Alaska management verbally announces furloughs for

[Snapshot]

Read the latest Bulletin yet?


The same day fuel fell below $100/bbl, we are informed that the only thing to be scared of more than the cost of fuel skyrocketing, is the cost of fuel dropping.

The Horror! We better step up those furloughs if were going to make it in this under $100/barrel world.

I wonder if employees who actually did grow up in households where the parents constantly lied to, stole from, and beat them buy into the "Alaska Family"?

 

[Baze]

Yes, saw the doom & gloom memo yesterday. The sky is falling.

But, maybe they'll spend another $130 million on a stock buy-back in the next couple of weeks. It will make the shareholders happy.

 

[kingair1]

So if I am furloughed I can sell our house and move our family of 5 up to mommy's house ! She said we can convert the top of her barn into a little house ! Can't wait to smell the morning horse crap when I wake up. It will be stronger then coffee ! OH WAIT, I can't sell my house because I just found our that carpenter ants ate through the corner of our house and left structural damage !! SWEET !!

 

[Singlecoil]

So if I am furloughed I can sell our house and move our family of 5 up to mommy's house ! She said we can convert the top of her barn into a little house ! Can't wait to smell the morning horse crap when I wake up. It will be stronger then coffee ! OH WAIT, I can't sell my house because I just found our that carpenter ants ate through the corner of our house and left structural damage !! SWEET !!

If you live in the Seattle area, I will come and help you fix it if that is possible. I just got done building a house (I am an FO and I am crazy-stupid) so I have a bunch of tools and a little skill.

 

[Baze]

Hey Kingair1,

Sorry to hear about the carpenter ant problem. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

I'm probably nowhere near as crafty as singlecoil, but I would be up for some manual labor.

 

[Going2Baja]

From GS on the 14th....

Not sure if this has been posted - But here it is.

"Based on our reading of the very cloudy crystal ball, we expect to
downsize the airline by 850-1000 employees, of which 150-190 will be pilots.
In addition to the extended leave and early out programs which have already
been announced, we are working with ALPA to explore other fiscally sound ways
to futher mitigate involuntary furloughs. "

 

[Fubijaakr]

Fiscally sound? You mean like cutting the lines back to 75 hours? No wait...they already did that.

 

[Baze]

Fiscally sound? You mean like cutting the lines back to 75 hours? No wait...they already did that.

If you take a look at the CBA, bid blocks can be further taken down to 65 hours. But, they would still have to have a credit of 75. That is, if the company is serious about mitigating furloughs.

I'm sure the company is not going to go for 65 hour bid blocks with 75 hours credit. They are too cheap. MEC will file a grievance and the company will go ahead and furlough pilots anyways.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Of course they won't. Look, they cut the schedule. They're not keeping extra employees around. Why? The benefits package required for full time employees adds another 55% or so to the salary they pay them. That's why its cheaper for them to run understaffed and pay VSA rates to cover extra flying.

So, for the reason they won't build blocks to 65 and pay 75 is the same reason they'll furlough 190 guys. Once the training is done and the bases are staffed, wanna bet the lines go back to 85?

 

[Going2Baja]

Once the training is done and the bases are staffed, wanna bet the lines go back to 85?

No way - I won't take that bet! You are 100% correct!!

Baja.