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Special Magenta Line - Colgan Air

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CAL EWR B737

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Posts
652
Today is Sunday, September 6, 2009 and this is a Special Edition of The Magenta Line. There is 1 item for discussion.





Item 1: Note to Management: If You Lie Down With Dogs…



In a devastating article appearing in today’s Buffalo News, the management of Colgan Air, the operator of Continental Connection 3407 which crashed in Buffalo on February 12th of this year, has been unmasked as a strong proponent of the “beatings will continue until morale improves” philosophy of airline operation.



While many of us are well aware of just what our fellow ALPA pilots at Colgan have been dealing with the past few years, it is because of our relationship with them as a Continental Connection carrier that what is done to them is done to us as well—and to our customers.



The article in The Buffalo News reads like a recounting of third-world sweatshop working conditions: the professional pilots of Colgan Air are harangued for their use of sick leave, threatened with termination for too many sick calls within a year, forced to provide doctors notes for routine illnesses—and browbeaten into flying tired; and sick and tired are exactly what Captain Marvin Renslow and First Officer Rebecca Shaw were before they left Newark for Buffalo last February 12th.



The Buffalo accident put Continental Airlines management at a crossroads—the warning sign said “Cliff Ahead! Turn Now!”, but our management has continued to drive straight ahead anyway. As management has shown us over and over, their sole concern is the bottom line—but, as is often the case, the bottom line has sharp teeth—and it can bite.



We, the professional pilots of Continental Airlines, have watched the former quality of our Continental Airlines brand disappear—just as our own mainline flying has disappeared to a multitude of Continental Connection “partners” like Gulfstream International. With each new downgrade, the managements we dealt with became seedier and seedier. We ate breakfast at Tiffany’s, lunch at Burger King, and dinner at the rescue mission. The only constant in this uncontrolled descent was the professionalism of the pilots of our Connection partners. Regardless of the ruthlessness of their respective management teams, the pilots, no matter the airline, were the one bright constant. We all, from Continental to Colgan, meet the same high standards; it’s management who feeds at ever-lower bottoms of the trough.



The Buffalo News article can be found here:

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/786380.html



Colgan pilots say many felt pressure to work while ill



While you read it, think about what is happening in our own Newark pilot base: we have been cut to about 1800 pilots—but management is adding 2 additional assistant chief pilots. Anyone want to guess why management needs more assistant disciplinarians for fewer pilots? Looks to us like they plan on continuing the beatings.





As we close this week, please remember our 147 hostages and their families.





Captain Jayson Baron, EWR Council 170 Chairman

[email protected]

610 442-3817



First Officer Tara Cook, EWR Council 170 Vice Chairman

[email protected]

610 220-8904



Captain Kaye Riggs, EWR Council 170 Secretary-Treasurer

[email protected]

830 431-0450
 
CJC management will probably read this and think that ALPA is comprised of a bunch of ungrateful rabble rousers. I wonder if they will ever concede that maybe they need to change their approach a bit.

The situation at CJC is reaching critical mass. They will have a HELL of a time growing with the current state of morale.

CJC management seems to think that morale is low because pilots are selfish and ungrateful of the great opportunities and company they have provided for us.
 
While many of us are well aware of just what our fellow ALPA pilots at Colgan have been dealing with the past few years, it is because of our relationship with them as a Continental Connection carrier that what is done to them is done to us as well...

Amen, Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! If only more mainline pilots would understand that simple truth....
 
Today is Sunday, September 6, 2009 and this is a Special Edition of The Magenta Line. There is 1 item for discussion.





Item 1: Note to Management: If You Lie Down With Dogs…



In a devastating article appearing in today’s Buffalo News, the management of Colgan Air, the operator of Continental Connection 3407 which crashed in Buffalo on February 12th of this year, has been unmasked as a strong proponent of the “beatings will continue until morale improves” philosophy of airline operation.



Captain Jayson Baron, EWR Council 170 Chairman

[email protected]

610 442-3817



First Officer Tara Cook, EWR Council 170 Vice Chairman

[email protected]

610 220-8904



Captain Kaye Riggs, EWR Council 170 Secretary-Treasurer

[email protected]

830 431-0450


A very Sincere Thank YOU!


Now... as for the rest of the story...

As far as the beatings are concerned, it is bound to get worse. Just recently anounced is the selection of our Chief Pilot. T. D. The list of offenses commited is nothing short of baffling. His "rap" sheet is more akin to well known Congressmen, but nepotism keepth his career alive.

One would think that with TD's record, and AFTER 3407, this company would heed common sense, and move to distance itself from such actions....

Such as:
  1. Taxing a Saab into a Jet Bridge
  2. Taxing into a GPU
  3. Getting a DUI then pleading it to ???
  4. Providing alcohol to an under age FA
  5. Punching another FA in the FACE
  6. Pushing a First Officers head through a wall
Oh well... I am sure I am missing a few of the finer points that have occured here in the NE... somebody will fill in where I left off I am sure... :)

But YES... he is our NEW CHOOSEN Chief....

So, yes the only reason why he is the new Chief, is his alignment with the "beatings will continue until morale improves" mentality....


"10 Right ain't gonna cut it, we need a 180"

Sigh.....:confused:


V1
 
I guess when we get a call into manassas we can expect to get our heads pushed through a wall. But at least that won't go on our record.

WTF? over
 
Last edited:
I guess when we get a call into manassas we can expect to get our heads pushed through a wall. But at least that won't go on our record.


If history repeats itself, it won't go on his either!

V1
 
It is an indication that the "good old boy" mentailty is alive and well at CJC. And, with a very, very few exceptions this is the state of management here. Morale is low because ultimatley nothing is really going to change at Colgan that is measurable in terms of better QOL, pay/benefits, state-of-the-art training, devices, syllabus and instructors.
 
It is an indication that the "good old boy" mentailty is alive and well at CJC. And, with a very, very few exceptions this is the state of management here. Morale is low because ultimatley nothing is really going to change at Colgan that is measurable in terms of better QOL, pay/benefits, state-of-the-art training, devices, syllabus and instructors.

Sigh.....

V1
 
A very Sincere Thank YOU!


Now... as for the rest of the story...

As far as the beatings are concerned, it is bound to get worse. Just recently anounced is the selection of our Chief Pilot. T. D. The list of offenses commited is nothing short of baffling. His "rap" sheet is more akin to well known Congressmen, but nepotism keepth his career alive.

One would think that with TD's record, and AFTER 3407, this company would heed common sense, and move to distance itself from such actions....

Such as:
  1. Taxing a Saab into a Jet Bridge
  2. Taxing into a GPU
  3. Getting a DUI then pleading it to ???
  4. Providing alcohol to an under age FA
  5. Punching another FA in the FACE
  6. Pushing a First Officers head through a wall
Oh well... I am sure I am missing a few of the finer points that have occured here in the NE... somebody will fill in where I left off I am sure... :)

But YES... he is our NEW CHOOSEN Chief....

So, yes the only reason why he is the new Chief, is his alignment with the "beatings will continue until morale improves" mentality....


"10 Right ain't gonna cut it, we need a 180"

Sigh.....:confused:


V1

I've heard there was an assault of another airline's employee by a Colgan employee while at a crashpad.
 
If you guys are not happy with your new CP you as a union can let the management know it. Police and Fire Departments all around the country do what they call "No Confidence" Vote. It has no teeth but lets management know that the union and the pilot group is not happy with the choice. Send them a letter with all you described above and "Sit Down" with them.

I was a CJC guy for 6 years....in my opinion CJC needs a CP from the outside. Like a retired main line pilot. Someone who really knows what a CP is supposed to be. A middleman between management and the pilots. Someone who should at first gut stand up for the pilot and question the management. It is a respect both ways.

Any hoo...it is sad to see the moral of CJC go down...I enjoyed my sentence...I mean employment there!

Guys try to make it better...be responsible...be a proffesional pilot. A lot of what stems from the accident is non-professional behavior....commuting on a red eye...no sleep...being sick...that is a personal responsibility...and it has hurt us all a lot. (not just the accident victims) There are a lot of people who commute and do it responsibly...there are a lot of people who call in sick...and do it responsibly. Bottom line lets remember we chose to do this job and we chose to live away from base. We must take personal responsibility to do the job we agreeed to do.

I do not mean to flame...but we all CAN make whatever situation we are inand make it better. Then if not...it might be time to find something new to do.
 

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