Top 3 Things.

[Beancounter]

3) Management FINALLY takes a cue from WN and begins to actually VALUE its employees

Mr. Parker/ Doug has a lot of great qualities, but I'm afraid the school of training he came from values shareholders first. WN as we all know feels that happy employess, make happy customers, and it follows happy shareholders. Hopefully he'll change some of his views over time, he's a smart guy, waaaay smarter than me

Bean

 

[Art at ISP]

Mr. Parker/ Doug has a lot of great qualities, but I'm afraid the school of training he came from values shareholders first. WN as we all know feels that happy employess, make happy customers, and it follows happy shareholders. Hopefully he'll change some of his views over time, he's a smart guy, waaaay smarter than me

Bean

Beancounter, you hit the nail on the head. WN's method has been proven to work. A happy, empowered work force is motivated to do whatever it takes to get happy, returning customers, which in turn, makes shareholders very happy. It does not work the other way around.

While those who applaud and worship Doug say he has produced profits all these years, you need to look at how he did it. Profits were achieved on the backs of employees and customers, and by cutting services and gutting product to the point where US was not competitive with other major carriers. Profits were achieved by paying the industry's lowest wages to what had been (and in many cases still is) the industry's best workforce, and by taking away their abiltiy to help customers in times of need.
Profits were achieved by leading the way on most ancillary charges, by trying to charge for water and soda, and by nickel and diming even their most loyal customers. He actually admitted to me once that the total profit for a recent year was equal to the amount collected in ancillary fees. Profits were achieved by cheapening the product to a point where no one knew whether US was an LCC in Majors' clothing. To a degree,the identity crisis continues to this day.

I am afraid Parker has sold AA unions a bill of goods, and time will tell what happens moving forward, but I do wish my US friends all the best, and hope you all come out of this with better jobs and improved working conditions.

My best to you all.....