Who's gonna pay?

[N513AU]

Just found out that I'm probably getting my layoff paperwork tomorrow. I'm ANGRY as hell, not just mad or disappointed, but FURIOUS is a better term. Perhaps LIVID and HELL BENT are better terms.
The years of mismanagement and boneheaded decision making by those morons who run US Airways have now ROBBED me of my job. I have been a good employee, always doing what was asked and often going the extra mile. US Airways has taken one of the most valuable things in my life away from me and there is some heartless bastard who made that decision to lay me off. There is not just the faceless corporation there are people making the decision to fire good people like us. For the price of one of them beancounters, they could keep two of me.
My question is, whose fault is this and how it should be rectified. Going home and smiling isn't an option for me. No, I don't want to hurt anyone - I'm not psychotic or anything. But, this person needs to know of the hell that my family will endure. Maybe let them know of the human cost that their decisions make.
As our CEO runs around like a pervert movie character and we ARE FINDING THE MONEY TO PAINT FREAKIN' AIRPLANES they are laying good people off. I want it to stop. I want someone else to feel the love if you know what I mean.
How can a manager go home and kiss his family, knowing that he just ruined another. How can he get his jollies from tossing people out on the street without insurance? Especially when he just got his bonus money.
Some of you might want to blame the Islamic types and yes, the September 11th mess was caused by a few of them. But, they aren't the one who has made the decision to RUIN MY F---KING life. That was an employee who works for US Airways. A human with a name and a face, but obviously no heart. I wish that I was young enough to join the military and bomb a few Iraqi schools or hospitals, to thank them for their contribution to my hardship - but that isn't an option for me.
I have no good way to let out my anger, it's just building up to the point where I feel as if I'm going to explode. I desperately need my job and life is pretty much hell on earth without it.
I guess I have little hope now, except that US Airways goes under and takes all the management team with it. When the guy who made the decision to lay me off is also jobless, then maybe I'll feel vindicated. When his car is repo'd and his house is foreclosed on, then I'll even feel better. When his kids can't get necessary medical treatment, then maybe he'll have a taste of what his decisons result in.

 

[hopethingswillbeok]

N51...I feel very bad for you, i know what you mean about being a good employee and the company doing this to some of our very wonderful employees....how do you know you are getting layed of tomorrow? Maybe this isn't true, i know your angry, but while you still have it we have employee asst program, and it wouldn't hurt to contact them....My Prayers are with you and your family.......

 

[AOG-N-IT]

N513AU, I more than understand your anger..I too might be facing the same fate , thanks to the IAM acreeding my job into thier sultry ranks..without my OK

I may be facing a Bump to Furlough..along with a few others in my department..then we will be replaced my folks that have little to no knowledge of our jobs. How does a scenario like that benefit this company..or it's chances of survival?

Rules and actions like this only keep digging this hole deeper. Sure we are all on a very slippery slope...but the company just keeps adding grease to the surface of the problems.

I wish I had words ..or suggestions to ease your pain and burden...but the only thing I can say is you aren't alone by a long shot.

Pray that our economy starts a rapid upturn quickly...and people start flying again!! Then say your prayers for this companies leadership to start getting wise about it's choices and direction....otherwise another 32,000+ will be right there in financial ruin or at least purgatory too.

I would like to know what city and area you work in...if you desire to elaborate? That's fine..if not? Please feel free to send me an E-mail or PM.
Regards, AOG-N-IT [img src='http://www.usaviation.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif']

 

[LDKIAM]

[P]N513AU, I do feel sorry for you but you are not the only one in this boat, there have been over 100,000 Airline employees laid off since 9/11/01, go ask your President why did he give the airlines $5 Billion of our tax money scott free and all the airlines have done is laid more people off while making the Wolfes of this world richer. Can you not bump somewhere? I just displaced as a stock clerk and have to go back to utility because I am not leaving my station. [/P]
[P]But do not wish harm on others, that solves nothing and people can take it the wrong way and get a bad impression about you. [/P]
[P]Plus why is your handle named after the flight 427 crash airplane?[/P]
[P]That is pretty strange.[/P]

 

[KCFlyer]

[P]
[BLOCKQUOTE][BR]----------------[BR]On 11/3/2002 8:25:22 AM LDKIAM wrote:
[P][BR]N513AU, I do feel sorry for you but you are not the only one in this boat, there have been over 100,000 Airline employees laid off since 9/11/01, go ask your President why did he give the airlines $5 Billion of our tax money scott free and all the airlines have done is laid more people off while making the Wolfes of this world richer. Can you not bump somewhere?  I just displaced as a stock clerk and have to go back to utility because I am not leaving my station.  [BR][BR]But do not wish harm on others, that solves nothing and people can take it the wrong way and get a bad impression about you. [BR][BR]Plus why is your handle named after the flight 427 crash airplane?[BR][BR]That is pretty strange.[/P]
[P]----------------[/P]
[P]LDKIAM - with all due respect, U's problems started long before W ever moved to Washington DC. Yeah, he gave your industry $5 billion. And your industry gave W&G their big paydays while the labor friendly democrats were in office. Something to think about, don't you think?[/P]
[P] [/P][/BLOCKQUOTE]

 

[geo1004]

If in fact you do loose your job, I hope you (and every other US employee who has lost their job) find greener pastures in the near future.

The situation that the airline industry is in right now is not the fault of any one person or even the responsibility of any one airline. Nor is it the fault of the messenger who delivers the bad news. The airline industry is in a huge depression and this is due to dozens of factors that are non-human. Seaching for an individual to express your anger is probably not the best use of your enrgy IMO. It certainly will not help.

Not too long ago when I lost my job, I used the opportunity to do things to make my life better while I was searching for new employment. And I did things that were free. I excersised a little bit and lost some weight. By doing so I spent less on food and got healthier at the same time. I spent time with an older relative who was lonely. Again, no cost. I visited museums and read books that had been gathering dust on the shelf. Now NONE of these things put me one step closer to getting re-employeed but the were productive steps for me as a person.

Your mileage may vary, but I found that getting back on track financially took a lot of focus. It was hard, make no mistake. But it did (as it will for you) work out. Heck, if I can do it anyone can... for I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer by a long shot.

 

[Cfm56]

513AU,

I and thousands of others over the years have been where you are now. I am on my third airline. People read of layoffs and shrug their shoulders and say too bad and then turn to the sports page of the papers. I knew of other airline employees who celebrated when my airline when bankrupt. Some USAir employees were smugly ecstatic at PHL when ML folded in '91 with no regard as to what turmoil was going on in those ML employee's lives. Now some of them may now be finding out what it's like when the shoe is on the foot.

You will get through this just as the Braniff, Pan Am, Eastern, and Midway people did in the past and the now furloughed people from AA, Delta, UAL, etc will. This is the real history of the airlines. Times were so good in early 90's that everyone thought it was a new era and furloughs and layoffs were a thing of the past.

Hang in there man, I did, and things are ok, but I remember those awful sleepless nights and extreme anger and frustration. Many of us have been there. There will be a bright light on the other side of this time period for you, you'll see.

 

[CS-pro]

[BLOCKQUOTE]
----------------
On 11/3/2002 7:31:38 AM N513AU wrote:

I desperately need my job and life is pretty much hell on earth without it.

----------------

[FONT face=System size=4]You pretty much summed up a majority of the YES voters in all 3 unions with that one statement. All the YES votes did was delay the inevitable a few weeks/months, that is it. I feel this company will never make it out of BK, Mr Austin Powers(never funny, never will be, neither is Mork Myers) is cutting and slashing and not doing a thing about changing the daily course of business to bring in more revenue or hold onto what revenue we have. Losing almost 4 million a day last quarter per the qrtly results has pretty much locked us into the crapper.Even with fuel costs down from last yr, 10,000 employees off the payroll, 70pct load factors, and govt. bailouts, and U still can't get close to breaking even. And it ain't all about 9-11 and the economy(enter WN, FL, JB), its about people making decisions and policies, still in office, still counting beans.[/FONT]
[FONT size=4][FONT face=System]I hope what you suspect is not true re:furlough papers,and hope you as 1000's of others can still maintain a good life away from this company that has sucked the life out of 1000's who have poured their heart n soul into their job for years, only to endure [/FONT][STRONG][FONT face=Times New Roman]THIS[/FONT][/STRONG]![/FONT][/BLOCKQUOTE]

 

[wings396]

For some that are let go, it may be a temporary thing with a recall is sight when things get better. But for those who must suffer thru station closings things will never get back to normal no matter how good the economy gets. Sad to say, but once these jobs are lost they will never come back even if the loads are high. I hope the company will leave mainline people in place if they want to downsize the a/c to RJ's for now....if the traffic was there before, it may come back at some point...lets' at least give it a chance.

 

[Dea Certe]

N513AU,

Please know my prayers are with you, your family and all the other airline employees who have lost jobs due to no fault of their own. I am bracing myself for the same situation. Consider getting in touch with a career counselor for new ideas on what you might have a talent for and may enjoy doing until U is in the position to call you back.

Also, as another poster said, do call the company Employee Assistance Service. It really does help to have a neutral party to discuss this problem. If they can't suggest a good person for you to talk to, please PM me and maybe I can find someone for you. You are not alone.

Remember, you are not defined by the job you have, you are a person with worth who has much more to contribute to the world and your family.

U's problems did not begin with Dave. Unfortunately, our entire industry is feeling the effects of a soft economy. U was in big trouble before 9-11. I'd say our problems go back at least 10 years or more.

At this point, the most important thing is to take care of yourself. And your family. If nothing else, get out there and do some volunteer work. Check out the Veteran's Administration. You never know who you'll meet that can offer you a job. Do check out job fairs and the employment office.

God bless you. Hang in there. Try to stay focused on what is good in life.

Dea

 

[DCAflyer]

CS-pro said:

You pretty much summed up a majority of the YES voters in all 3 unions with that one statement. All the YES votes did was delay the inevitable a few weeks/months, that is it. I feel this company will never make it out of BK, Mr Austin Powers is cutting and slashing and not doing a thing about changing the daily course of business to bring in more revenue or hold onto what revenue we have. Losing almost 4 million a day last quarter per the qrtly results has pretty much locked us into the crapper.Even with fuel costs down from last yr, 10,000 employees off the payroll, 70pct load factors, and govt. bailouts, and U still can't get close to breaking even.

I hope what you suspect is not true re:furlough papers,and hope you as 1000's of others can still maintain a good life away from this compnay that has sucked the life out of 1000's who have poured their heart n soul into their job for years, only to see THIS!

DCAflyer replies:

What do you mean Dave's not doing anything about the daily course of the business. If it wasn't for his leadership, US Airways would already be history. He can't take decades of mismanagement and the new pricing and revenue realities in the industry and erase them all with one broad stroke. But if it wasn't for him, 40,000 people would already have been out of work weeks or months ago. The YES votes didn't save the company, it saved the union members because the cuts were coming one way or another, and the YES votes gave some control to the members as to what those cuts would have been. Believe me, the court-ordered cuts would certainly have been deeper than the agreed-upon cuts.

Where is this new revenue you speak of coming from? The facts are simple... people aren't paying the fares they once did. Just because there is a 70 percent load factor doesn't mean it's a profitable flight if business people aren't paying full fare, or worse, heading down the concourse to LUV or JB. The pricing structures certainly have to change for all the majors, not just U. But ALL of the majors are hurting now. ALL of the majors are laying off now.

If the revenue isn't there, costs have to be cut. It's that simple. Should the company be paying bonuses now? Absolutely not, and let's hope the court reverses their prior order. But other than that, I think Dave is doing a remarkable job. Even though cuts are being made now, Dave is charting the future course of the company. We don't like the RJ concept, but the company cannot continue to pay to operate large aircraft into small stations to feed the hubs. PAX's don't want props. RJ's are the way to go. Dave has given us opportunities other than being out on the street. But setting this up is going to take time. It takes time to acquire the RJ's. It takes time to set up a new airline. It takes time to apply for slots.

Dave has also arranged the codeshare agreement, something that will give us a lot of future revenue. It's exciting that next year, we will be in the STAR alliance. Again, it takes time.

For the Dave bashers out there, I ask you this as food for thought... what would WolfGang have done? They would have bunused themselves and then filed for bankruptcy. Chapter 7 would have been a done deal for all of us. If they had filed Chapter 11, they would have gone to court and requested that all labor contract be thrown out. Everybody would be working for probably 65-70 percent of what they were pre 9-11 (except, of course, WolfGang!). WolfGang would probably not have addressed the high lease rate issues. They would not have worked with labor for an RJ agreement. They would not have offered employment to mainline furlougheds to work RJ operations. They would not have offered wage snapbacks. They would not have arranged for labor-friendly DIP financing... in fact, they probably would have insisted on some sort of giveback to themselves by the DIP financing (assuming they could find any financing at all!).

Dave said in the very beginning that we were going to get smaller before we get bigger. That is exactly what is happening. But he doesn't have a magic bandaid to make the booboo's hurt less.

I too have been furloughed, and yes, it hurts. But I believe US Airways will make it out of bankruptcy. Those furloughed employees who want to come back at some point in the future will probably find a place. It may take some time because there is a lot of work which remains to be done.

But I hope you can muster up the strength to have faith in Dave.

 

[oldcrow]

N513AU ......You really need to get a grip on LIFE ! People lose jobs all the time , you can get another one .

Do you have good health ? Is your family healthy ? If so then count your blessing !

The airline woes are effecting us all , it is tough . But to see your child endure chemo changes you alot , your values change , your perspective on life changes .

The best way to judge a man's (or woman's) character is to see how they handle adversity. Godspeed to you N513AU .

 

[N513AU]

Thanks for your remarks. I was a little hot and tired when I wrote that, but it does express my feelings. All the stuff I did for US Airways. All the family functions I missed thanks to manditory overtime, etc. I did what was asked and it just doesn't matter to these people. Being a quality employee wasn't an issue. I should have abused FMLA, used sick time on the holidays and socialized more at work. I always played by the rules and it appears that I've earned a trip out the door.

I'm so frustrated with the lack of quality leadership that has ran the company for years. W&G just robbed us blind and I doubt that Siegel is very trustworthy either.

I hope that this last round of cuts is a last ditch effort to get out of Chapter 11 before the war starts. If the war starts and we are still in Chapter 11, chances are the creditors will want to cash out and get away from us ASAP. Plus, if we are out of Chapter 11, we have the $1 billion ATSB loan to get us through a year or so. After the war, the economy is sure to come back and probably quickly. At that point, let the recalls begin.

Yes, people lose their jobs all the time. But, the job market sucks right now. Most of my friends who got tossed last year are unemployed, grossly underemployed (working for a low-life poor excuse for an airline), or underemployed outside of the industry. There isn't much to go to out there and that's what scares me. I browse the papers everyweek and there are plenty of $9/hour call center jobs or $7 an hour hospitality jobs.

Again, I appreciate your concern. The fact that some beancounter thinks we should paint airplanes instead of keep employees just shows how messed up an outfit we are. In all honesty, laid off employees should email Austin Dave and ask him if painting airplanes makes him h--rny. (In your best faux British accent, of course). If we are being labor friendly, WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT FOR?

As for the guy who was enquiring about my handle I started using 427's tailnumber back in better times as a memorial of sorts. A lot of people around here use aircraft tail numbers as handles and I thought this one was special (and was suprised no one else had claimed it.)

 

[757fixer]

Unfortunately your a victim of a seniority based system.It doesn't matter how good of an employee you are,just how long you've been here.At my station we lost some really good mechanics.They gave 110% every night and were eager to learn.But because of the system,they're gone and we're still stuck with the deadbeats who just want to collect a pay check and have no ambition.Unfortunately they have seniority.Hang in there,the guys we lost that had their $hit together made out all right.They may not be working at what they want to be,but they've got something to hold them over.

 

[Res]

I am sorry to hear about your situation, alot of us will be following behind you...I'm one of the employees who seems always to be right on the edge...not layed off yet...but can forsee it in my future...trying to plan for the future..just in case,it's really frustrating...not knowing when or if the axe is going to fall, or if I'll have to move again...etc...afraid to by anything that's not an essential item..no matter how large or small...try and have some faith, I'm sure there are better things around the corner. I'll keep you I my thoughts and prayers. Sometimes after being trampled on for so long we forget that we really have something to offer another prospective employer.