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On 8/8/2003 4:36:01 PM 757fixer wrote:
AOG-N-IT,as I'm sure you know,its no better on the line.I've said for years that they have to either increase the manpower to match the workload or decrease the workload to match the manpower.You cant keep hammering these guys night after night.Working midnights and outside is hard enough,at least set realistic goals.Also consider that 44% of the mechanics have been laid off.The station I worked at dosent have a mechanic under the age of 40.
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757fixer,
You are most correct Sir, about the ages of our people...I don't think maintenance has a lock on that aspect either.
The on-going joke in CLT Heavy is about being able to hear the Resperators and other life support devices churning during the work day...especialy on the most senior people whom are lucky enough to be working 1st shift.
The worst aspect as I see it is this...Without Junior people being around to reap the benefits of working with some of the real " High-Timers"...at some point there will be a void in the talent pool as seniors retire...and the displaced juniors find other and less hostile methods to make a living.
This problem is not just a USAirways issue...it's a USA issue. Over the last three to four decades we as a country have lost our dominance in many areas..that at one time offered it's skilled workers reasonable wages. I can site plenty of this type of loss of work and depleted talent withn the US Textile Industry, US Auto Industry and the Shipping Industry...now we have Airbus knocking the crap out of the US Aviation Industry too. Boeing has idled workers by the thousands...and after having purchased McDonnell Douglas too.
The shear fact that US companies have no prime players in the "Regional Commercial" aircraft market should un-nerve US workers to no end. Where are these jobs now? Lets see , Germany, France , Austria , Canada , Brazil just for starters.
Sure the IAM has sent out a semi-threatening letter to Mr.Siegel..but unless the bark matches the bite? Many more in the skilled labor ranks will likely be in the service industry ranks in very short order. The time for our government to put it's foot down on exporting US jobs...or out-sourcing skilled labor is long over do. We are quickly approaching a 3 party class system at this rate.
During our parents hay-day..we had 3 classes
(1) The Rich
(2) The Middle Class
(3) The Poor
In our current situation , we are working at a three class system too
(1) The Mega Rich
(2) The "Working Poor"
(3) The "Dirt Poor"
Those whom read this , that are not part of a labor union...or think your job can't be boxed up and shipped overseas without you...you had better think again.
Work in all aspects of todays society is walking off and leaving this country for good. Sure many will say it's the cost of doing business with our Labor Rules coming back to bite us..I say that it's true to a degree...but the prime issue is corporate greed. The need to inflate profits to benefit those whom have never had to break a sweat is an awesome thing. Look at the disaster at Enron for example. You have corporate officers fighting thier legal battles with money they did not earn....and you have workers seeking work in vain attempts to re-build thier lives and lost retirements because of a select few.
Sorry for the geo-political rant...but I'm sick of watching a few ruin everything for the masses.