to the letter, AA would not fly today, tomorrow or next week, let alone next month. The majority of US mechanics use reasonable judgement in either fixing or deferring maintenance. But, the longer AA fails to recognize my contributions, the easier it will be for me to work by the letter of AA's manuals.

Management may preach a good game by requiring ALL to work by the book, but, they really don't want us to work by the book because they know quite well that NOTHING will fly!! When WE do work by the book, management considers it a job action.....but when WE work by the book during FAA and CASS audits, it's ok. Unfortunately, AA can't have it both ways.....therefore, I will do my JOB and work to the letter because I will not only protect my license, but save LIVES.

So, the next time you fly Josh....don't thank the pilot for the safe flight...please thank the aircraft mechanic for NOT taking your airplane OTS!!

 

[strikeforce]

and if EVERY airline worker felt the same way, then perhaps something would change.... but the reality is that there are many airline workers who are doing their jobs and have no intention of damaging their companies, and I might add that is also true of a whole lot of AA employees.
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The US is a democracy... if people want change, it can happen. The problem is that the US is a very ideologically divided country... the whole reason why all those Republican governors were able to do what they have done is because half or more of the population in those states support what they did - or those legislators and governors would be canned.
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WI was by far the most heated battle but even there the balance of power in the state still rests w/ the same party that supported the cuts.
If there are enough Americans who want to change things, it can happen.
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If there are enough airline employees who want to change things, change could happen.... but when not even a known size faction of AA employees is determined to extract blood, they could well succeed at shutting down the company against the desires and efforts of alot of their co-workers. But more significantly, there is no evidence that what that faction wants to do to AA is even close to supported by the majority of airline employees.
As such, the potential actions of a few need to be weighed in light of the reality that those people may become martyrs for their cause only in their minds.

Trust me, EVERY airline worker feels disgruntled and demoralized!!!

The American people are passive, law abiding citizens. But, if WE had the chance to overthrow our gov't like they do in other parts of the world....it would of happened yesterday! The Europeans, on the other hand, are NOT passive and are showing their frustrations in the streets....and that's a good thing. The Greeks obviously have the NADS to revolt against the gov't and corporate corruption. Here, WE don't have the nads to fight gov't and corporate corruption......WE all believe it's legal because the crooks are telling US it's legal through the media. The American people are fools. The gov't, wall street and corporate america are robbing us blind.....using OUR money to benefit the rich politicians, bankers, brokers, and executives, and WE just stand by and believe it's LEGAL!!!! Look at HP, an executive gets fired and he walks away with 25M after just 10 months. The two previous CEO's walked away with about 60M more....the stock is in the toilet and the company is in shambles and people thinks it's FAIR. But, If I get fired from my job....I lose EVERYTHING, and YOU think that's FAIR! Talk about hypocrisy in this country. No wonder this country is in the toilet!!!

 

[eolesen]

After AA goes the way of PAA and Eastern the "Cancer" or us spread to the remaining airlines and preach the same mantra we are preaching at AA more people are infected with the "cancer" and we kill off another airline riddled with corporate greed. The way i see it before long we will all be working for Southwest 😀

Maybe, but the other airlines, especially the non-union ones, aren't stupid. Lots of PA and EA folks never worked in the industry again because the airlines hiring weren't interested in their baggage. Supervisors who'd worked there before would regularly cull thru the interview lists. Thanks to the internet, it's even easier. Guys like Bob probably wouldn't even be called for an interview.

 

[strikeforce]

Maybe, but the other airlines, especially the non-union ones, aren't stupid. Lots of PA and EA folks never worked in the industry again because the airlines hiring weren't interested in their baggage. Supervisors who'd worked there before would regularly cull thru the interview lists. Thanks to the internet, it's even easier. Guys like Bob probably wouldn't even be called for an interview.

Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but some of those ex-EA and ex-PA mechanics work in ORD and happen to be some of our best mechanics. On the other hand, our station manager happens to be a "SCAB" from EA and is the biggest snake WE have in ORD. Bob would do just fine!

 

[Frank Szabo]

Trust me, EVERY airline worker feels disgruntled and demoralized!!!

The American people are passive, law abiding citizens. But, if WE had the chance to overthrow our gov't like they do in other parts of the world....it would of happened yesterday! The Europeans, on the other hand, are NOT passive and are showing their frustrations in the streets....and that's a good thing. The Greeks obviously have the NADS to revolt against the gov't and corporate corruption. Here, WE don't have the nads to fight gov't and corporate corruption......WE all believe it's legal because the crooks are telling US it's legal through the media. The American people are fools. The gov't, wall street and corporaAmericaica are robbing us blind.....using OUR money to benefit the rich politicians, bankers, brokers, and executives, and WE just stand by and believe it's LEGAL!!!! Look at HP, an executive gets fired and he walks away with 25M after just 10 months. The two previous CEO's walked away with about 60M more....the stock is in the toilet and the company is in shambles and people thinks it's FAIR. But, If I get fired from my job....I lose EVERYTHING, and YOU think that's FAIR! Talk about hypocrisy in this country. No wonder this country is in the toilet!!!

American citizens have had the balls bred off them since WWII as the feds realized what manner of monster they had to create in order to be victorious. The years after wartime were unprecedented re: growth of the middle class. That growth did not occur by accident as the government realized what would happen if they tried to contain the people and return to the haves and have nots division of the Great Depression.

If governments worldwide didn't learn anything else from world history, they learned from the French Revolution that if the common man is allowed to have just enough that he fears its loss, he becomes rather compliant, hence the aforementioned growth in the economy.

Now that citizens have become compliant and relatively gutless as compared to years past, the tide is reversing. Now, we'll protest but we have to be back at work on monday, a far cry from what those who originally fought for this country's independence from Britain were thinking. Now, politicians can hand out Rights as though they are authorized to do so with total impunity and tie the Constitution in knots that, in years past, would have gotten them executed for treason.

Just like the Japanese, compliance has become paramount - individuality and thinking for one's self is "selfish".

50 or so people attempting to fix the problem is labeled as an anti-whatever militia. A thousand or so are labeled commies, skinheads, or anything else that will generate ill-feelings re: the groups purpose.

I was taught the US Constitution allowed for three methods of redress - the soap box, the ballot box, and when all else failed the Second Amendment allowed the citizens the cartridge box. In an age where people are willing to give up their Liberty for supposed safety (think TSA), I'd say the government breeding program since WWII worked rather well - so well, in fact, its a waste of time pointing out to people what's been done to them.

If people refuse to grow a set to defend their Rights as defined by the US Constitution, they certainly won't have any qualms about laying down and allowing the union they pay for and the company that owns it to walk all over them.

Being a good citizen DOES NOT MEAN BEING A DOORMAT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE!

Thank you Sir - may I have another, Sir?​

 

[PhatSappy]

Everyone at AA ought to be looking for a better job at this point.

Unions? Forget it. Hold the line? HA! I doubt it.

 

[strikeforce]

American citizens have had the balls bred off them since WWII as the feds realized what manner of monster they had to create in order to be victorious. The years after wartime were unprecedented re: growth of the middle class. That growth did not occur by accident as the government realized what would happen if they tried to contain the people and return to the haves and have nots division of the Great Depression.

If governments worldwide didn't learn anything else from world history, they learned from the French Revolution that if the common man is allowed to have just enough that he fears its loss, he becomes rather compliant, hence the aforementioned growth in the economy.

Now that citizens have become compliant and relatively gutless as compared to years past, the tide is reversing. Now, we'll protest but we have to be back at work on monday, a far cry from what those who originally fought for this country's independence from Britain were thinking. Now, politicians can hand out Rights as though they are authorized to do so with total impunity and tie the Constitution in knots that, in years past, would have gotten them executed for treason.

Just like the Japanese, compliance has become paramount - individuality and thinking for one's self is "selfish".

50 or so people attempting to fix the problem is labeled as an anti-whatever militia. A thousand or so are labeled commies, skinheads, or anything else that will generate ill-feelings re: the groups purpose.

I was taught the US Constitution allowed for three methods of redress - the soap box, the ballot box, and when all else failed the Second Amendment allowed the citizens the cartridge box. In an age where people are willing to give up their Liberty for supposed safety (think TSA), I'd say the government breeding program since WWII worked rather well - so well, in fact, its a waste of time pointing out to people what's been done to them.

If people refuse to grow a set to defend their Rights as defined by the US Constitution, they certainly won't have any qualms about laying down and allowing the union they pay for and the company that owns it to walk all over them.

Being a good citizen DOES NOT MEAN BEING A DOORMAT FOR SOMEBODY ELSE!

Thank you Sir - may I have another, Sir?​

I agree!

The ballot box is only as good as the candidates on the ticket. If the same clowns and crooks appear on the ballot, not much you and I can do to change things.

Look, our priorities as citizens and union members are screwed up......I call it the "carrot syndrome". As citizens it's the I phone, I pad, Facebook, twitter and texting, and as union members it's the CS policy. Those have been recipe's for disaster, both socially and psychologically!

 

[WorldTraveler]

While I'm not sure that overall employee quality is higher from DL's "acquired employees" some of DL's most adamant anti-union employees are former Eastern and Pan Am employees.
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All of this talk of class warfare belies the fact that Americans of all stripes have benefitted from the same "loose money" that benefits executives. Americans have the highest personal debt levels and the least amount of savings of any industrialized society.... Americans enjoy a standard of living well beyond their means.
And you know allow it? Those fat corporate types who have relaxed lending standards well below what other countries allow. Sure, SOME Americans have gotten in trouble by cheap and readily available cash but the vast majority of Americans have benefitted from lending standards that have benefitted the American public even if corporate folks have managed to get more and more from themselves as well.
So, those who argue against the state of corporate American leadership might do well to examine their own finances... if you borrow money, if you have bought into American consumerism, if you don't have the recommended 6 months worth of living expenses in the bank - then perhaps you share in the same recklessness that is rampant in corporate America.
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No, actually, Strike, the reason there are riots in Europe is because governments have promised social benefits that they now can't afford to deliver - and those societies are on the verge of collapse. It is only as the entire global community tries to contain the European problems that the situation doesn't deteriorate into the collapse on an individual country or society which was what used to happen. Now, the whole idea of a European union doesn't look so great for those countries like Germany that have maintained strong economies and managed to live within their means.
.
Unfortunately, the calculus is that someone will bail "us" out if we do too many stupid things... that sometimes is true and sometimes is not. Frank is right that if someone is always there to protect you - ie the role the US has taken worldwide, thus the complacent Japanese - then you have no will to fight for yourselves.
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Specific to AA (since this is an aviation discussion), those who assume that AA will walk into BK, cut the pay of its employees, and then walk out might find out that even though few countries fail anymore, companies surely do - and take a whole lot of good employees down in the process... the socialized part of a corporate failure is that you can get unemployment insurance and your pension is insured, but the rest of the loss will be yours to handle as best as you (each individual AA employee) can.

 

[Hopeful]

While I'm not sure that overall employee quality is higher from DL's "acquired employees" some of DL's most adamant anti-union employees are former Eastern and Pan Am employees.
.
All of this talk of class warfare belies the fact that Americans of all stripes have benefitted from the same "loose money" that benefits executives. Americans have the highest personal debt levels and the least amount of savings of any industrialized society.... Americans enjoy a standard of living well beyond their means.
And you know allow it? Those fat corporate types who have relaxed lending standards well below what other countries allow. Sure, SOME Americans have gotten in trouble by cheap and readily available cash but the vast majority of Americans have benefitted from lending standards that have benefitted the American public even if corporate folks have managed to get more and more from themselves as well.
So, those who argue against the state of corporate American leadership might do well to examine their own finances... if you borrow money, if you have bought into American consumerism, if you don't have the recommended 6 months worth of living expenses in the bank - then perhaps you share in the same recklessness that is rampant in corporate America.
.
No, actually, Strike, the reason there are riots in Europe is because governments have promised social benefits that they now can't afford to deliver - and those societies are on the verge of collapse. It is only as the entire global community tries to contain the European problems that the situation doesn't deteriorate into the collapse on an individual country or society which was what used to happen. Now, the whole idea of a European union doesn't look so great for those countries like Germany that have maintained strong economies and managed to live within their means.
.
Unfortunately, the calculus is that someone will bail "us" out if we do too many stupid things... that sometimes is true and sometimes is not. Frank is right that if someone is always there to protect you - ie the role the US has taken worldwide, thus the complacent Japanese - then you have no will to fight for yourselves.
.
Specific to AA (since this is an aviation discussion), those who assume that AA will walk into BK, cut the pay of its employees, and then walk out might find out that even though few countries fail anymore, companies surely do - and take a whole lot of good employees down in the process... the socialized part of a corporate failure is that you can get unemployment insurance and your pension is insured, but the rest of the loss will be yours to handle as best as you (each individual AA employee) can.

Do you really beleive that AA will do better after bankruptcy with regards to morale? You can't be serious. We already SHARED THE PAIN, my friend, but not the gain.
Tell me what happens AFTER AA files and emerges from bankruptcy, and fuel goes to $200 a barrel? Will they go ONCE AGAIN and file bankruptcy to extract savings from employees?

How much would you like to wager that should AA file BK, they ask the judge to not cut executive compensation and maybe even ask for an increase for God's chosen people so "WE DON'T LOSE THE KEY TALENT IN THESE OH SO DIFFICULT TIMES?"
How much would anyone like to wager?

 

[Bob Owens]

Maybe, but the other airlines, especially the non-union ones, aren't stupid. Lots of PA and EA folks never worked in the industry again because the airlines hiring weren't interested in their baggage. Supervisors who'd worked there before would regularly cull thru the interview lists. Thanks to the internet, it's even easier. Guys like Bob probably wouldn't even be called for an interview.

Maybe for your peers but the remaining airlines picked up all the Mechanics and Pilots they could, regardless of age or Union activity.

Are you saying I've probably been Blacklisted?

 

[Bob Owens]

All of this talk of class warfare belies the fact that Americans of all stripes have benefitted from the same "loose money" that benefits executives. Americans have the highest personal debt levels and the least amount of savings of any industrialized society.... Americans enjoy a standard of living well beyond their means.

Benefitted from debt??
You cite that Americans have the highest debt load and least amount of savings than any industrialized society well I'm glad you brought that up. Dont most of those Industrialized societies have Socialized medicine, more Paid Holidays, more Vacation ,shorter workweeks and scores of other laws that protect workers?
The availability of credit has only masked the true problem, the lack of compensation. Our peers, AA mechanics over in Europe earn around $12/hr more than we do, sure they pay more in taxes but they dont have to lay out $3k for Medical Coverage plus all the deductables Copays etc that we do, they dont have to lay out $100 +k to get their kids through college either and probably arent paying off a loan that they took to get their tickets either.

And you know allow it? Those fat corporate types who have relaxed lending standards well below what other countries allow. Sure, SOME Americans have gotten in trouble by cheap and readily available cash but the vast majority of Americans have benefitted from lending standards that have benefitted the American public even if corporate folks have managed to get more and more from themselves as well.

Debt is akin to imprisonment. People are put into a vicious circle, often starting with college(which is free in most industrialized countries), yes some get deeper into trouble due to their own irresponsibility but nearly all Ammercans carry some debt, and that means nearly all Americans share their earnings with the Banks and the Banks like it that way.

No, actually, Strike, the reason there are riots in Europe is because governments have promised social benefits that they now can't afford to deliver - and those societies are on the verge of collapse. It is only as the entire global community tries to contain the European problems that the situation doesn't deteriorate into the collapse on an individual country or society which was what used to happen. Now, the whole idea of a European union doesn't look so great for those countries like Germany that have maintained strong economies and managed to live within their means.

How long have we been hearing that? Remember when the Euro came out? It was even with the US dollar, now its $1.40US to the Euro and Manhattan is filled with foreigners using their stronger currency and having a ball. They certainly arent going through hard times and according to you they dont live beyond their means.

Specific to AA (since this is an aviation discussion), those who assume that AA will walk into BK, cut the pay of its employees, and then walk out might find out that even though few countries fail anymore, companies surely do - and take a whole lot of good employees down in the process... the socialized part of a corporate failure is that you can get unemployment insurance and your pension is insured, but the rest of the loss will be yours to handle as best as you (each individual AA employee) can.

So now you are throwing out the threat of Liquidation. OK, fine. Now tell us how the 900,000 people that AA flies everyday will get where they want to go and why a company that generates $24 billion a year in revenues and has $5 billion in cash has to liquidate.

You seem to forget that most of us have been through Employer Liquidations before, over 54% are over 50 years of age but the average seniority is only around 20 years or less, where do you think we were on average the first 30 years of our lives? I worked for at least 3 carriers that have liquidated, difference was the money was still good enough to jump back in, thats not the case anymore, adjusted for inflation wages are about half what they were back then, when we leave now we dont come back, and its by our choice. Thus the topic of this thread.
Threats of liquidation doesnt scare us anymore. Most of us have been making other income arrangements for our families as well. Even if AA dissapears into the sunset the sun will rise tomorrow and somebody will pick up those planes and fly those people, and they will need workers.

 

[eolesen]

Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but some of those ex-EA and ex-PA mechanics work in ORD and happen to be some of our best mechanics. On the other hand, our station manager happens to be a "SCAB" from EA and is the biggest snake WE have in ORD. Bob would do just fine!

I said some, not all.

Benefitted from debt??
You cite that Americans have the highest debt load and least amount of savings than any industrialized society well I'm glad you brought that up. Dont most of those Industrialized societies have Socialized medicine, more Paid Holidays, more Vacation ,shorter workweeks and scores of other laws that protect workers?

Maybe, but get outside the US, and you they typically have one car or less per household, less than half the square footage of the typical American house, might eat out once or twice a month, and if they do, it's at an actual restaurant, and not something in a bag from a drive-thru or cookie cutter restaurant like Chili's. Oh, and they typically pay cash. Credit? Not so much.

I've been working on average of one week a month outside the US for the past two years... Yes, our standard of living is ridiculous compared to an average European family.

The availability of credit has only masked the true problem, the lack of compensation. Our peers, AA mechanics over in Europe earn around $12/hr more than we do, sure they pay more in taxes but they dont have to lay out $3k for Medical Coverage plus all the deductables Copays etc that we do, they dont have to lay out $100 +k to get their kids through college either and probably arent paying off a loan that they took to get their tickets either.

How much are the AA overhaul mechanics in Europe earning?

So now you are throwing out the threat of Liquidation. OK, fine. Now tell us how the 900,000 people that AA flies everyday will get where they want to go and why a company that generates $24 billion a year in revenues and has $5 billion in cash has to liquidate.

900,000 passengers a day? Maybe if every aircraft AA operated was a two-class widebody.

AA operates around 1900 flights a day, and Eagle runs around 1800. Do the math.

It's closer to 250,000-300,000 seats per day. Not so difficult to replace, given how much capacity other airlines are pulling back, and the fact that some percentage (half?) of AA's seats only get filled because they're on sale.

Nobody replaced Aloha, ATA, or National when they liquidated. You might see a few more flights added into DFW and MIA, but LAX, ORD, and NYC have enough carriers to soak up the rest.

 

[737823]

I will do my job to the degree where delays will be more frequent and possibly cancellations as well. I, as thousands of other AA employees will do, will do my darndest to make sure the customer experience at AA will remain lower than whale sh**!
This way, the stock will remain lower than whale sh**t!
Since the pro company defenders here like to say that part of the poor executives compensation is in AA stock...Then keeping it as low as possible is my way of thanking the greedy-better-than-the low-life workers arrogant management staff we have at AA!

You immediately assume and jump to idiotic conclusions to job actions and sabotage. It doesn't take much to cause flight delays or cancellations, and IF the majority of the aircraft mechanics followed the "book" to the letter, AA would not fly today, tomorrow or next week, let alone next month. The majority of US mechanics use reasonable judgement in either fixing or deferring maintenance. But, the longer AA fails to recognize my contributions, the easier it will be for me to work by the letter of AA's manuals.

Management may preach a good game by requiring ALL to work by the book, but, they really don't want us to work by the book because they know quite well that NOTHING will fly!! When WE do work by the book, management considers it a job action.....but when WE work by the book during FAA and CASS audits, it's ok. Unfortunately, AA can't have it both ways.....therefore, I will do my JOB and work to the letter because I will not only protect my license, but save LIVES.

So, the next time you fly Josh....don't thank the pilot for the safe flight...please thank the aircraft mechanic for NOT taking your airplane OTS!!

So now you are threatening to engage in potentially illegal job action that would undermine and impede AA's operations. Passengers aren't party to this non-sense and will book with other carriers. The customer is your friend not your enemy-we sign your paychecks and keep the lights on at AA. You can spin it as the traveling public showing solidarity to the workers if you'd like but most people just want reliable, safe, and clean transportation to their destination.

Josh

 

[strikeforce]

While I'm not sure that overall employee quality is higher from DL's "acquired employees" some of DL's most adamant anti-union employees are former Eastern and Pan Am employees.
.
All of this talk of class warfare belies the fact that Americans of all stripes have benefited from the same "loose money" that benefits executives. Americans have the highest personal debt levels and the least amount of savings of any industrialized society.... Americans enjoy a standard of living well beyond their means.
And you know allow it? Those fat corporate types who have relaxed lending standards well below what other countries allow. Sure, SOME Americans have gotten in trouble by cheap and readily available cash but the vast majority of Americans have benefited from lending standards that have benefited the American public even if corporate folks have managed to get more and more from themselves as well.
So, those who argue against the state of corporate American leadership might do well to examine their own finances... if you borrow money, if you have bought into American consumerism, if you don't have the recommended 6 months worth of living expenses in the bank - then perhaps you share in the same recklessness that is rampant in corporate America.
.
No, actually, Strike, the reason there are riots in Europe is because governments have promised social benefits that they now can't afford to deliver - and those societies are on the verge of collapse. It is only as the entire global community tries to contain the European problems that the situation doesn't deteriorate into the collapse on an individual country or society which was what used to happen. Now, the whole idea of a European union doesn't look so great for those countries like Germany that have maintained strong economies and managed to live within their means.
.
Unfortunately, the calculus is that someone will bail "us" out if we do too many stupid things... that sometimes is true and sometimes is not. Frank is right that if someone is always there to protect you - ie the role the US has taken worldwide, thus the complacent Japanese - then you have no will to fight for yourselves.
.
Specific to AA (since this is an aviation discussion), those who assume that AA will walk into BK, cut the pay of its employees, and then walk out might find out that even though few countries fail anymore, companies surely do - and take a whole lot of good employees down in the process... the socialized part of a corporate failure is that you can get unemployment insurance and your pension is insured, but the rest of the loss will be yours to handle as best as you (each individual AA employee) can.

Really, how do we benefit from loose money besides going deeper into debt, and YOU think that's a good thing?? Loose money for gov't to spend more on TARP, so called stimulus, and the American Recovery Act....loose money for money managers to PLAY with our money called 401K.....loose money so school administrators can spend more money foolishly like giving themselves raises every year.....YES, the US gov't, banks, wall street all set up the American people for failure by making "loose money" available so WE can eat out 7 days a week, buy fancy cars, and live in unaffordable homes, and that's because the American people don't MAKE enough to live within the means set up by those entities. It's the American Way and the media in this country, controlled by guess who...corporate america i.e. wall street and given the blessing by guess who...your gov't, promotes cheap mortgages, credit cards, 0% auto loans, and a host of other "sounds too good to pass up" gimmicks, so the rich can get richer and the middle class can go deeper in debt and be indebted to guess who.....the banks, wall street and your gov't! In other words....it's one big circle jerk and ordinary Americans are the real victims because however YOU spin it, WE are set up for failure, Psychologically!!!! We're WEAK!!

Now, let's talk Europe, you mentioned that gov'ts in europe promised social benefits......how about this country with SS and Medicare???? I've been paying into SS for 30+ years so some retiree can enjoy his or her retirement NOW, and I expect that when I turn 65 I will enjoy those benefits too. My gov't promised me too, and NOW we have clowns in Washington that like to put their hands into the SS cookie jar and STEAL that money for other purposes. In a land of laws and rules that is called STEALING.....HIGHWAY ROBBERY.....whatever term you want to use, but not in the United States of America. Maybe the european people aren't as dumb as the people here, and see the gov't waste and have also figured out that their leaders had their hands in the cookie jar and are determined to fight back because they too see that "you can't fight city hall" and have taken matters into their own hands....something that WE should do, but I'm confident that day will come if our clowns continue the train wreck.

Now, AA....I know for damn sure this company will file for BK because the labor groups WILL NOT lend this company anymore money, that's for sure!!! What this company really lost from it's employees is TRUST and that, my friend, WILL kill the golden goose!!! They don't trust US and WE certainly don't trust them!! And, you're right, good employees always suffer at the hands of the greedy!