CitationAir Terminates Pilots on Disability

[G4dude]

What if the employee in question wasn't injured, and held the title of CEO?

He made enough to not require any additional money from the company, of course! I knew you would like that answer!

 

[Lord Wakefield]

this is what he'd say
http://video.despair.com/drkersten/a-thought-about-unions/

 

[CA1900]

Question: why should the employee not bear the risk?

I didn't say he shouldn't bear any risk -- I said he shouldn't bear all of it. I say that because I'm not a contract pilot. I've fully committed to spending my career here, and for the company to just throw me away because I get sick for six months is unconscionable to me. If you believe a company should be able to whatever it wants to maximize profits at our expense, you're certainly entitled to that opinion. I just don't share it.

What "investment" does the employee make? He/she is paid for the work done, it seems to me, so what investment?

I'll use myself as an example. Aside from quitting a previous job, as I said, I moved near one of the 5 crew bases available to me at the time I was hired. That was no small expense, nor was my wife quitting her job for the move.

 

[fischman]

He made enough to not require any additional money from the company, of course! I knew you would like that answer!

That was funny.

 

[G4dude]

this is what he'd say
http://video.despair.com/drkersten/a-thought-about-unions/

Pretty funny video!

 

[rigger]

It's pretty simple stuff. You run out of LTD at some pointso you aren't being paid, OK buT you are still sick or injured ifyou are terminated and were a capt should you be forced to re apply as an f/o do you keep your seniority in the company? What about the pria form employee was terminated that will look great to another employer. How about this industry I am fired cause I fell off a bus saving a little old lady from a certain death, I have been atthiscompany for 20 years now I have to start at a regional as an FO for 20k a year.....this policy does not work in the airplane flying world......it costs nothing to keep the spot for x amount of years...... What about if I get checked outand returned to work from the doctor it the FAA takes 7 months to approve my medical, I should still be terminated???

Bad ju ju atCA now folks!

 

[Sparse]

This is a tough situation for this pilot, but I have a question. How long should a company pay someone who no longer produces for the company? How easy it is, it seems to me, to be compassionate with other people's money.

Recently we had several pilots return for extended disability. One pilot had an inner ear infection that caused vertigo. He was fine within a month but it took a year for the FAA to issue his medical. Under this new policy he woud have been terminated. Another pilot returned after four years with a back issue. He tried several times to return but the company doctor would not approve it. He also would have been terminated. I know there are a few who abuse the program but most pilots want to get their medical back. Punishing the many for the actions of a few is wrong.

 

[Sparse]

What if the employee in question wasn't injured, and held the title of CEO?

CEOs usually have contracts that cover things like this.

 

[G4dude]

CEOs usually have contracts that cover things like this.

I like your avatar, Sparse.

 

[imacdog]

I didn't say he shouldn't bear any risk -- I said he shouldn't bear all of it. I say that because I'm not a contract pilot. I've fully committed to spending my career here, and for the company to just throw me away because I get sick for six months is unconscionable to me. If you believe a company should be able to whatever it wants to maximize profits at our expense, you're certainly entitled to that opinion. I just don't share it.

Are you kidding, of course he does. He's stated that he'd rather see the company fire him and replace him with someone working for 40K less because it would make the company more competitive. This statement is too stupid to come from a pilot and points to him being a management stooge.

 

[G4dude]

Are you kidding, of course he does. He's stated that he'd rather see the company fire him and replace him with someone working for 40K less because it would make the company more competitive. This statement is too stupid to come from a pilot and points to him being a management stooge.

I want the company to keep me because they want to, not because the union coerces them into keeping me. Signed, The Stooge.

 

[gunfyter]

I want the company to keep me because they want to, not because the union coerces them into keeping me. Signed, The Stooge.

I think everyone wants that.

It would be great except do companies ever do things like let go of people who have been around the longest because new blood is cheaper? Downgrade out of seniority only because they save money on type ratings. Things like this.

I understand companies make substantial investments in employees, especially pilots... But the investment we have made in ourselves is also substantial and some guarantees or protection is not unreasonable.

Oh, I also like sparse's avatar.

 

[G4dude]

I think everyone wants that.

It would be great except do companies ever do things like let go of people who have been around the longest because new blood is cheaper? Downgrade out of seniority only because they save money on type ratings. Things like this.

I understand companies make substantial investments in employees, especially pilots... But the investment we have made in ourselves is also substantial and some guarantees or protection is not unreasonable.

Oh, I also like sparse's avatar.

What you say is reasonable, but I am in favor of a merit system, not seniority. Seniority penalizes a pilot who loses his job and has to start at the bottom of the stack somewhere else.

 

[fischman]

I want the company to keep me because they want to, not because the union coerces them into keeping me. Signed, The Stooge.

What you say is reasonable, but I am in favor of a merit system, not seniority. Seniority penalizes a pilot who loses his job and has to start at the bottom of the stack somewhere else.

You're an ideologist. It is what it is, and it ain't gonna happen.

 

[CA1900]

A merit system in this business punishes guys who call in sick when they're sick, and write planes up when they're broken. It rewards those who "perform," even when it flies in the face of safety. I wish that weren't the case, but I've seen it first-hand. It's not a good system for aviation.