This conversation has nothing to do with "allegiance"; it has to do with comments regarding third-party maintenance being unsafe.<snip>
Furthermore, I have flown Maintenance Test, SLEP Acceptance, and Research & Development Test flights after contractors have performed maintenance ...<snip>
I believe to suggest FAA certified A&P mechanics are unsafe because they work for a contractor is inappropriate.<snip>
I do not like to see people who have dedicated years to a company see their careers blow up. That's my issue.
But, again, from my experience contractors do great work...<snip>
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Chip:
This thread has to do with third party sub contractors performing our work. Yes, it has a hell of a lot to do with allegiance, also integrity, bargaining in good faith, keeping your word, treating people with dignity and respect, and all those other intangible assets that don't show up on the balance sheet, but absolutely can and do affect the numbers on that sheet. Obviously concepts which mean absolutely nothing to the palace guard.
This company is doomed under the current management style. There is no way to rally this workforce, we have been lied to, abused, contracts violated with no regard, day after day after day. Management has squandered any chances at mutual respect, and trust. This is not a team of builders, its a team of salvage and demolition. This airline will not survive with them at the helm. The atmosphere is not one which inspires people to trust or believe in the so-called "leadership".
Let's not make this yet another thread about YOU. I don't care if you flew Santa's sleigh last year or if you orbited Uranus in the space shuttle, or what your flight experience is. It is clear to me that you are a legend in your own mind, and no mere mortal has ever come up to your level.
The attitude of "farm out everyone's job but mine" is what is destroying this carrier. The only chance to salvage this airline and our careers is to stand together as one. This month's crisis is the IAM, believe me ALPA, AFA, and the rest are lined up in the crosshairs as well. When they come after even more of your wallet, and they will, spare us any righteous indignation.
Apparently you still do not understand that the work only has to be "signed off" by a licensed mechanic. And even then, abuses occur. I would wager that sign offs have not been forged by secretarial staff at US Airways, as has been reported at a particular third party MRO. That includes work not done at all. I'm sure you are aware of these reports.
If you actually "do not enjoy seeing people who have dedicated years to a company see their careers blow up", then why not draw a line in the sand and stand with those who are saying... "enough". This employee abuse has got to stop. We are being pillaged by people who have no long term interest in our careers, no loyalty to our past shared sacrifices. They have no long range plan, only a short term grab and go.
Using your logic, that from "your experience contractors do great work", I must say that pilots making the absolute minimum do "great work", since I have yet to become a victim of a low paid pilot's error. So lets pay all the pilots 17k to 30k, because in my experience they do a great job. I say that, not to fall into your pattern of divide and conquer, or to denigrate the labor of others, but to illustrate the fallacy of your logic. Will you volunteer to reduce your pay to 30K to help the company?
How about if tomorrow the company announces new aircraft, the ACME JET, to be flown exclusively by the pilots of "Wiley Coyote Airlines", since our pilots don't have the experience, or training to fly the ACME JET. Would you shrug and accept your layoff notice happily, knowing as every new ACME JET replaces the Airbii, you will never return to your career? Our "scope" is just as precious to us as yours should be to you.
Tell us, what is it you admire about this crew? Is it their integrity, their vision, their leadership skills? Do you remember DS gleefully touting the "scopebusters" generation of aircraft to Holly H. on Plane Business? IMHO anyone who continues to defend them and seek their favor and approval is way out of touch with what is happening to thousands of families that worked the better part of their career here.
When I read about the "lifestyle" of some of our employees and think of the thousands of people furloughed, the divorces, the suicides, the depression that is rampant and growing... it breaks my heart. I do feel for the people who through no fault of their own are now unemployed, or underemployed. With each slice of the pie we allow management to take off the table, that means more people will never have a chance at recall. Good people are really suffering. Good employees are receiving the message that it doesn't matter how much you care, how hard you work, how loyal you are, you are "nothing" but a liablility. I am outraged that the lack of loyalty, and blatant disregard for the workforce from this sadistic management team.
It's way past time to stop this, I only hope the IAM has the stones to do what needs to be done.
