Did they just give up?

[doh]

The US Airways "sick out" was probably the death knell for that airline. We as pilots fight 'til we hit the ground, but that may not be the case for the other workers. I think there was no sinister motivation. I believe that the people just said, "well I may as well enjoy one paid holiday at home because it's the last one". That is not very noble but there you go. They have just given up collectively. Good luck to the folks over their, and try to remember when you start over that the slate starts out clean and you can rebuild!

 

[TWA Dude]

My internet psychology degree qualifies me to say this: I think a common mindset amongst USAir workers is that management doesn't care about the airline anymore so why should anyone else? I mean, if management actually cared they wouldn't blame their employees for everything, right? This is not an uncommon phenomenon. I witnessed similar thinking by certain IAM workers at TWA. They feel that the airline owes them for how crappy their careers ended up and that's all that matters. It's a vicious cycle for which there's apparently only one end.

 

[canyonblue]

I mean, if management actually cared they wouldn't blame their employees for everything, right?

I think you found a very real problem that plagues many airlines. It reminds me of parents that blame their kids for their own shortfalls in life, rather than admit that they themselves are to blame. They would get a lot more respect if they just fessed up and said "We F'ed up real bad, were sorry and we need your help". Taking accountability for one's actions is sadly missing in much of corporate America.

 

[xtwapilot]

Management of US Air should be hung out to dry because they blamed the employees for the entire mess and now want people to work for free over new years eve. The F/A and baggage handlers union put out the number of sick calls this year vs. last year and it was something like 6 more people this year, hardly enough to cause a meltdown. This screw up is at the top, period. Management however was smart enough with their PR machine to start the rumor of employee sickout and the unions are dumb enough to not fight that with their PR machine, especially when they have the numbers to prove that wasn't the case.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Management of US Air should be hung out to dry because they blamed the employees for the entire mess and now want people to work for free over new years eve. The F/A and baggage handlers union put out the number of sick calls this year vs. last year and it was something like 6 more people this year, hardly enough to cause a meltdown. This screw up is at the top, period. Management however was smart enough with their PR machine to start the rumor of employee sickout and the unions are dumb enough to not fight that with their PR machine, especially when they have the numbers to prove that wasn't the case.

Why doesn't the management just go out there and greet the pax and throw bags if they are so worried about it?

 

[Saabslime]

"To avoid a replay of the fiasco around the New Year's holiday, the airline said it has asked employees to work for free this weekend at Philadelphia International Airport to serve as customer greeters and baggage handlers."

Pay cuts, pay cuts, befefit reductions, and oh by the way we need you to work for free over a holiday. Are these people for real? If anything, I think asking something like that of your workers is only going to make the problem worse. Time to send all the execs. over there a copy of Management for dummies ASAP!!

 

[SLOTH]

snip... if management actually cared ...snip

That's the key statement right there! If management actually cared they need to lead by example and show up to the place that needs the help the most! How dare they ask the workers to come in on their time off for free when they (mgmt) are enjoying the time off with their families! So much for looking out for each other and the spirit of Christmas.

 

[surplus1]

Today's airline management is different from yesterday's airline management. The people in charge (like top management in most other businesses) have no real interest in "running a successful airline", their sole interest is making money, mostly for themselves. The particular enterprise is of no importance to them.

There's probably only one senior airline executive left with any true intererst in making his "airline" successful. As a result, it IS the most successful airline now flying.

The current trend began with the Lorenzo and Carl Ichan set. They can be compared to the CEO's of Enron and WorldCom (and others). This is why we are experiencing the upheaval that we see today. To run a successful airline you have to want to run a successful airline, not just a company that will make you personally wealthy, even though it implodes.

The problems of todays so-called "legacy carriers" did not begin with 9/11, they began much before when their leaders (people with an interest in developing an airtransportation system) were replaced by people whose sole interest was the production of personal wealth.

We would not have a "Microsoft" today if Bill Gate's primary interest was to get himself rich. Likewise, Herb Kellar didn't undertake the struggles of early SWA to make himself rich. That is why both men built successful enterprises that continue to be successful. Like all of us they enjoy money and the things that it provides, but money itself is not their sole purpose in life.

The run of airline executives we've had in the last 20 years were all better suited to managing a garment factory in Malaysia than running an airline.

It's a simplistic veiwpoint, but I think you get the drift.

 

[atrdriver]

Realistically, money IS what it is all about. Not money for the managers, but money for the shareholders. That's the point of any business. What this generation of airline management has forgotten is that the shareholders make more money when the airline is successful, not when it is living day to day in bankruptsy. Maybe it will end when someone figures out how to compensate the executives fairly. IOW, if they do well they get rich, if they run a company into the ground they get nothing.

 

[NuGuy]

Today's airline management is different from yesterday's airline management. The people in charge (like top management in most other businesses) have no real interest in "running a successful airline", their sole interest is making money, mostly for themselves. The particular enterprise is of no importance to them.

Good God, I hate to say it, but I agree with Surplus for once...

Except to add that it's not the just the airline industry that is like this.

These days, its all about short term "profits", image and growth (doesn't matter if its at a loss) and not about long term viability. Remember, at these companies management is NOT the same as ownership.

Others may point to this and say "it's better for the stock holders". Who are the stock holders? You? Me? The little old lady down the street? No, the stockholders (the ones that matter) are the big, big mutual funds and other institutional investors. They can give two craps about long term viability because they make their money on MOVEMENT. Just like the casino, you may win, you may lose, but the house ALWAYS gets it cut, and they are the house. Their choice of "management" reflects that.

Understand this, and you understand the downfall of the American Business.

Nu

 

[Publishers]

Over the years, it has become a short term economy nor a long term one. The same institutions that were telling the American Investor that they needed to invest in the long term and to quit being day traders were in fact trading daily and shorting the market.

Management responds to the values that it is judged by. If you are going to be judged on the quarter to quarter increases, that is how you will play the game.

The airline business is by its nature a long term business. Capital expensditures are for aircraft with 30 year useful lives. Gates, Slots, computer reservation systems, need to be looked at in long term context.

There is a big difference if you tell me how I am goiing to be paid and judged if you say it will be over what I accomplish in the next ten years versus when you say the next three months.

Under this scenario, besides the obvious change to short term thinking, you have to realize that the management there to get you out of the mess is not the managment that got you into it in the first place.

Check out the Aviator if you want to see how it used to be.

 

[sandman2122]

Working for free

USAir must have got the idea of working for free from FedEx because they ask for volunteers to work for free at the hub in Memphis every peak season. AND people actually come out to throw boxes, sort packages, clean up, etc...... Unbelievable.

 

[atrdriver]

USAir must have got the idea of working for free from FedEx because they ask for volunteers to work for free at the hub in Memphis every peak season. AND people actually come out to throw boxes, sort packages, clean up, etc...... Unbelievable.

And there's a he11 of a big difference between the morale in the two companies. If I was being treated well, and wasn't being called the root of all evil by my management, I might be inclined to give up an afternoon to sort packages, or throw bags.

 

[CMonBoard]

Most people have a real problem working for free. I would gladly work for free in some instances. You see, just because you are not getting paid money for a task, doesn't necessarily mean you don't get something out of it. You may learn something that you didn't know before that you can use to make money later or a new skill you can use if you ever get furloughed.

This is all a moot point because CNBC reported today that they were going to be paid.

I was deadheading somewhere this summer and the woman sitting next to me was an architect that owned her own business. She told me a story about how they had a huge project deadline coming up and although it wasn't required, all of their employees in this small organization save one showed up on the weekend to help get the project done. The following Monday, she cut checks for everyone that was there over the weekend equivalent to 2 weeks pay. Guess what? The person that didn't show up wasn't given one of these bonuses and actually had the gall to complain!

 

[CatYaaak]

.....

....Guess what? The person that didn't show up wasn't given one of these bonuses and actually had the gall to complain!

Well, maybe that person was...you know...."sick".

 

[doh]

Surplus1,
Amen, my brother, amen
Publishers,
Management no longer represents the best interests of shareholders. They only look out for themselves, and I think there needs to be criminal penalties for their behavior.

 

[capt. megadeth]

And there's a he11 of a big difference between the morale in the two companies. If I was being treated well, and wasn't being called the root of all evil by my management, I might be inclined to give up an afternoon to sort packages, or throw bags.

I agree.