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The Judas Goat(s) and Duplicity at the Waterview

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Gokart Mozart

New member
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Posts
2
Flexjet as you once knew it is gone.

Also for clarification, it probably is important for me to point out that a Judas goat is a trained goat used in general animal herding. The Judas goat is trained to associate with sheep or cattle, leading them to a specific destination. In stockyards, a Judas goat will lead sheep to slaughter, while its own life is spared. Judas goats are also used to lead other animals to specific pens and onto trucks. They have fallen out of use in recent times, but can still be found in various smaller slaughterhouses in some parts of the world.

So having said that:

One of the great quotes by Sun Tzu is "All is fair in love and war". Everyone has heard this at one time or another. Its meaning can be esoteric. The rules can be somewhat hard to define. Sometimes the concept behind the phrase is that areas of life are so important and overwhelming that you cannot blame someone for acting in their own best interests. What easily gets lost in the fairness of the game are the casualties.

For you, the Flexjet pilot - the new casualties have been marred with the pinned hope that nothing will change. Many of you want or need to believe in this so bad that you can easily be led down any path that is presented to you. Many of you feel helpless and not in control. It doesn't have to be that way. You can have a say in your future. Indeed the clock is ticking, is it not? Many of you are in a moral struggle knowing that you have been lied to and are being led down a tumultuous path that you were recently told didn't exist.

So permit me if I may, before anything else ask yourself what exactly are the responsibilities of leadership. Or better yet, take it a step further and ask yourself what really makes a good leader. I'm sure you have been asked this on an interview right? In aviation, is it fair to say that defending the interests of your fellow pilots can catapult or launch you into the squadron of leaders with earned respect. How many times have you heard the same noise from the same guys pontificating of what is good for Bombardier is good for you. While the essence of that statement is true, do any of you see the resultant vector of those decisions out of the Waterview recently as a two way street for the pilots...especially now? Or do you have a need to cling to any "good news" on the horizon no matter how flawed the logic is?

Wouldn't it be refreshing for those "leaders" to step back and not sell you on the new idea, or clandestinely try to figure out who is "spreading the cancer" out there. What if they (or even just ONE) stood up for you and said ENOUGH to the decisions being made and demanded a better explanation about your future and actually did what was right for YOU in the long run and not themselves? In other words, a leader worth any respect would take you into the battle prepared rather than act like a judas goat taking sheep to the slaughter. Remember, it is just business right? Well, sometimes you have to realize business is combat. YOU really are the front line leaders that can make or break it for the company. Don't ever forget that. Too bad your superiors have. The proven value of their failed leadership is an indication they want to take you down the path of least resistance so they can position themselves into another management role at the new organization. This isn't anything new but if you believe otherwise, you are a fool. Leadership by position alone is destined for failure and Flexjet as you know it is gone!

So upon taking a closer look it sounds that you are being told what to say and what not to say to the owners in the back of your jets. Perhaps you will get a blue t-shirt in the mail that says "Remain Calm and Carry On". If you increase the magnification you will see that again not all appears to be what you have been told. You really should ask yourselves things like why is DAVE GROSS still around getting a Challenger 300 type rating at the training center? - why would he need a type? - what position calls for that? - isn't he suppose to be gone next month? - what could possibly be going on in this scenario? Why is Ken Ricci on a Montreal tour? Why are peoples yammer posts disappearing? Stuff like that. At least you don't have Fred Reid and the "giggle fest" to contend with anymore.

Perhaps you can see what possible things are ahead for you. Maybe you need or like to put faith into a poster in this forum named "Aeroboy" who has "many great things to be told upon you" like Moses coming down the mountain but ONLY in due time right? The duplicity of your leaders and their track record prove differently that they may have your best interests at heart all the while knowing the trap door could swing open putting you into a free fall. How many times will they act surprised? Think about it. Upon finding yourself in an aircraft upset maneuver would you call MX on the Sat Phone and ask how to write that up or would you take control? Rhetorical I know, but amusing nonetheless.

Now is the time to start the process for yourselves to organize and find your voice at the table. There may be more consolidation in your future so be sure to know what you bring to the table. Work NOW with the other groups to redefine what you collectively have to negotiate. There is A LOT of value in what you bring. I'm sure the pilots at Flight Options know this.

On the surface, The Fractional Pilots Association, representing ALL of the pilots at Flight Options does have a nice ring to it. After all, its just business and all is fair in love and war right? Start the process of communication with your fellow pilots and the new ones around the corner. Don't sell yourselves short.

Take a break from all this tomorrow. Remember the events of September 11th, 2001. Tell your families you love them. Know that you are a great group of pilots and deserve nothing but the best you can negotiate.

As we all do!
 
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WTF are Golden Child and TREX?? Someone pm me names please.
 
Gokart,

I liked both of your posts. Very insightful on many levels. However I know you realize we already have a union which represents both the FO and the CA pilots.

As a FO pilot I don't think a pilots association is best for any of us. Putting together such an organization, just before the current FO CBA becomes amendable would only be a distraction and could potentially hurt all of us at the bargaining table.

I understand some pilots ambivalence about "The Teamsters", but in my experience the Teamsters Airline Division, which has been under new leadership for five years, has become a first class organization.

Some food for thought.
 
If you feel comfortable throwing out Gross's name and RH's initials then you can at least do us the courtesy of letting us know who else you are blasting. Gross is getting current as a parting gift. Yeah, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth too, but I'm not losing sleep over it.

As for a union drive...There's not a whole lot of fear at Flex. You don't see it on the line or on Yammer. Uncertainty? Sure. Outright fear? Not so much.

You've got several things working against a drive. 1. The Flex pilot group. 2. The IBT. They're loathed even amongst the union supporters. 3. The Options contract.

I've been a pretty staunch supporter of representation in the past, but the above realities can't be ignored, and DAC will have to draw the ire of the pilots if you want those drums to start beating again. They've done nothing to do so and we don't know what the benefits and compensation package are going to look like. If they're close to the same then you've got a whole lot of nothing to work with.

Sorry. Just reality.
 

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