Spirit to furlough/displace 242 pilots?

[BigMotorToter]

Heard today that the Spirit MEC notified the pilots that Spirit Airlines filed the WARN letter regarding furloughes. 242 pilots is half the airline.

Anyone have more specifics?

That number is also on the airlinepilotcentral site.

 

[BigMotorToter]

Never mind. I answered my own question. My buddy just emailed me this letter.

Good luck guys.
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May 31, 2008

Greetings fellow pilots,

At 1744 EDT Friday evening our Vice President of Operations, Jeff Carlson, sent facsimile copies of three certified letters to ALPA President Capt. John Prater. These letters were notices pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN). Spirit Airlines gave the minimum required legal notice of potential base closings in LGA and SJU, and of a potential reduction in base size in FLL. Capt. Creed, upon hearing of the notices, spoke directly with Ben Baldanza. Ben indicated Spirit would be finalizing decisions concerning these bases in the next week, and merely wanted to have the legal notification in play for that eventuality.

Under the WARN Act the Company is required to provide an accurate number of those employees who could be affected by these types of decisions. Spirit has indicated 242 pilots are exposed to displacement or furlough. We hope their plan includes the growth of other bases but it’s hard to imagine the economic benefit of such realignment in these times of cost control.

 

[PCL_128]

Holy crap! That's one hell of a "realignment." Good luck to all of the Spirit pilots. Hopefully this doesn't become a reality.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

"At 1744 EDT Friday evening..."

Classic.

 

[ReverseSensing]

"At 1744 EDT Friday evening..."

Classic.

We find it's always better to fire people on a Friday. Studies have statistically shown that there's less chance of an incident if you do it at the end of the week.

Good luck, guys. Hope things turn around soon.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

Even management watches "Office Space".

 

[HalinTexas]

There's an X-ATA in training at the moment. Two airlines in 3 months kicking him out the door.

Is supposed to start sim in a few days.

 

[Colonel Savage]

There's an X-ATA in training at the moment. Two airlines in 3 months kicking him out the door.

Is supposed to start sim in a few days.

Part of the "hire 'till they fire" plan...

 

[BOHICAgain]

I feel bad for all involved....

I feel sorry for the Riddle guys.

 

[Beetle007]

I feel sorry for the Riddle guys.

The word disingenuous comes to mind. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[castle bravo]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Ben send out a letter about 2 weeks ago reassuring the NK people that everything was fine in NK land? Didn't he preach no furloughs, no merger, no capacity reductions, no liquidations, etc. etc. etc???????

 

[flya380]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Ben send out a letter about 2 weeks ago reassuring the NK people that everything was fine in NK land? Didn't he preach no furloughs, no merger, no capacity reductions, no liquidations, etc. etc. etc???????

That's why this whole 242 BS sounds just really "bizzarre".....Unless there is something going on we don't know like investors pulling the plug. Communication is not the greatest quality of Spirit mngt.

I am fairly convinced that it's jsut a scumbag technique to put pressure on pilots when the MEC, management and arbitartor are supposed to meet next week for contract talks. This is my 3rd airline and it's just the same cr@p all the time when contract tals are in the air.

Just hang on guys and let the union deal with that, the new people are really good guys and they won't take any $hit from Carlson and Co.....

 

[flyboycmsu]

Just hang on guys and let the union deal with that, the new people are really good guys and they won't take any $hit from Carlson and Co.....[/quote]
Nice to hear of some support for the new MEC...Have you checked out the company b**** board set up by the old MEC?

 

[meyers9163]

I feel bad for all involved....

I feel sorry for the Riddle guys.

Its a rough life. Now perhaps they have to go instruct some and get some real experience before getting handed an Airbus on a silver platter? That whole agreement is insane in the 1st place. PERIOD!

 

[Beetle007]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Ben send out a letter about 2 weeks ago reassuring the NK people that everything was fine in NK land? Didn't he preach no furloughs, no merger, no capacity reductions, no liquidations, etc. etc. etc???????

I only saw the letter from the union saying no furloughs. Did the company also send out a letter?

At my last airline, I was laid off a day after a manager stood up in a big meeting and announced no more lay offs. We all clapped (including myself). The NEXT morning I was laid off.