NetJets Unrest Puts Warren Buffett in a Rare Pinch

[Sky Captain]

Agreed. But the results, it seems to me, of the union hardball could very well be a loss of a lot of pilot jobs, which would be a bad thing. Don't results, instead of emotion, matter at all?

What emotion? How do YOU expect to get results? Actually, the question for you would be "what results are YOU looking to get?" You have posted enough for us to figure out that a $1 raise would beat your expectations and be an outstanding RESULT.

Again, the company started the hardball. The Union is just answering in kind. If we lose business, sales, pilot jobs, etc. it was due to management's desire to focus on Union Busting and creating "labor problems" versus focusing on remaining the best BRAND and market leader.

There's nothing cavalier about losing jobs or business. But put the blame where it deserves.

A weak lap dog can be kicked once and will forever tuck its tail between its legs. Try that with a Pit bull and see what happens. The Union is the Pit bull after it was kicked by JH and the EMT. Quit being a lap dog.

 

[CA1900]

You were doing so well in this post until you HAD to snarl a little. Remember 2008/2009? We lost hundreds of millions and Warren hung with us. Our jobs were secure.

I can think of about 500 pilots who would disagree with you, plus a whole bunch at headquarters who were walked out by security. That's job security to you?

 

[G4dude]

I can think of about 500 pilots who would disagree with you, plus a whole bunch at headquarters who were walked out by security. That's job security to you?

I don't see your point. The layoffs were necessary because our business shrank in the Great Recession. I don't expect job security if the company no longer needs/wants my services. Featherbedding kills employers really fast.

 

[G4dude]

What emotion? How do YOU expect to get results? Actually, the question for you would be "what results are YOU looking to get?" You have posted enough for us to figure out that a $1 raise would beat your expectations and be an outstanding RESULT.



Again, the company started the hardball. The Union is just answering in kind. If we lose business, sales, pilot jobs, etc. it was due to management's desire to focus on Union Busting and creating "labor problems" versus focusing on remaining the best BRAND and market leader.

There's nothing cavalier about losing jobs or business. But put the blame where it deserves.

A weak lap dog can be kicked once and will forever tuck its tail between its legs. Try that with a Pit bull and see what happens. The Union is the Pit bull after it was kicked by JH and the EMT. Quit being a lap dog.

I am a lap dog because I disagree with you about how BAD NJA is and how the "embarass Warren" campaign will bring us what we want in the ongoing negotiations? Or is it I just disagree with you about the quality of our jobs and about tactics? Gutshotdraw disagrees with me, for instance, but he doesn't call me names, nor do I insult him. And he actually knows who I am. I must say, I am a much better pilot than he is. Heh.

 

[Some guy]

Why does everyone think that WB owning our company is a guarantee? We could wake up to a headline tomorrow that he's done. He's an investor whose primary purpose in life is to make money. How much money have we netted him in 16 years? Nearly nothing. He's also an older man. What if he passes tomorrow? Do you think the board will hang on to a company that has returned 0% on a 16 year investment, or will they cut their ties when the gains or losses will be at a minimum?

All the grumbling aside, being a part of BH has benefited us all, but there is no guarantee we'll be in the portfolio forever. Who would have thought in 2008 that RTS would have left the company to spend time with his family?

SG

 

[gutshotdraw]

I must say, I am a much better pilot than he is. Heh.

I resemble that remark....

 

[Diesel]

WB isn't concerned about the negative publicity and judging from the comments to the article, most of the WSJ readers aren't either.

The pilots shouldn't be fooled into thinking that a WSJ article or picketing is creating some huge amount of pressure on WB. These are a passing annoyance for him. The readers, especially those who own their businesses, will recognize this as a fairly common occurrence in unionized businesses and not pay it any more attention.

What will get WB's attention is declining earnings and negative feedback from the owners.

I'm not worried about the pilots not doing their jobs.

I'm worried about people like family guy and others upstairs screwing it up for us.

Since I've been here the service from NetJets has reached an all time low. As pilots we can't do anything about we do our best but there comes a point with no support and vision from upstairs it's a losing battle.

Yes what will get wb's attention is negative feedback from the owners. He's gotten a ton of it and still hasn't done anything to right the ship in terms of taking care of our owners.

Declining earnings actually takes a seat behind ego. To wind down us would be a huge blow to the ego of Wb. Our owners aren't some people buying paint. They are people he will have to see on a daily basis and ask, " what ever happened to NetJets" "or thanks for screwing me over on my valuation and contract when you wound it down".

Netjets isn't just an aviation company. We pay full retail to a lot of vendors due to either terminated past relationships or to put money in other coffers. Maybe one day someone will explain to me why we can't strike up a fuel deal in teb and have to tanker around it.

In the end guys like family guy and others in cmh are in a nice little bubble. They have protected their castle for years and done a damn good job of it. There is no vision to improve and expand. Just people going through the motions.

A union contract isn't going to bring us down. Just the people in an office with no windows to the future will.

 

[G4dude]

I'm not worried about the pilots not doing their jobs.

I'm worried about people like family guy and others upstairs screwing it up for us.

Since I've been here the service from NetJets has reached an all time low. As pilots we can't do anything about we do our best but there comes a point with no support and vision from upstairs it's a losing battle.

Yes what will get wb's attention is negative feedback from the owners. He's gotten a ton of it and still hasn't done anything to right the ship in terms of taking care of our owners.

Declining earnings actually takes a seat behind ego. To wind down us would be a huge blow to the ego of Wb. Our owners aren't some people buying paint. They are people he will have to see on a daily basis and ask, " what ever happened to NetJets" "or thanks for screwing me over on my valuation and contract when you wound it down".

Netjets isn't just an aviation company. We pay full retail to a lot of vendors due to either terminated past relationships or to put money in other coffers. Maybe one day someone will explain to me why we can't strike up a fuel deal in teb and have to tanker around it.

In the end guys like family guy and others in cmh are in a nice little bubble. They have protected their castle for years and done a damn good job of it. There is no vision to improve and expand. Just people going through the motions.

A union contract isn't going to bring us down. Just the people in an office with no windows to the future will.

I hope you aren't whistling past the graveyard...

 

[FamilyGuy]

Since I've been here the service from NetJets has reached an all time low. As pilots we can't do anything about we do our best but there comes a point with no support and vision from upstairs it's a losing battle.

Yes what will get wb's attention is negative feedback from the owners. He's gotten a ton of it and still hasn't done anything to right the ship in terms of taking care of our owners.

Declining earnings actually takes a seat behind ego. To wind down us would be a huge blow to the ego of Wb. Our owners aren't some people buying paint. They are people he will have to see on a daily basis and ask, " what ever happened to NetJets" "or thanks for screwing me over on my valuation and contract when you wound it down".

Agreed.

We pay full retail to a lot of vendors due to either terminated past relationships or to put money in other coffers. Maybe one day someone will explain to me why we can't strike up a fuel deal in teb and have to tanker around it.

You are off base on this point. NetJets gets huge discounts on pretty much everything it buys. Some of that has been screwed up recently by Jordan's ego and outrageous demands of the vendors. TEB is a good example....just take a look at Jordan's failed lawsuit against the major FBO chains in his ill advised attempt to force the FBOs to let NetJets sell fuel to third parties under the NJ contracts. That will tell you why the FBOs are charging such high rates in TEB, and why the chains are raising prices to NJ.

There is no vision to improve and expand. Just people going through the motions.

No argument here. Jordan has no vision, creativity, or passion for aviation. He's simply managing by the numbers. Similar to someone doing a paint by numbers and thinking they will get a masterpiece.

 

[T-1GUY]

Interesting to hear another pilot is leaving for Delta. You know it is one thing when FO's are leaving for greener pastures, but Captains ? I got a call this week out the blue from another pilot who says he is ready to leave, what advice could I give him? I don't take this lightly. I guess Jordan is busy trying to reset his Captain ratio and his FO salary base to 1st year new hires. The question is "Can the operation survive this"? Where is the tipping point? Working your existing Captains at 125% with brand new First Officers seems like a dangerous game to play for the cost of a COLA raise.