"Scathing" Letter to UA from Member of BoD / Union Leader

TravelDude

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Nov 21, 2003
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From USA Today (Today)

United frontline workers to CEO: We 'are no longer behind you'
The chairman of United's pilots union demands in a letter Tuesday that United CEO Glen Tilton reopen contract negotiations with workers "with the goal of putting agreements in place for every union by Feb. 1, 2008," the Chicago Tribune (free registration) writes. That date would mark the second anniversary of United's exit from bankruptcy protection. The letter –- which The Associated Press describes as "scathing" -– was written by pilot Mark Bathurst, who also is on the company's board of directors. Bathurst claims in his letter to Tilton that United "lags behind its peers by most measures" and is "not in a good place."

"We are the only network carrier without a new aircraft order and, seemingly, without a vision for the future," Bathurst writes. Adding to the woes, he tells Tilton that labor relations that "are at their lowest point in years and getting worse." Bathurst's letter pulls few punches. He asks Tilton: "Why do American and Continental do a better job than United at managing revenue? Why do American's non-labor costs remain lower than ours? Why is Delta expanding its international reach every month, while we can't make our international operations work as well as others?"

The Tribune writes that the letter's "confrontational tone … isn't a complete surprise: This month about 400 United pilots, flight attendants and mechanics marched outside the site of the company's annual meeting, protesting what they say is a management team that is overpaid and out of touch with workers. At the meeting, one pilot pressed Tilton about what she said are morale problems and worker stress caused by his lean staffing strategy. She told Tilton that 'employees are no longer behind you,' " according to the Tribune.

Posted at 11:13 AM/ET, Jun 01, 2007 in United | Permalink
 
i must say it was a fairly well written letter - the facts dont lie - tilton and his management team arent managing this airline and laying long-term strategy.

oh wait, they did install dual-boarding jetways in denver - such a success that one fell on the wing of a 75

how many seats do the union hold on the board? anyone know who the board members are? wonder how truly independent they are.

who would you all want as ceo if they dumped tilton?
 
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how many seats do the union hold on the board? anyone know who the board members are? wonder how truly independent they are.

who would you all want as ceo if they dumped tilton?

Unions (ALPA and IAM) hold two non-voting seats on the board. It is a vestige of the ESOP.

Unions (ALPA and IAM) hold two non-voting seats on the board. It is a vestige of the ESOP.

I should have noted that the baord members arer Mark Bathurst, the ALPA MEC Chair and Randy Canale, the President & Directing General Chairman of IAM District 141.
 
Bring back Monty Brewer from Air Canada. He wants to run an airline, not a downtown flog fest.
 
Unions (ALPA and IAM) hold two non-voting seats on the board. It is a vestige of the ESOP.
I should have noted that the baord members arer Mark Bathurst, the ALPA MEC Chair and Randy Canale, the President & Directing General Chairman of IAM District 141.

Why are two union seats non-voting? What the hell good are those seats then?
 
Part of the ESOP agreement. I guess they can provide employee input to the board and observe elements of the business unions wouldn't normally see.

Ah guess that is good reasoning, but they should be voting, it would only be two votes not enough to block anything.
 
Not denying your point, but yours is an argument that should have been made one bankruptcy and one ESOP ago.
Union votes on the B.O.D. didn't ensure a successful carrier before bankruptcy and would not likely make much of a positive difference now. What is needed is competent, professional management. However, as before, when only Tilton would answer the call, nobody in his right mind would want to run an airline.

Sell the airline to private equity. They may be ruthless, but at least they're competent!

I appreciate your signature, DCT AVL: Once you get hooked on the airline business, it''s worse than dope.
— Ed Acker, while Chairman of Air Florida

I was hooked on multiple airlines for multiple decades. I finally left and kicked the habit.

My life is much better without JET A but I wish all airline employees the very best and hope that the nightmare ends soon.