Ultra Grump, et al
Here are a few interesting excerpts from an article regarding the "rise and fall" of United Airlines.
The article is entitled "The Legacy Airlines have lost $33 Billion, since the beginning of 2001"
"(the union management) preached that all the union employees had to do was to maintain "solidarity," and they could expand their own economic prosperity simply by demanding that United Airlines capitulate to their every demand. The gullible rank-n-file actually believed.... that the customers would keep flocking to their doors, no matter how much they abused those loyal customers, no matter how high the ticket prices had to go to support all those obscene labor union costs, hanging like millstones about United's neck.
The Summer From Hell, reveals how Frederick Dubinsky (labor representative) was directly responsible for the beginning of the end, at United Airlines.
Of all the 25,000 canceled flights, of all the customers stranded by United Airlines' summer of delays and disservice three years ago
Dubinsky promised hard-nosed tactics. Dubinsky in one meeting repeated his oft-stated philosophy of negotiations. "We don't want to kill the golden goose,'' he said. "We just want to choke it by the neck until it gives us every last egg." With United "awash in cash," in Dubinsky's words, he figured the goose had plenty of eggs to spare.
As long as anyone is willing to accept the idea that wealth and abundance can be produced, just by union "solidarity" forcing the employer to capitulate to every irrational demand of the union bosses----without any regard to the realities in the Free Market Place----then union jobs will continue to go the way of the Dodo Bird. Loyalty to one's peer group is a poor substitute for understanding the basic laws and fundamental facts of economics."
Anyone heard of this Fred "Jim Jones" Dubinksky guy? How did it work out for United? (what was it again? About $215/share before Dubinsky and $1.70/share after Dubinsky). I wonder what he's doing now?
If you do know him, and don't care, perfect, let's all just "put on our white sneakers and drink the koolaid" together.
The "chicken game" is almost over fellas. The market will demand it.