Ex-United pilots weigh future without pension

[skykid]

enigma,


I think if you'll read through this thread you'll see nobody is pointing fingers or being too hard on these retirees, and they do have my sympathy. Besides pointing out the obvious that you have to take care of your own retirement, I would like to point out its in my opinion a little distasteful to let yourself be interviewed about this. Here's my name in the article explaining how my pension is going from 100K to 30K, and the next page is news of the war casualties. If the public has any sympathy left over after reading about the soldiers killed today, maybe we can take a moment for somebody selling their vacation home or holding off on a new car. These articles don't increase sympathy for the retirees, they have the opposite effect, and there is nothing wrong with pointing that out.

It would be more compelling to interview one of the Eastern or Pan Am guys who only got 10 years towards retirement at UAL, than a 30+ year guy. My guess is none of those guys would talk to a reporter - they're too busy laughing about it and enjoying life.

 

[Big Beer Belly]

In spite of all that, I max out my IRA, my childrens' education IRAs and my 401k.

Deleted

 

[canyonblue]

UAL Retired Pilots Emergency - How You Can Help

Amidst the worst catastrophe in recent history, people all over the world are opening up their hearts with an outpouring of support and generosity and asking how they can help. Here are some ways you can help retired UAL pilots and families affected by the possible pension loss.

Donate to our relief and reconstruction efforts. The initial response from the public has been overwhelming for our emergency relief efforts, but long term health, psychosocial and child protection programs will require much more funding. Click here to donate on-line to the
Retired UAL pilots Relief Fund

To send a check, make it out to Save the Pilots, and in the memo section indicate Wheresmyretirement/Pension Relief Fund. Mail the check to: Save the Pilots, 54 Tilton Road , Eastport , CT 06880 .

Make your gift go farther. Find out if your company has a matching gift program http://www.matchinggifts.com/savethepilots/.

Donate stock. Donating appreciated securities, such as stock or mutual funds, to Save the Pilots is a tax-wise approach for providing for children in need.

Urge Congress to protect Retired pilots in emergencies. In humanitarian emergencies such as the UAL Pension disaster, Congress must ensure that vulnerable Pilots are protected from exploitation.

Have your company send an email. Many companies have created their own emails asking employees to support our relief efforts. Include a link to our website www.savethepilots.org

Link to our site. If you have a website, you can download banners and promote our relief efforts. Read our policy and access Pilot crisis banners at the end of the page.

Request a school kit. Save the Pilots has developed materials for use in classrooms to provide teachers with the means to help their students understand and cope with the disaster.

Help your kids cope. Concerned about the emotional well-being of their children, many parents, teachers, grandparents and mentors are looking for advice on how to respond to questions from children about unsettling and upsetting events taking place with the retired UAL pilots. Read our Ten tip to help kids cope with diaster.

Share your thoughts and enlist support. We strongly encourage you to share your own thoughts and experiences with people you know along with the link to our web site www.savethepilots.org. This has proven to be a very effective way of building support.

 

[skykid]

yaks and enigma,

I take it back, you can now see a perfect example of arrogance/ignorance on this thread.

 

[TAZ MAN]

yaks and enigma,

I take it back, you can now see a perfect example of arrogance/ignorance on this thread.

I second that.

 

[SWAdude]

I third that.

Canyonblue must not have experienced the challenges of the airline business like many of the SWA pilots have. He certainly does not represent the overall feeling that we have towards others that are facing uncertainty in their futures. Most of us also know that things can be completely different in a very short period of time no matter where you work.

This airline depression affects all of us in some way. Whether its a friend who is furloughed, or the constant reminder that our industry is in trouble. Any airline, including Southwest, is vulnerable to the dynamics of the industry. Not believing so is just plain ignorant.

Good luck to all of us.

SWAdude

 

[canyonblue]

SWAdude, if you would have clicked on one of the links above you would have figured out that my post was a satire of what is more important than a UAL pilots pension, The Tsunami Relief Fund for people that have lost far more than even you. I know maybe you and some others on this board have been through furloughs and pay cuts but you are now employed at Southwest and have a bright future. These people have decades of ruin in front of them, perhaps they can't feel your pain of driving a car that is five years old as they are walking miles and miles to get to drinking water. And yes I have donated, and I know you probably have also. Yea, it sucks for anyone that counted on a retirement, but lets get a little fu(king perspective.

 

[SWAdude]

SWAdude, if you would have clicked on one of the links above you would have figured out that my post was a satire of what is more important than a UAL pilots pension, The Tsunami Relief Fund for people that have lost far more than even you. I know maybe you and some others on this board have been through furloughs and pay cuts but you are now employed at Southwest and have a bright future. These people have decades of ruin in front of them, perhaps they can't feel your pain of driving a car that is five years old as they are walking miles and miles to get to dinking water. And yes I have donated, and I know you probably have also. Yea, it sucks for anyone that counted on a retirement, but lets get a little fu(king perspective.

You seem to think a disaster minimizes the effect a person feels when their pension has been taken away from them.

Your are mistaken. Have some empathy man.

OUR future is only as bright as our next quarterly report. Things can change awfully fast my friend. To think otherwise is ignorant. We work in an extremely volitile industry. Ten years ago all the United pilots feel the same as you right now. Invincible. My how it can change quickly.

Respectfully,

SWAdude

 

[canyonblue]

You seem to think a disaster minimizes the effect a person feels when their pension has been taken away from them.

You think the UAL Pension problem is even close to what happened in Asia? And I though we did drug testing at Southwest. I am not invincible, and neither are you.

 

[SWAdude]

You think the UAL Pension problem is even close to what happened in Asia?

You just don't get it...do you. I think this is a forum about our industry. If you want to compare anything to a disaster....you win.

 

[SWAdude]

I am not invincible, and neither are you.

Never said or acted anything that indicated I was.

 

[canyonblue]

You just don't get it...do you. I think this is a forum about our industry. If you want to compare anything to a disaster....you win.

Oh sorry I thought I was on tsunamiinfo.com.

 

[SWAdude]

Oh sorry I thought I was on tsunamiinfo.com.

This is exactly why someone called you arrogant/ignorant. Like at work, you represent our company on this forum.

And your not doing a very good job.

 

[canyonblue]

Sorry. But thanks for another avoidance bid prospect.

 

[SWAdude]

Sorry. But thanks for another avoidance bid prospect.

No....THANK YOU!! I would not want to fly with someone with such a lack of empathy. It would be all about you.

And your showing your maturity again. Or lack of.