American pilots weren’t allowed to strike, so instead they did something clever

[lookin4better]

Source: Management seems to have forgotten that a disciplined union can exert a ton of pressure

American’s tardiness isn’t bad luck. American couldn’t get passengers to the airport on time because the pilots who fly the planes didn’t want to get passengers to the airport on time.
This horror story begins with the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing made by AMR Corp. (the holding company that owns American Airlines) last November. Bankruptcy, conventionally speaking, is about restructuring debts owed to banks and bondholders. But most of American’s debt was backed by hard assets like airplanes. What’s more, AMR actually had some cash on hand at the time of the filing. The debts American really wanted to restructure were the implicit debts to employees. As S&P analyst Philip Baggaley put it at the time, the goal was to “reorganize in Chapter 11 and emerge as a somewhat smaller airline with more competitive labor costs and a lighter debt load.” In other words, American went into bankruptcy primarily so it could pay people less.
The bankruptcy process gave American management leverage with which to extract concessions from its labor unions. American got those concessions, except from the pilots’ union, with which no agreement could be reached. So American decided to call the pilots’ bluff and got a bankruptcy judge to void the pilots’ contract.
It turns out that the pilots weren’t bluffing. Organized labor in the United States—especially in the private sector—has been in decline for so long that management seems to have forgotten that a disciplined union can exert a ton of pressure under the right circumstances, even if the legal environment is hostile. American pilots weren’t allowed to strike over the contract voiding, so instead they did something clever: They started following the rules.

completely awesome!

 

[Count Dracula]

Sully wouldn't write it up.

Sully is making 50K for an appearance these days, he could give a sheet.

 

[C-150ETOPS]

This thread just shows how spot on the "Last of the dinosaurs" thread is. Two different mentalities. People who are captains and think and act like a captain, or people who are robots and think and act like the feds and their DO are across the fence with binoculars watching them on Christmas eve at an outstation.

No, I think is more like how to spot "The Kalitta pilot" thread. I know the concept of using the MEL for anything other than ballast is probably a difficult concept for you to relate to, but most scheduled pax carriers live in a far different world than you guys do.

Maybe we can even things up for you when discussing the aforementioned scenario. "It's Xmas Eve, and number 4 is missing 3 N1 blades, number 15 tire is showing some rim though center cord, and there is a corroded hole the size of your Corrolla's spare tire near the keel beam caused by a previous dodgy Hazmat charter out of Goma the week before. Do you cancel the flight or get sent to the Island of Misfit Toys by YIP ops?"

 

[aa73]

C-150ETOPS, Whine Lover and CA1900 all get it.

All the rest of you, are fine with "bending the rules" UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU - you get a letter of investigation over something you deemed "trivial" at departure time.

If the Nav Light is not deferrable - you write it up and have it fixed. If it is deferrable - you still write it up and have it deferred. Period. Is your license and career really worth anything else?

Some of your answers really blow me away. Easy to distinguish between the forward leaners and the real Captains on this thread.

Oh, and if your wife is pregnant and about to deliver - WTH are you doing on that trip to begin with, ignoramus?

 

[Whine Lover]

"OK Captain Cain Mutany, I think we know where you stand. What if your pregnant wife is in labor and you have to take here to the hospital, you gonna exceed the speed limit? Against the law you know." - lionflyer

Yes. I would.

" No he wouldn't because he doesn't know when it's appropriate to go a little outside of the box and bend a rule." - Splitbar

Yes. I do.


------------------------------------------------------------------------


There are always circumstances ( Captain's emergency authority to deviate from FAR ) where it's time to do whatever is necessary to correct the immediate situation and deal with possible legal repercussions later.

When human life and limb are at stake and an individual willingly violates a law, rule, or regulation it is easy for a Court to understand that in that specific instance it was the best ( and maybe the only logical ) course of action at the time.

I don't think many Officers would write a ticket to a panicky husband trying to get his wife and unborn child to an emergency room ASAP by driving 10-15 MPH over the speed limit.

Departing with a known discrepancy because you didn't want to be late for X-Mas dinner hardly constitutes "the best course of action" and certainly the circumstances don't warrant it for ONE SIMPLE REASON:

YOU HAVE SEVERAL WAYS OF CORRECTING THE SITUATION LEGALLY, FAIRLY EXPEDITIOUSLY, AND PROPERLY.


This scenario being discussed is NOT an emergency where you can deviate from FAR ( Oh God, did I actually agree again that there are times when the rule book goes out the window? ) this is not a Life or Death or possible bodily harm issue...

The case in discussion is simply..." Ah, it's just a stupid nav. light. let's go because I don't want to be late and it's just easier and more convenient to ignore the problem. "

That isn't gonna' fly with any court, company, or FAA type.


So, go ahead and continue with thinly veiled personal attacks, that's fine , it's what people do here.


Simply put, when given the choice of doing the right thing....SOME people will choose to do the wrong thing simply because it's easier.

We all know what the right thing to do is in the given example in this discussion.

Rationalize all you want by coming up with seemingly similar circumstances.

Doing the right thing in the first place never needs to be rationalized or explained...Because there will be no questions later.




YKW

 

[Whine Lover]

" I think is more like how to spot "The Kalitta pilot" thread. I know the concept of using the MEL for anything other than ballast is probably a difficult concept for you to relate to, but most scheduled pax carriers live in a far different world than you guys do. " - C150-ETOPS


WHOA..

I have been a "Kalitta pilot" for the last two years.

15 years previous at ATA.

I've lived in both "worlds"...

Let's throw out the stereotype right here and now...This is not your father's Connie Kalitta, and we aren't fighting the Battle of Willow Run anymore.



It has been my experience in my short time here that discrepancy's are always put in the book and they are either deferred, or corrected, when we take off.

I have never been pressured by a K4 Captain, fellow Crewmember or anyone else in MX or Ops. to fly any other way.

I'm just sayin'.

Other than that we are in total agreement.


YKW

 

[lionflyer]

" I think is more like how to spot "The Kalitta pilot" thread. I know the concept of using the MEL for anything other than ballast is probably a difficult concept for you to relate to, but most scheduled pax carriers live in a far different world than you guys do. " - C150-ETOPS


WHOA..

I have been a "Kalitta pilot" for the last two years.

15 years previous at ATA.

I've lived in both "worlds"...

Let's throw out the stereotype right here and now...This is not your father's Connie Kalitta, and we aren't fighting the Battle of Willow Run anymore.



It has been my experience in my short time here that discrepancy's are always put in the book and they are either deferred, or corrected, when we take off.

I have never been pressured by a K4 Captain, fellow Crewmember or anyone else in MX or Ops. to fly any other way.

I'm just sayin'.

Other than that we are in total agreement.


YKW

That was a cheap shot no doubt. There are plently of ATA Midwest, & furloughed AA guys at Kalitta. I too have seen both worlds. Here's another senerio that actully happened to me years ago at my old regional:
Full AC. W&B has us 2lbs overweight. Not 200. TWO!!! And this is the FAA approved W&B program that lists each PAX at 185lbs carryon included. But if you put said carryon in the cargo because of size etc, you just magically added 25 extra lbs to the AC and the PAX is still 185lb. Company policy at the time was bump people before bags. What do you do Skipper?

 

[scoreboardII]

I think those arguing the captain should mel and go fail to realize the reality of what AA pilots are facing, unrelenting FAA oversight. Certificate action will get me to dot every I and cross every T. And since management doesn't want pilots doing everyone elses job, so be it, we'll wait for the mechanic to properly document the issue.

 

[Whine Lover]

" That was a cheap shot no doubt. "

I didn't take it that way. It's just a long held assumption, not without some roots in past reality, that Fr8dogs operate differently. I'm sure many still do....But, it's not been my experience at K4.





"Full AC. W&B has us 2lbs overweight. Not 200. TWO!!! And this is the FAA approved W&B program that lists each PAX at 185lbs carryon included. But if you put said carryon in the cargo because of size etc, you just magically added 25 extra lbs to the AC and the PAX is still 185lb. Company policy at the time was bump people before bags. What do you do Skipper?"

Move the cargo/payload/paperwork around until it is correct and legal according to the approved W&B program. If there is no solution other than to bump people or bags or both I would give the problem to Ops. , S.O.C. ( ( or whomever at a given company ) and ask them how they would like to proceed. If they want to bump people that's there prerogative and their policy.


WL

 

[C-150ETOPS]

not[/I] your father's Connie Kalitta, and we aren't fighting the Battle of Willow Run anymore.

Furr' enough' :beer: Beers on me if we ever cross airways. Good the hear
things are better.

Even so, if Airgator operations are like he says, I doubt he would get in the way of a "critical shipment" on Christmas Eve if for instance, it was 28F and there was very thin minor frost barely covering the aft two inches of each spoiler and flap. boxes don't care and we all basically know in that case what reality is.

The problem AA has is Irving Sloshberg, his chunky wife and brat kid who Youtubes the wing surface while taxing out, Daddy is pissed at AA because he didn't get his upgrade and "knows" the CA is performing a slow taxi "job action" (actually a wheels up time). Junior is also a virtual airline command pilot whose wings are always clear and knows the "deadly risk" his flight faced.

3 weeks later the AA Captain is called in with the FAA present, and gets to view his starring role online.