Massive furloughs at Polar

[furloughfodder]

My favorite part about how blind with hate the Atlas guys are, is that they LOVE to bring up something that happened years ago when Atlas was preparing to strike but chickened out.

You guys all seem to believe Polar was somehow going to take over a bunch of your airplanes. Do you really believe that the Polar pilot group, had the power then or now, to take or give planes to you? News flash: we don’t own the planes, either do you! AAWH does. It was management who was going to transfer planes, just like they did when Polar went on strike.

You didn't see Polar pilots complaining when Atlas Worldwide Holdings decided to transfer 5 airplanes back to Atlas prior to our strike did you? It's because we understand that we have no control over which certificate AWWH chooses to place it's planes from one month to the next. Just like we have no control over the fact that right now, as Polar crew members are being furloughed, Atlas Air is operating over 200 flights a month with the Polar call sign. I have never once operated a Polar flight with an Atlas call sign. But we realize that AAWH has that prerogative, even though we think it stinks.

So, while you guys on this board take great pleasure watching 150+ junior Polar crewmembers get the axe, just remember, next time it will probably be you.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

You guys all seem to believe Polar was somehow going to take over a bunch of your airplanes. Do you really believe that the Polar pilot group, had the power then or now, to take or give planes to you? News flash: we don’t own the planes, either do you! AAWH does. It was management who was going to transfer planes, just like they did when Polar went on strike.

Aww what the heck, I'll take the blame on that one too.......I DID IT, I was going to come over to Polar on my days off from my previous job and fly all your planes......for free!!! Just to screw a bunch of pilots I did not know....yeah thats it......

Anything else you what me to take the blame for? I am leaving soon so you might as well make the most of it!

 

[Draginass]

Time to lay off the BB and get that resume into Focus, Cargo 360, Kallitta, etc. Take your type rating and put it to use elsewhere.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Time to lay off the BB and get that resume into Focus, Cargo 360, Kallitta, etc. Take your type rating and put it to use elsewhere.

Actually I was thinking of opening a "House of Ill repute" But then I will probably be blamed for creating the clap or crabs.

I wonder if I can get the girls to PFT? uke:

 

[cfire]

If it makes you boys feel better, IDID IT, I SCREWED YOU ALL, I got hired by Atlas to fly a 747 with a Polar paint job............boy am I a ba$tard or what?


I started to type another long post, but it will serve no purpose other than to have you post links to items that happened prior to the furloughees getting here, so I will refrain.

Oh come on now, the credit doesn't go to you alone. Don't take the credit for what most of your peers have done. You just get the results of their efforts.

The links were to recent events. Did you just get hired in OCT 2006? You gave me the impression you have been here at least 2 years.

weasel_lips

Stay with your current employer. We don't need you raising the IQ at your present employer and lowering Polar/Atlas's by coming over.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Oh come on now, the credit doesn't go to you alone. Don't take the credit for what most of your peers have done. You just get the results of their efforts.

The links were to recent events. Did you just get hired in OCT 2006? You gave me the impression you have been here at least 2 years.

weasel_lips

Stay with your current employer. We don't need you raising the IQ at your present employer and lowering Polar/Atlas's by coming over.

Well at least that one didn't have any links to propaganda sites in it....so we are making progress!

 

[bman]

Neutral Corners

First of to the Junior Polar guys who are getting furloughed that suxs! quite a few of you were in initial indoc with me and I am sad to see it happen to you and surely do consider the fact that I could be sitting right where you are. Maximum suckage!!!

But I think many people on the Polar side miss the point of where the rancor is really coming from on the Atlas side. First we all know that there are rabblerousers everywhere, but they are few. The reality is the Atlas pilot group has a lot of fear (I don't say it as a knock, but as an honest observation). A large part of this group has been treated like an abused animal. Guys who have seen contract manipulation worthy of Houdini, GSS and AACS directly take jobs and suppress opportunities for advancement. And now are faced with a merger from which they will likely not directly benefit from at all. In fact it may go further to suppress upgrade opportunities for FOs who've been here for 8+ years and seen upgrades got to others within the same airline.

A merger with Polar doesn't appear to benefit the Atlas pilot group at all. When the subject is broached it shouldn't be a surprise that an emotional response comes shortly there after.

So what happens now?

It is a fact that the company surely perfers the Atlas contract to the Polar contract. This is plainly obvious as Atlas is flying ACMI polar flights and AAWWH decided to park Polar 200s not Atlas 200s. Which they could have easily done as the only difference in cost is Aircrew, but that's a huge difference! Consider if only that you are all JFK based. One week in a hotel at 1100 bucks is a whole lot less than a biz class fair JFK to Dubai last minute one way! Can you say STN base and RYANAIR?! Trust me there is a Dramatic difference and management knows it. This isn't a whipsaw this is economic plain and simple. That's all Management types understand. This ain't showfriends this is show business!!!

On another note being junior all due respect to your situations doesn't absolve you from the fray. I've had many "junior" guys lambast me on this board for expressing opinions about the strike. Even to the point of some very personal attacks!

You see as is frequently touted the differnce between Atlas and Polar is mindset. The Polar mindset is we're all Polar bros. in this together! You go I go! And the Probies very quickly assimilate this mindset it makes you feel good, but if you've spent anytime in the airline biz you know that is just a farce. All contract are negotiated by and for the Senior Captains. This is like cannon law and is much more inline with how things are over here on cutthroat island. At Atlas the attitude is I will get what I can how I can cause the negotiating commitee don't care about me! (see paragragh 2).

I'm not saying that either extreme is healthy as with anything the moderate approach is the most certain and insightful.

To those on the outside looking in realize that neither of these places are bad places to work. If you can deal with the nature of the job it can be quite a lot of fun and you can make a ton of money if you are willing to exchange your time for money!

Well enough of my drivel

 

[D'Angelo]

This is why its never a good idea to fall on your sword and go on strike. The old days are over guys. Time for arbitration like in baseball. This is the new airline industry not the old regulated one.

 

[furloughfodder]

This is why its never a good idea to fall on your sword and go on strike. The old days are over guys. Time for arbitration like in baseball. This is the new airline industry not the old regulated one.

Yeah, this really works.

Did anyone see how baseball arbitration worked for Alaska Airlines last year?

 

[Kruger Stellman]

I just had the best idea after inhaling the gas from a whip cream can. Lets furlough the Polar guys in reverse order.