Herb to the rescue!!

[OakRBust]

Hopefully we can get this Flight Attendant contract into high gear!!



CEO Jim Parker made the following announcement at the Dallas Message to the Field on April 19 regarding an important issue that has been very prominent on the minds of Southwest Employees:

"As you know, we have been negotiating contracts for many years at Southwest Airlines. In fact, we have negotiated five contracts with various work groups just since 9/11. Throughout it all, we have had our differences, but we have always maintained our shared vision for the future of Southwest Airlines. For some reason though, the contract negotiations in which we presently find ourselves involved have become very personal and, therefore, have gotten off track.

"I have given the status of our negotiations quite a bit of personal thought and consideration about what I could do to get our negotiations back on track. I am concerned that we are in danger of losing the fundamental elements of civility, courtesy, and mutual respect that underpin our culture. Our shared goal must be to negotiate the very best contract we can for our Flight Attendants and for our entire Company–one that will offer a secure future both to our great Flight Attendants, and to all the rest of our outstanding Employees as well.

"In the spirit of Southwest Teamwork, of trying to always do the right thing for our Company, I have concluded that I should ask somebody else to assume the role of chief negotiator with respect to this particular contract, so that I might stand aside from that role. Fortunately, our Chairman Herb Kelleher has agreed to accept this assignment. I have every expectation that Herb will combine his universally respected intellect and business judgment and his well-known LUV for our Employees to move these negotiations forward. In taking this step, I hope that it will allow us to restore the civility and mutual respect that have traditionally surrounded our contract negotiations and which are so important to our culture and to the future of our Company. And I hope that it will allow us to remember that we are all on the same Team–the Southwest Airlines Team."

The Message to the Field audience of approximately 3,000 responded with several standing ovations in support of Jim’s Message, his goal of offering a secure future for each of us, and in appreciation for his hard work and dedication to our Company.


Cyaaaaaaa


Oak

 

[donger]

Imagine that!!!

A CEO that knows when he had met his challenge... or is it a case of bringing in the big guns?

 

[majortool]

Wow, I find this very interesting. I do not agree with the way this has been handled as Jim Parker has now lost credibility with the workforce as a leader. It is kind of like trying to defend yourself against a bully and then calling in your mother.

It sounds to me like the FA's have them exactly where they want them because they know that SWA doesn't like to tarnish their wonderful PR. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[N1atEcon]

my 2 cents

I don't think he has lost any credibility. I have talked to many FA's and even some from their Union. For many reasons this work group and managment could not agree to much. Now i have seen some of the stuff put out by their Union. It was childish and very personal towards Mr. Parker. Not the company, but Mr Parker. If that would have been our Union I think the membership would have put a halt to the antics. I also saw a packet of the stuff put out by the company. Some of that was misleading also if you didn't read it well.. Retro pay ect. But the fact is they stuck. So why drag it out? It isn't good for the FA's and its not good for the company. Get it done and move on. It is now going to be Herb presenting the same #'s that are already crunched.

 

[RJones]

Who's going to negotiate with the Flight Attendant's when Herb's gone?

 

[spanky2]

Hey, SWA folks...a recent DAL VP for negotiations (one, Mr Erskine) recently jumped ship. He is probably available to help out as a gun-for-hire. But then again, he may be busy counting his money from the SERP....thjat was supposed to keep him from leaving.

 

[SWA/FO]

The FA's wont get away with personal attacks towards Herb. Thus they will be able to focus on the task at hand or be forced too. They will lose what fans they have if they start talking $hit about Herb.

 

[cargoflyr69]

<<Who's going to negotiate with the Flight Attendants when Herb's gone?>>

Good question. SWA could wind up like a Walmart of the skies. Remeber Sam Walton's humble begining and small town mentality? I remember how he never wanted to open a store that would negatively impact a community. Well, years later after he is gone look at Walmart. Now run by greedy CEOs with seemingly no regard for humanity -- or its employees. If I'm not mistaken Walmart is one of our nations largest employers and pays its employees so little. Let's not forget how much of it's merchandise isn't actually "made in the USA" as they would lead you to belive.

OK my rant is getting long... My point is that once the founders of a company move on, corporate vision can and often times change. Things have the potential of going south.

 

[furloughfodder]

....SWA could wind up like a Walmart of the skies....

Could?

 

[SWAInflt]

I have supported Thom McDaniel and the rest of my NT from the very beginning...still do.. but we have flexed our muscles and forced Jim to step aside but in the process we spent every last penny of our political capital. The time has come to go back to the table take a long hard look and what we really can get then take it and run.

I'm ready and willing to sign off on a TA somewhere comfortably between what the union wants to get and what the company wants to give. I think a 12 year top out is only fair but, I can live with 14. Sweeten the TFP pot a little and I'll gladly settle for substandard duty rigs or none at all. I recently started doing some F/A recruiting and I thought the hopefuls would cut and run when they heard what the starting pay is...some do. Most don't. A starting pay north of what we have now but south of jetBlue will still bring em in.

In the end, the very real prospect of a work action that could leave us all unemployed will send the silent majority with mortgages to pay and mouths to feed running into Herb's comforting arms at warp speed. The only question is do enough of my co-workers feel the same way I do and will my union leadership have to guts to eat a little crow and bring such a proposal to us. I think they do. They are smart men and women who have run one heckuva campaign and agree or disagree, done a better job of focusing and uniting the membership than any previous negotiating team. However, I think they know that if they're hanging their hats on painting Herb with the same tar and feather brush they used on Jim, we're all screwed.