ABX furloughs

[penguin22]

Blah,
Blah,
Blah.

Butt Out, RHOID.

You're not part of this group, quit pretending to be

 

[penguin22]

Just to be clear, we are in status quo and we will conduct no job action.

Several members are realizing that it is morally unacceptable to do the work of another man, when pilots are being forced out work because the company claims there is not enough work to keep them on the payroll. This is a personal decision.

Additionally, constantly changing one's circadian rhythm makes this job extremely challenging. So when your schedule unexpectantly changes due to being forced to fly when you were expecting to be off; it makes sleep planning and management impossible. Eventually exhaustion and fatigue set in. Hopefully no one pushes safety in fear of management reprisals. When a pilot judges himself to be too fatigued to safely perform his duties, it is a personal decision. The company can't tell him he is rested and the union can't tell him he is tired. Both would be wrong. It is a personal decision.

When I heard the bad news I thought here we go again. But I have been surprised by a larger number of senior overtimers who have pledged to stop doing things that facilitate the layoff of fellow workers.

For those on the fence, it is never too late to do the right thing.

I think one of the reasons this time might be different is that many pilots feel the company violated a trust. Given the high frequency of junior manning and the company's reliance on people flying open time; there is no arguing that the airline is not under-staffed. There has been a lot of going the extra mile over the past 4 years so ABX could save money and look good for DHL. The pilots were also pretty open minded on creative ways to make ANA work. Now, in the 11th hour of negotiations and ANA kicking off we get a punch in the stomach. A lot of goodwill was killed in one day.

excellent

 

[HeavyjetDC8]

Nothing wrong with vacation buy back as we all get the opportunity to take it for ourselves, but too much OPF being inequitably distributed on a seniority takes all basis causes many problems.

Unfortunately we do have several whores in our midst prepared to put paycheck over quality of life and like pigs slurping at the trough they're going to have to be dragged kicking and screaming from what they believe to be theirs.

It's always been a problem here which at times becomes more apparent than at others. Ex Air Midwest (senior few) forming an alliance with PFEs (flying mechanics) against a majority who have little in common with either clique. I'd like to see an end to OPF and a real term pay rise which isn't based upon flying overtime trips. 15 days a month is enough, 23 in Japan is a joke but not one to be laughed at.

Two individuals with horrible training histories showing marginal competence have just been put into the right seat of the DC-9; they're taking jobs away from real pilots. Our ( your?) union went to bat for them.Think about that and look at where the bulk of OPF is going and you'll get the big picture.

 

[two(2)%]

Butt Out, RHOID.

You're not part of this group, quit pretending to be

I never claimed I was part of the nifty-fifty or for that matter, the golden ninety. I petitioned but my membership was denied because my career wasn't yet washed up as I was employed after ABX became a viable career choice but prior to being sold down the acmi river

I understand your trepidation on the OPF issue. Maybe 1224 needs a twelve step program to help those who want to quit but cannot. OPF anonymous. We could even have interventions for those who continue to abuse this apparent crack-like epidemic at ABX.

It's important to protect your seniority. Just try not to marginalize those underneath you.

 

[ABXbooger]

Super Proffer award is out. 14 of the 17 FO's coming from the 9 right seat. I didn't look much at the CA awards, but I did recognize several 9 CA's in there.

 

[GoABX]

At least 13 of the captains are coming from the left seat of the 9. I would have bet both seats would have gone much more junior than they did. Hopefully they will start to backfill the 9C seats and maybe even the 8 too.

 

[abxaviator]

Any word from today's Shareholders' Meeting?

 

[abxaviator]

"We are pleased with our charter results during what is traditionally a soft quarter for ACMI markets," stated Hete. "The outlook for the remainder of the year is encouraging. We expect to deploy five more Boeing 767 in 2007 along with one in 2008 for a total of thirteen aircraft in this segment."

SIX MORE aircraft to fly ACMIwithin a year, yet we are overstaffed!?!

 

[SkyMiles]

They are going to add 6 767's but what about the end of the 8 sometime this fall and the rumors of parking 12 more 9's?

 

[ABXbooger]

Here is what our illustrious leader wrote in his last WIGO. Seems funny he is asking for us to "step up" and work with the company to help move in a new direction, then just a few days later, they insist that a cost cutting move is what we the company must have to excel.

I say we "step up" and do the right thing for our careers...tell management that moral boosters like furloughs aren't going to make this ANA thing work. Tell them that negotiating a good contract will enable us to really work with them and make us a player in Asia. The pilots are the ones that will make this thing great or a failure, not management.



Chief Pilot Perspective:

As pilots we’re used to having all available information before we step to our jet. We start with knowing where we are, where we’re going, everything in-between and even an alternate plan should the first plan not work. Most of the decisions during the trip are in our control or at least under our direct supervision. Business is much the same in a general sense.

In business you know where you are and where you want (or need) to go. The individual, however, as part of the larger plan, doesn’t have direct control over the decisions or the same level of detail as the pilot of their own flight. Just as in a flight, business decisions and opportunities must be acted upon in a timely manner because if you put everything off until you’re sure of it, you’ll get nothing done and the opportunity may be lost. That’s where trust and faith in the system come into play.

Sometimes, in order to take advantage of an opportunity, we have to take action without all the details which not easy for us pilot types. Over 20 years ago a few crewmembers signed up to fly the DC-8. Despite the uncertainty of training, schedules, and the like, this initial cadre of crewmembers pulled together to bring ABX into the "heavy" airlift market. With extreme professionalism they made that defining moment for our company possible and directly contributed to the double-digit growth we enjoyed during that time. We have another opportunity, of potentially greater proportion, to move ABX into the Global market by partnering with Air Transport World’s "2006 Airline of the Year" All Nippon Airways (ANA).

To capitalize on this opportunity we will have to act without every detail of information. Admittedly, we don’t have all the specifics for the startup of this operation, so we must work out of our comfort zone. But just as things worked out for the adventurous initial cadre in the DC-8, the system will take care of those willing to step up to make our global opportunity and growth a reality.

Are you up to the challenge?

That’s it for this WIGO

Work Smart, Work Hard, Have Fun, and Fly Safe!

Mike

 

[abxaviator]

This was my email response:

Mr. Vollmer,
I almost choked on the irony of your selected quote for the most recent WIGO. The company has most assuredly put EVERYTHING off regarding ANA until they were "sure of it" and, thus, have gotten nothing done. Allow me to share another quote, "A failure to plan is a plan to fail." Without a negotiated agreement in place, I cannot imagine how the Company can ever hope to be successful in a Global expansion of flying, especially without a sufficient crew force.

Unassigned flying has reached unprecedented levels, MIA is planned with ZERO reserves and we have SIX additional aircraft entering ACMI service in the next year and yet the company callously decides to play with the livelihood of 10 crewmembers.

Should the Company decide to work WITH the Crewmembers, there will be no limit to what we can accomplish together, but unilaterally imposed actions which even violate the current contract do not bode well. I sincerely hope the Company does not continue on its current path.

 

[Jurassic Jet]

This was my email response:

Mr. Vollmer,
I almost choked on the irony of your selected quote for the most recent WIGO. The company has most assuredly put EVERYTHING off regarding ANA until they were "sure of it" and, thus, have gotten nothing done. Allow me to share another quote, "A failure to plan is a plan to fail." Without a negotiated agreement in place, I cannot imagine how the Company can ever hope to be successful in a Global expansion of flying, especially without a sufficient crew force.

Unassigned flying has reached unprecedented levels, MIA is planned with ZERO reserves and we have SIX additional aircraft entering ACMI service in the next year and yet the company callously decides to play with the livelihood of 10 crewmembers.

Should the Company decide to work WITH the Crewmembers, there will be no limit to what we can accomplish together, but unilaterally imposed actions which even violate the current contract do not bode well. I sincerely hope the Company does not continue on its current path.

Nicely done. Can't wait to hear his response, although I will probably have cobwebs collect on me before he does.

 

[ABXbooger]

Yeah, and another chief pilot when asked just last week in CRM if there would be furloughs unhesitantly said " we're not even looking at that right now..."


Well if this is a cost-generated decision, they should be recalling as each retiree goes. Each captain retire should bring back 2 fo's.

 

[ABXbooger]

Here's the party line...for this he makes 1.1 million



TO: All Flight Crewmembers

FROM: Bob Morgenfeld, Sr.Vice President, Flight Operations

SUBJECT: Furloughs

This is to advise of the furlough of ten crewmembers. As many of you have noticed, DHL continues to struggle in the US market. As DHL works toward profitability, ABX is under enormous pressure to reduce costs and find ways to be more efficient. As one of DHL’s principal vendors, one can understand the challenge that it faces. Nonetheless these reductions are very difficult in light of the superior service that together we here at ABX have demonstrated over the past three and a half years. Nonetheless there is no denying that the volume of DHL flying that we do has diminished and the number of ABX aircraft in DHL service has significantly declined. The loss in the DC9 flying alone exceeds 20%.

ABX management has reviewed its entire operation and the furloughs of our crewmembers are a part of a company wide reduction effort. The total reduction in force affected 55 employees and approximately 133 positions. We are advised that DHL is continuing its on-going reviews to see what other flying can be eliminated so at this time we are unable to say that there will be no further reductions in flight crewmembers. There has also been a significant shift in the ABX fleet and that shift is not over. For example, by the end of the year, the DC8 will be all but gone. The crew force will continue to be adjusted in line with the changes such as is currently being done for the DC9 captain seat. All adjustments will continue to be impacted by the demand for our services from DHL.

We are looking for more charter work to fill the void and grow our business. While some in-roads have been made due to our unique position with the B767, we are challenged in this competitive environment. Our combination of higher wages and restrictive scheduling rules that others vying for the ACMI business do not have, makes our challenge even greater.

There is practically nothing that can be said which would soften the effect of the furlough. It is an opportunity however for all of us to redouble our efforts to find ways to grow our existing business. ABX will continue to look for more charter opportunities to increase that business and the flying that comes with it. While there are no guarantees, we hope that the decrease in DHL flying will have bottomed out by the end of the year. Job security is based upon providing a product/service that customers want at a price that they are willing to pay. We need to work together to build that security and hopefully be in a position to welcome back those that have been furloughed before too much time passes.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact a member of the Flight Management and/or your Chief Pilot.

 

[Bitter]

I am an army of One - A crewmember in the Abx army.
For years I was a loyal soldier in Hette’s army. Now I fight my own war.
I used to feel valued and respected. Now I know I am mere fodder.
They (Abx) used to exhibit labor leadership. Now they exploit legal loopholes.
They used to enjoy my maximum. Now they will suffer my minimum.
I am an army of one.

I used to save Abx a thousand pounds of fuel per leg; finding the best FL, getting direct routing, throttling back when on time was made, skimping during ground ops, adjusting for winds, being smart and giving the company every effort I could conjure. Now, it's "burn baby, burn".
I used to call maintenance while airborne, so the part would be ready at the gate. Now, they'll find the write-up when they look in the book.
I used to try to fix problems in the system, now I sit and watch as the miscues pile up.
I used to fly sick. Now I use my sick days, on short notice, on the worst day of the month.
I am an army of one.

I used to start the APU at the last possible moment. Now I enjoy extreme comfort.
I used to let the price of fuel at out-stations affect my fuel orders. I still do.
I used to cover mistakes by operations. Now I watch them unfold.
I used to hustle to ensure an on-time arrival, to make us the best.
I used to call dispatch for rerouting, to head off ground delays for bad weather. Now I collect OT, number 35 in line for takeoff. I am an army of one!

I am on a new mission - to demonstrate that misguided leadership of indifference and disrespect has a cost. It's about character, not contracts. It's about leading by taking care of your people instead of leadership by bean counters (an oxymoron). With acts of omission, not commission, I am a one-man wrecking crew - an army of one. My mission used to be to make Abx rich. Now it's to make Abx pay. When they furlough pilots, that cost them cents on the dollar - I will make them pay.

When they under-staff and over-work reserves to keep pilots downgraded, down-flowed, or downtrodden - I will make them pay.

When they force pilots, who have waited years to become captains, to be FO’S again - I will make them pay.

When they ask Abx pilots to show leadership, and then deny them longevity - I will make them pay.
When they furlough us like migrant workers - I will make them pay.

When they constantly violate the letter and spirit of our contract - a contract that's a bargain by any measure, and force us to fight lengthy grievances - I will make them pay.

My negotiating committee speaks for me, but I act on my own. I am a walking nightmare to the bean counters that made me. Are you listening? This mercenary has a lot of year’s left with this company. How long can you afford to keep me bitter? I'm not looking for clauses in a contract; I'm looking for a culture of commitment and caring. When I see it, I'll be a soldier for Abx again. Until then, I am an Army of One, a one man wrecking crew…And I'm not alone!"