CAL History question

[skywdriver]

Buddy of mine just told me that in the last standing bid that came out there were 221 vacancies in the company as of right now. Also, it was announced a couple of days ago that there will be another standing bid issued on March 1. He's betting the farm that the furloughs are coming back with that bid.

He's still saying there is no way in hell CAL makes it through the summer without them.

the last bid that came out was pretty much flat, except for the few that didn't officially have positions who now do. i like your friend's optimism, but I don't think we will be back for the summer. however, one of the head planning guys was spreading rumors on jumpseats that furloughs might be back at some point in the last quarter of the year, which would jive with the letter they sent to the guys in the pool. it doesn't really matter what they say now, if the economy continues to weaken, plans will change to accomodate demand. hoping for the best as always, but i will still be surprised to be back on property in 09.

 

[NavinRJohnson]

There's been a lot of discussion about an adjustment bid coming out within the next two months, adding roughly CLE-sized bases to both Southern California and Florida. It's all preliminary, so who knows if it will pan out.

The furloughees might or might not be on that adjustment bid for a recall. I would bet that if they're not recalled for that bid they will come back this fall, as stated earlier.

I hope it's sooner rather than later. It will be a summer of pain without you guys. No open time pickup untill you get back!

 

[skywdriver]

yeah, i hope you are right about that. please slap anyone you know of who picks up any open time and tell them it is from the pawns. the earnings call mentioned further capacity reductions, but i am assuming that they were referring to airplanes that were already going to be parked.

 

[CapnVegetto]

I'm still holding out optimism for you guys.....as I said before, he's rarely been wrong about this stuff. The main thing he's telling me is the planned capacity reductions that were supposedly going to happen, (selling some 737's to the Russians) aren't now because they can't secure financing because they've already wrecked 2 of the 4 CAL has sent over there. The company is short anyway, and a lot of the furloughees aren't even out of currency yet and wouldn't require retraining....just 3 bounces in the sim. It makes sense to bring them back now, especially since the furlough, according to him, was NOT NEEDED due to business. It was done simply for contract posturing. That makes sense to me too, because really, does it make sense to you guys to furlough 150 $27 an hour guys out of what, 6000-7000, then pay for displacements and retraining, all so you can be short staffed and pay more senior people double time to make up the flying? No way. That's asinine. There's no way you can convince me that that was done to save money. Hell, I'd bet my left nut it cost them more money to furlough the 150 then to keep them on property.

I think ya'll will be back before the summer. I hope I'm right, and so does my buddy. Good luck!

On a side note, how many of the 150 do you think ya'll will lose? I personally know one of the 150 that's found a good corporate job and probably isn't going to go back. What do you think?

 

[skywdriver]

I think out of my class, a lot will probably put off the recall, but all but one or maybe two are planning on coming back. Its hard to say. I certainly agree with your friend, we didn't need to be furloughed, at least not when they did it. It is all about contract leverage.

 

[EMBpilot]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

 

[jmreii]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

Come on, now how do you really feel about Continental?

 

[Homer Jay]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

The guys hired here in the last couple years are NOT the old typical CAL hire. Things will change here. We just need to get the furloughs back and start hiring again off the street. It's only a matter of time until us "young" guys outnumber the "bend over and take anything" guys. It'll happen. Have patience.

 

[BID]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

Well, I disagree with all of your points.

 

[zonker]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

Ha ha, just wait until DL rolls up CVG, MEM, and MSP.

Have fun with that.

 

[EWR_FO]

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

Not to rain on your parade but that is laughable, you need to read an annual report. I don't know if you have noticed but the used airplane market isn't exactly cooking right now. If you were leasing an airplane to someone right now, would you let the guy out of the lease?

 

[SFR]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

You are a littly nuts, maybe you should go to SWA. But you are right about living in base.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

Can any of you CAL guys comment about your latest ALPA updates?

Our last few ALPA-MEC updates at UAL seem to have all kinds of "meetings" and other functions with both MEC's of UAL and CAL meeting all last week. I think we are getting our contracts in line with each other.

We keep hearing all kinds of rumors here at UAL, just curious what you guys at CAL are hearing?

 

[Kharma Police]

Here are CAL's problems:

1. Not attracting the best throughout it's history - substandard contracts, scabs, notscabs, but those who raised gear for scabs for 15 years and gone upside down in their heads.

2. Weak union - company constantly buying out the leaders who sell their souls and then their brothers.

3. Assets/liabilities ratio - a big part of the company is a bubble with leases and contract training all over. CAL can easily downsize overnight by 30-40% - great set up from the executive point of view.

But if you live in one of the bases and don't care of any of that you'll enjoy it.

Sounds exacltly like the company I work for (minus the hats, heavies and RJs). Continental, the AirTran of the Legacies.

 

[Pocono Pilot]

I think CAL is more like Mesa than AirTran if you ask me. LOL