Army of one!! YEAH!!

[RichardFitzwell]

I do believe I hit a nerve with you, Mr. bug. Something in your past maybe??

I use "Underachiever...and proud of it" in my signature sarcastically. I borrowed it from it's very profound author - Bart Simpson. (avbug, you won't see the humor in that) As you may or may not realize, it takes a lot of hard work and motivation to succeed in aviation. It also takes the determination and willingness to fight for what you feel is fair.

CAL is starting contract negotiations next month (the reason for this post). The originial author certainly has the right to do what he/she feels is necessary to get management's attention and to point out the slogan "Working Together" means nothing without action.

When it is time for Mr. bug to get a raise does he say to his boss, "Whatever amount is fine. And by-the-way, I would like to work a little more for less $$?" I doubt it.

Without going into one of those long, boring debates, please don't undermined their efforts. Don't be too eager to take their place and do their job without whining.

 

[enigma]

avbug,

You sound more than eager to cross a picket line - should it come to that.

People that disrupt legal job actions and justify it with statements like yours scare me...

"When you're done playing army, there are 10.000 other pilots who are ready to take your place and try to do their job without whining." - avbug

You left out the part about, "doing whatever is necessary to feed your family." (I will refrain from throwing out the term for crusting over a wound.)

Richard, maybe you know something I don't, but I didn't take avbugs comments to imply anything like crossing a picketline. I think that he was just stating his belief (like my own) that there are others willing to take your job if you no longer want it.

With that said, I do empathize with the CAL Captain. It sometimes just drives one crazy to be loyal, yet see no loyalty come back at you. However, I can't agree with him. To become an army of one means that you have lowered yourself to their level. My momma told me not to do that.

regards

BTW, you're right, SCAB is not a word to throw around. If it fits, then so be it. But don't infer anything that you can't substantiate.

 

[charley varrick]

This "army of one" is mindless to post something like this on a nonsecured board.

I would hope that whomever posted this would realize that something like this, if really written by a CO pilot, could come back to haunt the pilots at CO during negotiations. Ask any AA pilot what happens to one's coffers when a federal judge rules against you in these matters.

While I can relate and sympathize as a furloughed pilot myself, I would hope I'd never be naive enough to think that a post like this couldn't come back to haunt me, those that depend on me and those that work with me.

 

[Timebuilder]

I'd like to hear some comments from high time captains on this thread.

Is there any mandate in work rules that this pilot MUST call for a part to be ready at the gate, head off mistakes made by operations or dispatch, buy the cheapest fuel, or calculate and use best routes? If not, being less diligent may not be a legal matter if you are not required to be extraordinarily dilligent. In most matters, you need only show "due dilligence" in order to be in the right.

The question for me is "How much dilligence is 'due'? " Is it possible that his only responsibility is to operate safely according to the FAA rules and the operating certificate?

 

[saabtrash]

Quote from "avbug" a.k.a God:

-----"Go get em, tough guy (er, oh, exhalted one).

When you're done playing army, there are 10.000 other pilots who are ready to take your place and try to do their job without whining.

Have a ball.----"

Hey bug, do you ever have anything good to say? It seems to me like you spend most of your time on this board lecturing and degrading people. I don't remember when you were appointed the great overlord of this board. I cannot argue that your knowledge is somthing to be proud of, and has been helpful to countless people on this board, however, I think it's time the question is asked...

Why are you so bitter, surely a person who is as "wonderful" as you should just be thrilled with life and seem a little more happy. Maybe your trying to make up for some sort of personal shortcomings in your private life. I guess we'll never know.

Well said Feduppilot.

 

[list2002]

Ah, yes. The respect issue. Look at me. Don't I look cute in my bars and hat? Respect. Hmmm.

hmmmmm. Bitter?

 

[Timebuilder]

Saab, I know you have issues with me and my Lear posts, but this is an objective opinion: I always appreciate the time and research Avbug puts into his responses. I don't see the attitudes that you are attributing to him. In a perfect world, striving for excellence is always the best approach. For me, it's a watchword.

Since this isn't a perfect world, and we don't know what problems Feduppilot has had with management, either justified or unjustified, I am slow to condemn Feduppilot's anger. That's why I am questioning the actual limits of his responsibility, in the legal, contractual sense. Is his list of "job actions" a failure to meet his contractual obligations? I don't know.

What I do know is the value of having Avbug here on the board. I may never posess his depth of understanding of aviation in general, and aviation regulations in particular. Just like every flight I make, each post he makes teaches me something. There are many others here who share their abundant smarts about flying, and I for one am grateful that they care enough to help people like me to grow.

Sometimes, even I have a chance to illuminate a point or two, or share a joy of accomplishment. I think of that as giving something back.

 

[surfnole]

It is management 101 that you get the behavior that you reward.

If his mgmt is going to manage to the letter of the contract and nothing more, why shouldn't that mgmt expect their employees to do the same and nothing more?

 

[Timebuilder]

One more point.

In the military, many men wear the rank (bars and hat) but don't deserve the respect. Respect is earned. Sometimes, even when it is earned, it is not given.

 

[hyper]

Seems easy to condemn "feduppilot" when you're not in his shoes.

Keep in mind fellas, you can continue to beat the most loyal dog.....but eventually he's going to bite back. It's only natural.

 

[tarp]

I've been trying to stay away from all these "emotion" charged threads, but this one caught me.

I empathize with the original poster, but I'm sorry to say that its just not CAL and its not just the airline industry. Its just business.

Its the reason I became restless and a career changer, but unfortunately I found that Airlines were run just as poorly as engineering firms.

And basically its "the bottom line", its capitalism run rampant, its a "sellout". When I was in Financial Management classes at the university, I'll never forget the mandate - the goal of financial management is to maximize the wealth of the shareholder. But our society has become impatient - the maximizing must occur today, short term. There is no building, no investment, no quality, no loyalty. Money, now, this instant, cut that expense, charge more for that and let the chips fall where they may. If I go bankrupt tomorrow, well I made my profit yesterday, so I'm OK and screw the rest.

The dot coms were just a microcosm of what is in store (I believe) for most of our industries. Go ahead, name a product that hasn't been altered by the here today mentality. I go to buy a car - unless I pay for the quality, it has a "run" life of about 5 years. A house's life span has dropped from 100 years to 30 years! My computer is designed to last about 4 years, but will be obsolete in 2 years. I buy a stapler, it lasts about 6 months. Have any of you stayed in a really clean, well furnished hotel room where everything works? Me neither. The housekeepers are unmotivated. The shampoos and soaps are made by the lowest bidder. The plumber is too expensive to call for every drip. Why "clean" the carpet when you can just spray deodorizer in three seconds?

Its rampant. I've never seen a sturdy chair in our crew rooms. Every table has paper underneath a leg because either the floor is crooked or the table leg has bent. Who is to blame? My company for probably buying the cheapest furniture? The furniture retailer for selling such a product? The furniture maker for making such inferior stuff with their name on it?

The Germans have an old saying - "I have no face to meet with my fist". It is a saying of utter frustration.

To the fed-up-pilot, I understand. I can't join you because then I truly do sell-out my soul. But I am hoping for a day when our ethics are restored from top to bottom. When I can trust what a man says and not have to "spin" anything about the words. A day when honesty counts for more than todays value of money. A day when you can pretty much tell a good person from a bad one.

And now a sick thought. We had a time called the roaring twenties. There were a group of well-to-do yuppie types that lolled around and didn't do much to contribute to society. There were gangsters and a criminal underground that was so entrenched that they could have created their own economy. There were crooked politicians, fat-cat owners, everybody making gobs of money in the stock market and then...... the bottom fell out, the market crashed, we had a depression and we went to war.

I am not wishing for anything like a war or a depression in my life because I fear I'm too weak to withstand it. But we need some kind of a tonic - something that allows us to be proud of what we do and make. I was tired of being told to "cut corners" in my old job. To "make do" with inferior products or staff. I came to the airlines because as a pilot I would be held to "near perfect" standards. Instead I get berated for not getting the plane out on time, I get told to "fly it and grieve it" when my health and safety are at issue, I get planes written up with "Ops check good" as an answer for mechanical parts wearing out. I'm back in the same old vice - I'm trying every day to do the best job possible and all I get is "I'm not contributing enough to the bottom line".

Let's see my frustration meter is pegged so I think I'll go play some golf - it can't get any worse!

 

[alimaui]

I believe what Andy said is quite clear.

If one is going to accept payment for one's services, then one should give 100%.

Allowing the quality of service to go downhill is a sad, and pathetic way to make a point come across. Finding ways to cost the company money is inappropriate.

Andy's statement, and my own, should be clear here. Increasing the level of professionalism is part of the soloution. Falling back to the percieved level of professionalism of the management against one kicks, is doing nothing more than becoming part of the problem. It is nonsensical, much like the old farm addage; "The chicken coop burned down, so I dehorned all the cows."

Yes, increasing professionalism is a very important part of the solution. But I think part of what FEDUPPILOT was saying was that he, at one point, was proud of the job he was doing. He would go the extra mile to be a valued member of the team. But in the end it did not matter. Mgmt still took advantage of the team. If Airline X was really concerned "giving 100%" they would not be flying short staffed to save a buck. If mgmt wants the best efforts of their staff, then the least the staff deserves is mgmt best efforts.

 

[de727ups]

Nice job Tarp....

I think Tarps post is spot on. Great job of explaining the frustration of being a pro pilot in this day and age...and how management likes to treat pilots.

The first post was kind of....overly eloquent....but I understand where the dude was coming from. I've always wondered when management was going to figure out that those who control the thrust levers and the logbook writeups are not the ones you always want to be pissing off to save a nickel or a dime. They gotta give those airline legal departments something to do...work on those grey areas in the pilots contract....see if we can screw those overpaid, underworked, flyboys...all's fair...it's only business.

The second post by avbug is nothing but sarcasm.....why respect someone who talks like that? From now on when I see avbug, I'll be moving on to the next post....

 

[kilomike]

Go Get Em, Feduppilot!!

Go for it, Feduppilot!!

No one can agree with you more that workers should be treated with dignity and respect. Bobbysamd said it best "management sows what it reaps".

My biggest business hero is Aaron Feuerstein. He is the president of Polartec. When the plant had a serious fire, instead of laying off his workers he kept them on the payroll. I saw him on a TV interview and he carried himself with class and grace. He said that it was the right thing to do. The company has rebuilt the plant. Let's buy lots of Polartec to support him and his fine company. By the way it is a union shop and Mr. Feuerstein works closely with the union. What an example for the business world.

Kilomike

 

[avbug]

I just got back from a trip and it's late, so I won't dive into a drawn out debate here. However, for those who would call me bitter; I stated that a man who accepts an agreed wage should give his best. If that makes me bitter, then so be it.

Bitterness would be posting a long tirade calling for mediocacy.

And yes...I am familiar with Bart Simpson. I enjoy the humor, but don't see him as the great philospher of the previous century. Perhaps I'm just old fashioned.

As for deeming myself Lord God Almighty...I find that both offensive and blasphemous, but it's a free country. Call it what you like. For the record, I worship Him, attend His church, and read His books. Otherwise, I'm just a very poor excuse for a humble servant who in all liklihood will never live well enough to pass judgement. But thanks for thinking of me.