AirTran FO suspended for dropping family off at circus in uniform...WTF?

[Dizel8]

SOS and let them KYA!

(KYA refers to a maneuver involving puckered lips and a rear end)

 

[another cfii]

Good luck guys, fight the good fight! Seems like someone in MCO is getting sweaty... I'd be proud to walk the line with you all when the time comes.

Last thing any mgmt wants is a unified pilot group.

 

[Ty Webb]

Not too surprising, considering the Shareholders' Meeting is coming up in a few months. I'm sure the Company wanted to send a message to the Pilot Group . . . . .

The message, though, as I read it, is:

"Show up at the shareholders' meeting without your wings, hat brass, or other Company-issued items."

No problem showing up in Navy pants, White uniform shirts, navy ties, and epaulets we purchased ourselves. . . . . And the worst thing that they can do to you is suspend you for five days, since the precedent's already been set.

Thanks, Orlando, for laying down the ground rules, and removing any ambiguity.

Thanks for the gumball, Mickey! :laugh:

TW

 

[maxblast72]

I am sure the pro-Delta AJC would love to write an article bashing Airtran. You would think management would be smart enough to realize that by now. I guess the company is upset 25% of us have yet to vote on the ALPA merger.

 

[Motown]

So I'm not a lawyer, but wouldn't the best course of action be to have hundreds of pilots begin wearing their uniforms to union functions? If they are not all fired, this pilot in question could then claim he is being held to a different standard than the rest of the pilot group.

Sorry, I meant suspended for 5-days, not fired.

 

[Mike man]

I wear my uniform to the circus everyday...at work.

 

[cksport]

The FO in question is a stand up guy. We were in the sim together as new hires. He has a spotless record at this company. And our previous company also. This is not gonna go down the way the Orlando folks thought it would. They may have stepped in a pile here. This should let everyone here know what you are dealing with. This is how the average joe who goes to work everyday and does his job well is treated. This is dispicable, shame on BF or whoever made this call. I hope our union uses this outrage to bring our pilot group together. We need to support this guy. He's one of the good ones. Anyone know anyone who writes for the Orlando or Atlanta newspapers?

Better yet, submit a press release to the AP. I am sure NPA has a subscription. If not, they can be picked up relatively cheap and newspapers and news agencies around the globe can pick up the story.

 

[waka]

Y'all should get a group outing together to the next circus and wear your uniforms!

Don't forget to send a group photo to management. Include another photo of one of you on one of those little bicycles that the clowns ride.

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Shame on daTranny.

How long was the suspension for? This guy a new-hire? Probation?

 

[AA717driver]

Regardless of what I think of ALPA, this should generate as close to a 100% turnout and vote for ALPA.

Stupid f-ing management. It must be a requirement of management to come from at least the third straight generation produced by incest...

TC

 

[FlyWolf]

Good luck guys.

If I am not mistaken, this is how ALPA was voted in at Midwest, company suspended a pilot and there was an outrage, I stand to be corrected though.

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

Qoute of the year!!!

Regardless of what I think of ALPA, this should generate as close to a 100% turnout and vote for ALPA.

Stupid f-ing management. It must be a requirement of management to come from at least the third straight generation produced by incest...

TC

 

[Lear70]

ALPA is probably a done deal, anyway, but I bet this gives another 10 point boost to the vote numbers...

I am hoping that, with ALPA on property, the AirTran ALPA MEC will organize the pilots to attend the next shareholder's meeting... IN UNIFORM. Go ahead, suspend 100-150 line guys and see how staffing works for THAT.

 

[samballs]

So I'm not a lawyer, but wouldn't the best course of action be to have hundreds of pilots begin wearing their uniforms to union functions? If they are not all fired, this pilot in question could then claim he is being held to a different standard than the rest of the pilot group.

Before the strike Comair pilots were showing up at the welfare office in uniform, to pick up stamps.

 

[Ty Webb]

The only part of my uniform the Company has any say over is the stuff they issued me or that has their logo on . . . . which is my wings and hat brass.

The rest of it wasn't even purchased from their crappy supplier. . . .

 

[tubelcane]

The pilot in question has been at Airtran since the fall of 2005. He was not on probation. If he was I'm sure he would have been fired. They threatened to fire all the probabtion guys last year until the union caved and management agreed to furlough them instead of fire. Then promptly started calling them back 4 months later.

 

[b707guy]

Is there some sort of statement in the CBA with AirTran that prohibits wearing the uniform at union or union-sanctioned events? I'm no contract expert, but the three that I've operated under had no such provision (at least not to my recollection...), and, can't we all wear union pins on our uniforms? If this is the case here, then it would seem the crew member in question shouldn't have a problem winning this battle. And to go with it, the pilot group as a whole has a golden opportunity to stick it back in their faces. Take advantage of it! Unity goes a looooong way, especially in cases like this.

 

[Lear70]

The problem is the company "Policy and Procedures Handbook" that came out a while back.

Our "stellar" legal counsel, despite NUMEROUS warnings from previous NPA officers to IMMEDIATELY notify the company the handbook was contrary to the contract in several areas and would cause problems later, failed to challenge that handbook at the time. Now, after so much time has passed, it becomes VERY difficult to do in court.

The company has slowly started using that handbook to discipline pilots. One of the policies is that the uniform, unless permission is obtained from management, in writing, in advance, may not be worn ANYWHERE away from work.

I would argue that a STRICT interpretation means you can't even put it on at the house and drive TO work or go home AFTER work with it on. Seriously, how absurd do you have to get? A guy can't stop at the circus on his way in to drop off the fam? How about stopping for gas so you don't run out on your way IN to work?

I don't know how many times I've jumpseated home, ditched the tie and epaulets, and walked into the grocery store before I get home, but the wings are still on the shirt 'cause I hadn't thought to take them off. So that gets someone a permanent mark on their record?

I'd like to know who issued the suspension... Klaus? Kolski?

What a disgrace this company's management is... Shameful, and right before the guy goes back on Mil leave and heads over to the sandbox. What a way to say "Thanks for your service".

 

[tubelcane]

Lear he hasn't even heard from the company. I talked to him yesterday and he was told by the NPA the company mailed him a letter on Friday. He hadn't even told his wife about it. Hell, he was still on a trip!

 

[Lear70]

Nice. Not even a meeting with Floy where he can explain he wasn't conducting a "work action", just dropping the kiddos at a union function, and he just gets the suspension letter in the MAIL...?

I'd ask to back the suspension up to days off, over his next 5-day trip, and take a vacation with the fam over that 9-12 day period. Might as well take advantage of it.