Astar Management Plan's Backfire

[Flex81]

You and the ABX pilot group are really nothing more than galley slaves, rowing opposite sides of the same ship. The company is already holding auditions for your replacements.

Is this the general view that all ABX and ASTAR pilots have? Is this true that DHL is looking for replacements? If so, then how far will you push for this new contract? Go ahead and choke the goose that lays the golden eggs, but I hope you are careful and don't kill it in the process.

 

[AV8OR]

Quote:
You and the ABX pilot group are really nothing more than galley slaves, rowing opposite sides of the same ship. The company is already holding auditions for your replacements.
Is this the general view that all ABX and ASTAR pilots have? Is this true that DHL is looking for replacements? If so, then how far will you push for this new contract? Go ahead and choke the goose that lays the golden eggs, but I hope you are careful and don't kill it in the process.


First, Whistlin' doesn't work at ABX or AStar, although I think he used to work for AStar.

Second, while there is trememndous unity at AStar, to say there is a "general view" of the pilots at ABX and AStar just doesn't work. We have a union. We all have the same basic desire, a fair contract. Some want more, some would take less, some just want 5 years till they retire, some want 25 or more. What's true so far though is, we are far from being the galley slaves. Can't speak for the folks at ABX, but if it comes down to "killing the goose" or settling for a goose that lay eggs that look like they were hatched out of a Kitty Hawk, most of us on th AStar side are willing to sharpen the blade. Pilots that do informational picketing while delivering record on time performance for a third the pay of your competitor, that's a by-God, golden egg layin, goose. They're the ones that need to be careful.

Third, as for replacements, doubtful, but we'll see. Not sure what Dan meant by that. Maybe he has some knowledge of scab recruitment. Don't know, don't care. The majority of us are pretty resolute.

 

[Flex81]

Thanks AV8OR

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

Is this the general view that all ABX and ASTAR pilots have? Is this true that DHL is looking for replacements? If so, then how far will you push for this new contract? Go ahead and choke the goose that lays the golden eggs, but I hope you are careful and don't kill it in the process.

I didn't mean to impune that the pilots of either group were unprofessional. To the contrary, the pilots of both groups (at least as far as I can tell) are among the most professional in the business. I believe they perform at a level that would surprise many Legacy pilots, as well as their peers at UPS and FedEx, where, apparently, one has to be a bonafide war hero or space astronaut to get hired.

The notion that the company is looking for replacements doesn't come from their current labor difficulties, it's just the way DHL does business. If they perceive that Astar/ABX aren't going to do the work significantly cheaper than their competitors, they'll "grow" an airline/airlines who can. To be fair, UPS would be doing the same thing if they could. FedEx too, if they were starting over today. In the current business climate, "employees" of any kind are a liability. Unionized employees are an especially dangerous liability. Having experienced, highly-motivated employees means nothing to them if it means that those employees expect to be highly compensated as well, and there's nowhere that that's more true than at DHL. While a 98% (or whatever it is) on-time rate is admirable, it's low cost that spins the beanies at DHL Worldwide.

You guys want some of your international flying back? You want to see some new wide-bodies on the ramp? Take Gemini's hourly rates and cut them by 10% As it is, there's no incentive to grow Astar, which is why they bought Polar. (Look for that one to spin off in a few years, too)

Another question to ask yourself is this...if "on-time performance" were all that important to DHL, why has their fleet never been Cat II certified?

It used to be said that DHL Airways (now Astar) was an airline with just one customer. If that's true (and I happen to think it is) you sure as he11 don't want it to be DHL.

 

[hvydriver]

>Another question to ask yourself is this...if "on-time performance" were all that important to DHL, why has their fleet never been Cat II certified?<

FWIW, CAT II authorization is proceeding for Astar. That's going to cost a few Reichmarks from the Fatherland.

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

...as for replacements, doubtful, but we'll see. Not sure what Dan meant by that. Maybe he has some knowledge of scab recruitment. Don't know, don't care. The majority of us are pretty resolute.

I have no reason to believe that they're actively recruiting potantial scabs. I doubt they could find/qualify enough guys to fill the seats anyhow. What I was referring to is the notion that DHL is probably going to try to spread their domestic operations over more than 2 carriers, as soon as the current "exclusive" contracts with Astar/ABX expire.

Now, if Astar and ABX were to merge, that would be a different matter. You'd be big enough to exert some real influence on DHL Int'l, and you could cull the herd of a few managers as well.

 

[flyinboxes]

Is this the general view that all ABX and ASTAR pilots have? Is this true that DHL is looking for replacements? If so, then how far will you push for this new contract? Go ahead and choke the goose that lays the golden eggs, but I hope you are careful and don't kill it in the process.

We will "push" this new contract as far as it will go. We have done our job, we work for a VERY profitable airline and there is no reason we shouldn't be compensated accordingly. If DHL shifts business to pilots who will do my job for less then so be it. They can have it. I did my crappy airline time and I won't do it again. That being said "we will kill it if necessary, and then we will eat it."

 

[AV8OR]

If DHL shifts business to pilots who will do my job for less then so be it. They can have it. I did my crappy airline time and I won't do it again. That being said "we will kill it if necessary, and then we will eat it."

See? Told ya.

We're not gonna turn this into Gemini or Gemini - 10% just to regain flying. If that's what DHL wants, they'll have to get it from somebody other than AStar, which will at that point be a smoking hole of an airline.

We're reasonable....not whores.

 

[goastar]

If DHL shifts business to pilots who will do my job for less then so be it. They can have it. I did my crappy airline time and I won't do it again. That being said "we will kill it if necessary, and then we will eat it."

See? Told ya.

We're not gonna turn this into Gemini or Gemini - 10% just to regain flying. If that's what DHL wants, they'll have to get it from somebody other than AStar, which will at that point be a smoking hole of an airline.

We're reasonable....not whores.

CAN I GET AN AMEN!!

 

[UM#1]

If DHL shifts business to pilots who will do my job for less then so be it. They can have it. I did my crappy airline time and I won't do it again. That being said "we will kill it if necessary, and then we will eat it."

See? Told ya.

We're not gonna turn this into Gemini or Gemini - 10% just to regain flying. If that's what DHL wants, they'll have to get it from somebody other than AStar, which will at that point be a smoking hole of an airline.

We're reasonable....not whores.

AMEN!!!

 

[xspud]

If DHL shifts business to pilots who will do my job for less then so be it. They can have it. I did my crappy airline time and I won't do it again. That being said "we will kill it if necessary, and then we will eat it."

Just one ABX opinion, but AMEN from this end of the ramp. I also believe that 99.9% of my fellow ABX flyers agree with that.