Why am I not surprised?
Other then those at the very top I'm beginning to think that US's biggest problem is their front line and second level management.
Piney,
Surprised to find you in these parts of the board, and I so happen to agree with you as middle management within Fleet would be truly abysmal with few exceptions. The absurdity of having the "Hat Patrol" issuing citations for being out of uniform which suggest a very strict workplace environment of discipline, then turn a blind-eye to people not showing-up for their flights, sleeping on the job, or refusing to write a report of an in-bound flight whereby through cargo is loading last, thus in front of local bags.
I am sure many passengers wonder what takes so long for their bags to arrive at baggage claim and often times it is because whoever did the up-load placed mail and cargo in front or mixed connecting bags with local forcing a lengthy separation plane side. If the Tempe boys priority has been stated to be an airline which is on-time, convenient, and passengers getting their bags in a timely fashion, then I would expect middle managers to give a higher priority to those matters than someone's hat which does not contribute to missed bags, delayed flights or passengers being inconvenience. Given the unforgiving Arizona sun, I should be allowed to wear a pointy Chinese rice paddy hat or a Mexican sombrero, if I so choose, instead of a marginally protecting, company issued baseball cap or boonie hat.
I'll repeat myself from what I said months ago on the Atttendance Point System... managers are looking for a simple, black and white measurement as to compliance. An employee is either late or not late. An employee is either wearing a company issued hat or does not. Start getting to those subjective measurements like bins being property loaded, then that requires thinking and judgment for which as most of them are barely able to find their ass with both hands and a map might be asking too much from them.
I have been approached to apply for management openings, and I immediately recited a Shermanseque statement by which I swore never to serve or accept any offered positions.
So Remembers Jester.