Polar Air Cargo, 30 days out from possible strike.

[treetopflyer]

anyone have confirmation of this??


got some friends on the polar side and that sucks if it is true.

 

[Digital]

Seems like a poor move on the company's part!

If you fire 50 guy's which are on probation. Most likely the majority of those guys would not return. At least I wouldn't. The cost would be astounding to the company when negotiations were completed. You would not face only the cost of retraining "X" amount of crews, but you would struggle to recover the lost revenue while the needed crews came up to speed. And I guarentee that the senior guys would not be bought by overtime after such tactics against there fellow pilots had been taken. Just my thoughts.. Sounds like you guys have a fairly cohesive group. I truly wish you all the best!! These things tend to get pretty messy before they begin to turn. Again, good luck!

 

[1800 RVR]

Atlas Mangement is in the process today of notifying probationary crew members in the Polar side that they are FIRED. Atlas management is using this strategy during the 30 day cooling off period to strike fear into the pilot group.

There are about 50+ pilots at Polar that are still on probabtion, and they are all being fired as of today....just because they can.

Gotta love this biz.

You've gotta be sh*ttin' me? What a new low by a management group, if it is true!

 

[I.P. Freley]

I heard a rumor of this last week, but after speaking to a friend of mine today at Polar (who is not on probation) he made no mention of this threat materializing.

Can anyone confirm?

 

[rudderdog]

A friend at Polar was "fired" today. He has been there about 6 months and was told to expect an Atlas class in a few weeks. Seems they are trying to get a "short course" (a week or so) approved by the FAA.

Also.....it appears that he will be placed on the BOTTOM of the seniority list for now as the merger is on hold. Hopefully, when it's all over and the merger is back on, the negotiations will provide these guys with some restitution....in the form of seniority.

Just when you think you've seen it all.

 

[bman]

oh its true!

But come on does it surprise anyone?! R U Kiddin?!

Here's the deal the Polar fleet will be reduced from 12 to 9 over the next few weeks. Which means furloughs and downgrades at Polar in both fleet types effective immediately. Mgmt says we been takin it in the poop shoot on scheduled service due to the rising price of fuel (Usually these guys play loose and fast with the truth, but this I believe). ACMI can shield a company from some market flux with fuel. Polar is the scheduled side of the house so those planes are being returned to Atlas with one 200 being sold.

Polar cats have been up in arms and really vocal about their position (oh the much coveted China route authority. its authority boys they aint gotta operate those routes), but the situation is totally not in their favor. Carrier in a carrier operations always weaken the negotiating position of the labor force. And Atlas has been hiring full bore.

Guys pay attention Mgmt ain't stupid they plan this S$#t. This isn't europe where unions still matter. Look at NWA AMFA they are gonna get layed off or fired strike or no stike its a done deal. It sux but these are the realties that we live with. Labor law in this country has been Evicerated and continues to be so (we know by whom too!)

I feel really bad for my friends at Polar and I have friends there. This will get worse before it gets better

 

[Capt.LongThrust]

Rudderdog,

Looks like we dodged a bullet on that one. Wow just when you think management can't get any $hittier, another management team comes along and trumps them. Hopefully every one of those 50 guys leave and hose that whole operation. People that pull that kind of thing should be behind bars.

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

So far only the 400 drivers have been fired, no calls to the classic crews yet......yet. Probably coming tomorrow.

Looks like it will come down to the Atlas MEC and if they support the Polar side.....which they should since their contract is up in January and they have to fight this very same fight next year. If they do not, I am sure the company will do the very same thing to them and transfer flying away from their crews and start the mass firings.

Interesting times.....getting the popcorn out to watch.


It does set a new low for managment types for sure.

 

[RideandDrive]

They fired all of the probationary -400 pilots (basically everyone hired from February 2005) today.

I know...I was one of them.

 

[I.P. Freley]

Yikes... So how many people is that? 50?

 

[User Name]

Not fun...

All true. A lot of people are getting caught up in some history too. Apparently when Atlas was in negotiations a couple years ago, Polar was quite open about flying Atlas' struck work - if the Atlas guys were to strike. Not a precedent to set. Management played the same game and took Atlas planes over to Polar, now Atlas is getting the planes back. Who the hell knows what will happen when Atlas pilots have to negotiate in a year or so. Any insight into the above history would be appreciated from more experienced collegues, I am quite naive about it all being a new guy at Atlas. Worst case for Polar crew is a "merger" by management - all planes come to Atlas or are sold and bye-bye Polar with hiring preference to Polar pilots and of course to the bottom of seniority at Atlas. That last scenario is all speculation, but within the realm of reality. Best wishes to all.

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

It is my understanding that the Narita slots are POLAR only and ATLAS is NOT allowed to fly them, is that correct and are the China slots the same way?

 

[Whale Rider]

Its amazing how the critics here have failed to point to out the contract fact that No Polar pilot can be furloughed as long as there is an Atlas pilot flying Polar planes on Polar routes. Speaking of routes, those contracts in China, Korea, Japan, and the military contracts are non-transferrable. If anyone else flies them they will loose them up to a rebid amongst the cargo carriers. Just because of current events, Polar is not fininshed yet. No speculation, these are facts.

Stay United Polar!!!!!

 

[rtmcfi]

Atlas folks-
Help out the Polar guys. You are next.....

 

[rudderdog]

Atlas folks-
Help out the Polar guys. You are next.....

I would expect this, especially if Atlas is ALPA as opposed to the APA.

 

[b747dogg]

Atlas folks-
Help out the Polar guys. You are next.....

Polar guys should of thought of this when they sold out the Atlas guys in the 11th hour. It's Karma!!!

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Polar guys should of thought of this when they sold out the Atlas guys in the 11th hour. It's Karma!!!

Thats the way you are going to beat a common enemy............turn your guns on your allies.


The past is the past, different MEC's now and probably half the sen list wasn't around back then. A lot has changed since then, common managment now, common ground staff etc...in fact about the only thing not merged yet is the crews. If Polar gets boned now and ends up with a very substandard contract, Which contract do you think is going to be the one that Managment wants for the combined carrier?

Kind of like if we told the British to stuff IT back in 42.......sorry we got the Japanese to deal with, plus we are still mad about that whole War of 1812 thing.....how dare you burn down the White House!!!!

 

[Fliteidol]

Are the Atlas/Polar MEC`s talking to each other? Was the "interim" offer from managment proposed to or voted on by the membership or was there a standing order to reject it if it did not meet certain and all criteria? Firing 50 type rated (50 x $$$$$$$) pilots seems extreme to me, very sad!

 

[410dude]

I heard from some UPS guys just the other day that the rumor of them buying Polar is alive and well again. This time it could have some merit with them about to strike. Actually they said UPS just wants the -400s and nothing else.

 

[Fliteidol]

Fu*k off 410Dope, the adults are talking!