penguin22
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2006
- Posts
- 276
Butt Out, RHOID.Blah,
Blah,
Blah.
You're not part of this group, quit pretending to be
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Butt Out, RHOID.Blah,
Blah,
Blah.
excellentJust 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.
Butt Out, RHOID.
You're not part of this group, quit pretending to be
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.
Are you sure you don't work at Astar???
Bravo! You have put into words what many of us on both sides of the ABX/Astar fence have been feeling for quite some time now.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!"
Are you sure you don't work at Astar???
Here is Mr. Vollmer's response to the email I posted yesterday:
...Further, we have gotten word that soon the DC-9 will no longer service GRR, PIT, HRL, and TLH with the possibility of losing more cities. ...
Mike Vollmer
System Chief Pilot