Union at Shares

[Bugsmasher Plus]

Hmmm... interesting. I am a former "management" stooge if that is what you want to call it that has seen unions from angles that I'm certain that nearly all pilots haven't. How many ruined careers does it take to take the position that unions aren't a good thing? One, two, or thousands? I've had to completely rework my career twice due to union activity, and I have many friends that have also been "sacrificed" that actually belonged to the union that was supposed to protect them. Instead of taking concessions to protect the entire group, we watched the union keep the pay and benefits for the top 2/3 and sacrifice the bottom third, many of them with more than five years of seniority. My sarcasm above was directly related to the statement that the contract was what made NJ attractive. Bulls**t. NJ is attractive because Uncle Warren respects what the entire company does as a whole and not what the contract says. Southwest is the same way. Kellaher built the respect and the old union leadership signed a ten year agreement that worked. Herb is gone and the new union leadership is already playing games now that the contract is amendable. It is guys like you that aren't willing or able to step into leadership roles to help the company that cause union intervention in the first place. You would rather be led around like a lemming by your union than be a solution to the problem. As far as being a small man that wants to be a big man... that's a joke. I've been close enough to the "big man" in a major carrier and watched him pull the hair out of his head when he couldn't do things for his people because he was handuffed by a contract. The contract works both ways. You might think that it does great things, but I've seem it hurt more people than it's helped. Look at all the layoffs over the last four years. Each layoff was preceded by a headline of labor discord by each carrier just before bankrupcty. The last carrier to be placed into bankruptcy was Delta and they are the least unionized which allowed them the flexibility to keep more of their staff than any other carrier. In the end, it was still the union that forced their hand and the bankruptcy occurred. Look at the USAir guys right now and the merger. Another labor related horror show. You may love your union, but your union doesn't love you. One last thought, you can remain insignificant within your union. I will continue to reap the benefits of pay and job security because I am NO LONGER involved in a company with a union. We both made a choice, for me I like my choice. Some people need others to think for them, to those I say find a union, but be prepared to have periods of discord and live though a roller coaster throughout your career.

long winded but a good post

 

[FRLWD]

I've been close enough to the "big man" in a major carrier and watched him pull the hair out of his head when he couldn't do things for his people because he was handuffed by a contract.

So.......Do you think the "big man" was pulling his hair out when he negotiated his own contract??

Let's face it, no CEO would accept a job without a contract and a golden parachute to protect themselves. Look at the CEO of FLOPS, I'm sure he enjoys his contract, which allows him personal use of company airplanes. Meanwhile, he hires a law firm to prevent the pilots from getting a contract, then starts slashing away at crew meals, hotels, insurance, and any other benefit the pilots enjoy.

A contract is the only way the pilots will have control of their working environment.

There is no perfect company, CEO, or union. But having personally worked for both union and non-union companies, I'd prefer to work under a contract.

 

[pilotpat]

Gee, Ed, I think you may have blown a phitzer valve there, buddy. Be careful. Now, I would not elude to having the CEO "pimp" out his family (I'm sure there's a joke in there, but that'd be a tad low) and start giving away stuff. I understand the men and women who have earned such a high level title deserve to be well compensated for their work. However, I was responding to B19's post simply stating that during the "horrible" downward spiral prior to 9/11 that the CEO's were getting rather hefty bonuses while asking others to take paycuts. That seems a little askewed to me. That's all.

Now, to your second comment...dude, I think you are the one who needs to get a grip. I was simply stating that with the .com companies driving fares down (read: cutting into profit margins) how can we blame the whoa's on the union alone. I keep trying to understand your diatribe of "Me, MEE" stuff and can't for the life of me see where I stated any of it, but whatever - get that phitzer valve checked.

And as far as dressing up to go flying; I guess maybe you never flew back in the 70's and early 80's to understand that I was commenting in a reminiscing way. Don't try to put words in my post that I'm saying people need to dress up because they have the privilege of flying with me, the professional pilot. 'Cuz that's just bullsh!t.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Gee, Ed, I think you may have blown a phitzer valve there, buddy. Be careful. Now, I would not elude to having the CEO "pimp" out his family (I'm sure there's a joke in there, but that'd be a tad low)

It's "allude" not "elude." Elude means you avoided someone or something. Allude means you made reference to something. To quote Crash Davis: "I hate it when they get the words wrong!"

End of English lesson. Continue flame.

 

[pilotpat]

Sorry...did not elude the dictionary police...lol

EDIT: We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread. And hopefully, back on the topic of Shares and not historical stuff. If you guys wanna debate old union things, I'd suggest we go to the Union threads.

 

[el raton]

Oh here we go with the executive bonus b.s. Yeah you're right Pat, the frickin' CEO ought to give away his house, and pimp out his wife and 14 year old daughter, together, so that we can get every single dollar possible from the traveling public. And BTW, those cheap ba$tards aren't paying enough, either. Raise prices. Pay us more...More...MORE!!! Save. SAVE all your money so you can pay me...Me...ME...MEEEEEEEE. And you oughta be dressed up when you come aboard. Don't you know what a privilege this is, and what a professional I am..I... III.. Me... MEEE... Money... MONEY....UNION...MEEEEE...

Get a grip, Dude.

B-19, your post - and now his, too - explains the union situation quite well.

Attitudes like that are the reason we get knocked around at Flexjet. Whore.

 

[Humphreybogart]

What do all these long-winded speaches have to do with a union at CitationShares, which is the original post? I heard of alot of great announcements comming at CS, and without even having a union!

 

[Diesel]

Humphry is a rainmaker.

He says a great announcement is coming, its coming soon, it coming.

When something finally comes he says see I told you. You see I told you.

 

[blueridge71]

What do all these long-winded speaches have to do with a union at CitationShares, which is the original post? I heard of alot of great announcements comming at CS, and without even having a union!

I have heard rumors to this effect from highly placed sources also.

 

[JustInfo]

The last CS crew I chatted with was in a hurry to get to the hotel because they were dreading the early wakeup call from the company. Prospective Rest? 91K???