DHL Is Not Budging

[ABXDC9]

It's over guys.......ABX can offer to fly DHL's freight for free. There's nothing the Governor, Senators
or Mayor of Wimington can do change their mind.


German CEO says company won’t negotiate

Thursday, June 26, 2008

By BRANDON SMITH

bsmith@wnewsj.com

Wednesday’s conversation between Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher and Frank Appel, the CEO of DHL’s parent company — Deutsche Post World Net — did not seem to go well for Clinton County.

In the conversation, Appel indicated that “alternative options” to DHL’s restructuring “could not be pursued,” according to an intermediary. The planned conversation occurred via telephone.

This may mean that Deutsche Post World Net will not consider ABX Air’s recently publicized offer to remain with that air carrier. ABX Air and ASTAR are currently DHL’s domestic air carriers.

Kimber Perfect, the Ohio Department of Development’s chief communication marketing officer, spoke on Fisher’s behalf Thursday about his conversation with Appel.

“Mr. Appel indicated that after a careful review, he made it clear that alternative options could not be pursued. He understands the impact of this, but there are no alternatives,” she said.

Perfect said that Appel was, however, “willing to listen to ideas about ways to mitigate the consequences.”

Yet Perfect said that since she was not privy to the conversation itself, she could not describe what that could mean.

Appel also reportedly told Fisher that DHL was open to future meetings with him, especially to discuss the ideas to lessen the impact to the community. This likely includes talk about what will happen to DHL Air Park, Perfect said.

Fisher himself was not available for comment Thursday.

Deutsche Post World Net announced May 28 that it would be transferring its domestic air shipping services to the United Parcel Service (UPS), away from ABX Air and ASTAR — two companies located at Wlimington’s DHL Air Park.

That could mean the loss of more than 7,000 jobs from the air park in the next two years, and as a result, the loss hundreds or thousands of other jobs in the County

 

[shooter]

I wonder....
I wonder what would happen if the all the politicians put such pressure to have the anti-trust concerns run through with such a fine tooth comb and they stop the deal. Would DHL fold all together? They can't go back to what they were doing because it just lost too much money (as a result of customer loss, nothing else. I don't care what they tell the press). Saving DHL in ILN was the best shot for saving the thousands and thousands of jobs. Now for the hail Mary pass. Either the deal will go through to UPS and suffer the job losses, or anti-trust stops it. If it does stop it, will the jobs be saved or will DHL just roll over and die? Anyway...what do you guys think the best font is for a resume?

 

[Meat n the Seat]

Hosed

I like ARIAL. It's understated. Let your qualifications do the talking.

The UPS/DHL deal smacks of collusion. While jobs are scare, do you really want to work for people like this? A company town cast to the wind by incompetence and malfeasance. The pilots are hosed. Unless they're young enough to start over, (maybe the FEs, oh, wait they haven't been current for years). An entire regional enonomy ruined thanks to the Reich. Perpetrated on American soil no less. Don't count on the polititions to bail you out. Most of them are bought and paid for by the enemy. Is the Gov't cheese gone? Time to get a new profession. I'm getting the band back together. How about you guys?

 

[Jetglow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMJLUYQCDeA&feature=related

 

[Princedietrich]

I prefer times new roman myself.

 

[AV8OR]

Just looking for money for me to leave at this point. Even if they "survive" 100% of nothing is still "nothing".

 

[Colonel Savage]

Just looking for money for me to leave at this point. Even if they "survive" 100% of nothing is still "nothing".

Do you guys have a lump sum option w/your A plan you can exercise before the shutdown occurs? I sure hope so, the PBGC $ucks.

 

[Browntothebone]

Do you guys have a lump sum option w/your A plan you can exercise before the shutdown occurs? I sure hope so, the PBGC $ucks.

Astar does not have an A plan.

 

[hvydriver]

Do you guys have a lump sum option w/your A plan you can exercise before the shutdown occurs? I sure hope so, the PBGC $ucks.

CS, we don't have one, because we didn't want one after seeing what's happened to everyone else's A fund. We have a 401k that gets 15% of your earnings contributed by the company when you hit the max YOS. I believe that's the 10 year mark. Lesser amounts donated by the company quarterly prior to maxing out. A sweet deal, while it lasts.

 

[brownie]

CS, we don't have one, because we didn't want one after seeing what's happened to everyone else's A fund. We have a 401k that gets 15% of your earnings contributed by the company when you hit the max YOS. I believe that's the 10 year mark. Lesser amounts donated by the company quarterly prior to maxing out. A sweet deal, while it lasts.

This is for the astar guys.
Is it true that you have a language in your contract that will gaurantee you 2 yrs worth of pay if dhl take thier business else where and shuting down astar? I hope it's true and if it is, good job to whoever negotiated this language.

 

[pilotpm]

This is for the astar guys.
Is it true that you have a language in your contract that will gaurantee you 2 yrs worth of pay if dhl take thier business else where and shuting down astar? I hope it's true and if it is, good job to whoever negotiated this language.

If there is such language, it won't matter one bit. The Co. will just banko and void that portion (and many others) of the contract. Having lived through it a few times, It's never good. Good luck to all and I hope I'm wrong.

 

[Colonel Savage]

Astar does not have an A plan.

OK, what about the ABX pilots?

 

[hvydriver]

This is for the astar guys.
Is it true that you have a language in your contract that will gaurantee you 2 yrs worth of pay if dhl take thier business else where and shuting down astar? I hope it's true and if it is, good job to whoever negotiated this language.

That is true, and to the other poster, since DHL has to purchase all our a/c back, and AAC has over 100 million in the bank, not counting other securities, bk is going to be a rather hard thing to pull off. Even in Bushie times.

 

[brownie]

That is true, and to the other poster, since DHL has to purchase all our a/c back, and AAC has over 100 million in the bank, not counting other securities, bk is going to be a rather hard thing to pull off. Even in Bushie times.

Great. I'm glad you guys have that goin for you, atleast this will take some pressure of you during this tough times.

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

Is it true that you have a language in your contract that will gaurantee you 2 yrs worth of pay if dhl take thier business else where and shuting down astar? I hope it's true and if it is, good job to whoever negotiated this language.

There is no "severance package" if that's what you're asking. There were 2 years of furlough protection built into the contract, but the clock started running on that last March. In addition, there were conditions and stipulations built into that which left Astar an "out" under certain circumstances. Expect them to exploit that to the max in the coming weeks and months. They'll move as many assets offshore and into other companies that don't fall under the CBA as possible, then pull the plug.

OR...the major stockholders (there are 4, none of whom has shown much interest in the pilots as a group) may wake some night as if from a bad dream. Like Ebenezer Scrooge, they will realize the error of their ways and just give the pilots whatever money is in the bank, "because it's Christmas, and because it's the right thing to do"

Personally, I'm voting with pilotpm on this one.

 

[rotor&wing]

There is no "severance package" if that's what you're asking. There were 2 years of furlough protection built into the contract, but the clock started running on that last March. In addition, there were conditions and stipulations built into that which left Astar an "out" under certain circumstances. Expect them to exploit that to the max in the coming weeks and months. They'll move as many assets offshore and into other companies that don't fall under the CBA as possible, then pull the plug.

OR...the major stockholders (there are 4, none of whom has shown much interest in the pilots as a group) may wake some night as if from a bad dream. Like Ebenezer Scrooge, they will realize the error of their ways and just give the pilots whatever money is in the bank, "because it's Christmas, and because it's the right thing to do"

Personally, I'm voting with pilotpm on this one.

Let's see Dan, aka Jim.... You're not an employee of Astar, so that means you don't have a copy of the CBA, nor were you privy to any of the negotiations since you were not an employee.

So one again you're speculating, and eager to see our pilot's get screwed over as if somehow it will justify your failings and termination.

Sad. Just really sad.

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

Let's see Dan, aka Jim.... You're not an employee of Astar, so that means you don't have a copy of the CBA, nor were you privy to any of the negotiations since you were not an employee.

So one again you're speculating, and eager to see our pilot's get screwed over as if somehow it will justify your failings and termination.

Sad. Just really sad.

We can clear this up pretty quickly. Show me where you see "language in your contract that will gaurantee you 2 yrs worth of pay if dhl take thier business else where and shuting down astar?" [sic] Where is the language that holds those funds separate in the event of a bankruptcy?

I'd do it myself, but I can't find it. Whoops, I mean "I don't have a copy of the contract"

Find it, and I will make a public retraction on this forum, and ask the moderator to remove my previous post.

 

[learjockey1]

There is no "severance package" if that's what you're asking. There were 2 years of furlough protection built into the contract, but the clock started running on that last March. In addition, there were conditions and stipulations built into that which left Astar an "out" under certain circumstances. Expect them to exploit that to the max in the coming weeks and months. They'll move as many assets offshore and into other companies that don't fall under the CBA as possible, then pull the plug.

OR...the major stockholders (there are 4, none of whom has shown much interest in the pilots as a group) may wake some night as if from a bad dream. Like Ebenezer Scrooge, they will realize the error of their ways and just give the pilots whatever money is in the bank, "because it's Christmas, and because it's the right thing to do"

Personally, I'm voting with pilotpm on this one.

Wow...how insightful coming from someone who can't set an alarm clock and make into work on time. How many no-shows did it take for them to finally can your ass at DHL Airways/Astar anyway? I heard five.

 

[DC8CRIVER]

We can clear this up pretty quickly. Show me where you see "language in your contract that will gaurantee you 2 yrs worth of pay if dhl take thier business else where and shuting down astar?" [sic] Where is the language that holds those funds separate in the event of a bankruptcy?

I'd do it myself, but I can't find it. Whoops, I mean "I don't have a copy of the contract"

Find it, and I will make a public retraction on this forum, and ask the moderator to remove my previous post.

DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS LIAR.

For what it's worth, Whistln' Dan is a former DHL Airways pilot who was fired several times for just blowing off work too many times to count. During our previous contract negotiations, our negotiators had to barter with the company to get "Dan" his job back. We ended up giving a huge pay concession to recover his job - a gesture that he NEVER ONCE acknowledged or thanked ANY pilot for. He was always a weak pilot (I've flown with him) and he was finally terminated once and for all for failing a checkride (with the FAA on board) after many, many restarts.

I have no idea what he is doing now other than waiting for our union to get his job back - again - while he sits on his tailpipe and insults the very people who gave him too many chances to count.

I really do not believe in personal flames on message boards (I've never done this before and never will again) and have tolerated Dan's (not his real name, obviously) rants and half baked opinions for a long time, now. But when he flames his former fellow pilots about actions of which he has absolutely NO information, I'm drawing the line. He is shooting from the hip and has shot himself in the nuts in the process this time.

"Dan", I know you are unemployed and have nothing better to do than continuously stick you nose into other peoples business where it does not belong but you really need to go find a job and get a life. There are important ideas and constructive messages that pilots want to share here. You are neither important, nor constructive, nor a pilot - so STFU.

Again, I don't condone personal flames and have been extremely tolerant of this guy until now. It's one thing when a pilot from one airline defames a pilot from another. Not nice, but tolerable when you realize the context.

I draw the line when a thankless leach ignorantly draws blood from those who have done the most to help him.

8

 

[Whistlin' Dan]

Wow...how insightful coming from someone who can't set an alarm clock and make into work on time. How many no-shows did it take for them to finally can your ass at DHL Airways/Astar anyway? I heard five.

Actually, the company pretty much has to fire you at "3" within a 12-month period, since that's what it says in their employee handbook. If they let it go to "5" then "5" is the new number, which they're NOT gonna do. So "3" it is. You get to "3" and you're gone. NOBODY can save you, UNLESS...an arbitrator determines that it was the company's fault that you missed one or more of those assignments.

Usually, most ethical companies know when they've screwed up, and are willing to admit it. But when there is a "no-furlough" clause in the CBA, most of your International flying has been outsourced, and there is severe pressure from upstairs to "cut costs no matter what" it becomes easier just to fire guys. All you need is an egotistical, eager-to-please doofus in the CP's office to write it up, and you've just saved your company about $200,000/yr. Under the RLA, the second-worst possible outcome from their perspective is that they will lose the arbitration and have to pay the guy what he had coming anyway. Even if that's a strong possibility, they'll go to arbitration anyway, because what they save on his medical insurance will cover most of their legal expense.

But hey, it's your story, not mine, and I hate to get in the way of a guy's story. Make it any number you want to. "5" is good, but "8" is even better. Why not round it up to "10" and then you won't have to change it for a while.