You know what I love about Wal Mart?

[smileyface]

OK, so maybe I came off a little harsh...

But the thing about it is that it didn't have to happen. The company is making record profits, and the Challenger was doing the job quite well. It's a short-sighted knee-jerk reaction by senior management to try and boost the stock prices, which have been floundering for nearly 8 years. The thing that they fail to see, not just with our department, but the company as a whole is that all of these cuts are going to hurt the company in the long run.... it goes back to the simple rule that sometimes you have to spend money to make money. Our senior management has made an exact science of spending tens of thousands of dollars to save hundreds of dollars, and our department management is doing a great job of regulating and pricing all of us out of a job with the silly restrictions and rules that are being imposed on the pilot group and the passengers. For years, our focus was on what we could do for the passengers... now it is on what we can't do. Sure, we're getting a bunch of shiny new LJ45s... but when this round of budget cuts doesn't work, what do you think they will do.... that's right, more cuts! I sincerely hope that I'm wrong, but I think this ship is sinking.

I've taken pay cuts and had airplanes sold out from under me in the past, and I'm sure it will happen again... but this time around it's the principal of the whole thing. If the company was struggling, or the business model changed, it would be easier to take, but neither of those is going on here. It's just simply corporate greed and maybe even a CEO and senior executives looking to save their jobs... and the way our management team handled it pretty much sucked, too. A simple heads up a couple months ago or whenever the possiblilty that they might park the airplane arose would have gone a long way to making this easier.

Anyway, I think I'll turn off all the lights and go get drunk...

 

[SansPlane]

Great post Bender – I wish you would explain why you had it removed! While we want to believe that corporations should be responsible, they are really responsible for making money. Your Congressmen, Senators/Government are the ones supposed to be watching out for you/us and we know how that is going. And FYI – company jets are a luxury. I know there are many persons who effectively make use of a corporate jet but in my experience having accompanied quite a few “executives” on business trips, I rarely was ever able to justify the expense and everyone of them consider it a perk of the job or owning the business.

 

[SansPlane]

A little off topic but in line with the thread drift-

How to become an illegal alien-

The Honorable Tom Harkin
731 Hart Senate Office Building
Phone (202) 224 3254
Washington D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Harkin,

As a native Iowan and excellent customer of the Internal Revenue Service, I am writing to ask for your assistance. I have contacted the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to determine the process for becoming an illegal alien and they referred me to you.

My primary reason for wishing to change my status from U.S. Citizen to illegal alien stems from the bill which was recently passed by the Senate and for which you voted. If my understanding of this bill's provisions is accurate, an illegal alien needs to have been in the United States for five years. If he then wishes to become a citizen he needs only to pay a $2,000 fine and income taxes for three of the last five years. I know a good deal when I see one and I am anxious to get the process started before others figure out the advantages.

Simply put, those of us who have been here legally have had to pay taxes every year, so I'm excited about the prospect of avoiding two years of taxes in return for paying a $ 2,000 fine.
Is there any way that I can apply to be illegal retroactively; This would yield an excellent result for me and my family because we paid heavy taxes in 2004 and 2005.

Additionally, as an illegal alien I could begin using the local emergency room as my primary health care provider. Once I have stopped paying premiums for medical insurance, my accountant figures I could save almost $10,000 a year.

Another benefit in gaining illegal status would be that my daughter would receive preferential treatment relative to her law school applications, as well as 'in-state' tuition rates for many colleges throughout the United States for my son.

Lastly, I understand that illegal status would relieve me of the burden of renewing my driver's license and making those annoying car insurance premiums. This is very important to me given that I still have college age children driving my car.

If you would provide me with an outline of the process to become illegal (retroactively if possible) and copies of the necessary forms, I would be most appreciative. Thank you for your assistance.

Your Loyal Constituent,
David Gillon – (pseudonym)
Burlington, IA

 

[smileyface]

Bender had the post removed out of respect for me and the other 5 pilots that had the rug jerked out from under us.... and for that I say thanks, Bender.

I don't want to come off as a whiner or malcontent... but after more than 10 years of being patted on the back and told "well done, good and faithful servant" being kicked in the teeth like this isn't easy to swallow. I probably never should have started this thread, as I'm sure by now my management team has read it and will retaliate in some fashion, but my frustration with management and the company has reached a breaking point... it just happened that y'all were the lucky victims of my venting... and it just happened that I was sitting in front of the computer with the TV on and one of those obnoxious "You know what I love about Wal Mart" commericals came on... my wife has had to take all of the candles, coasters and remotes away from the living room because she's afraid that I'm going to break the TV when I throw things at those commercials...

 

[CUBMAN]

nevermind

 

[smileyface]

Wow, what a class act, Cubman.

If you read my posts, I never said anything about there being anything wrong with the domestic side. My beef is with management, not anyone in the pilot group.

Sounds like sour grapes to me.

 

[CUBMAN]

sounds like you might have a few sour grapes yourself.

 

[CUBMAN]

Ok, Smiley Face. It isn't sour grapes. I am junior to you most likely. I shouldn't of hit you when you were down. Hope it all works out for you. Let's keep it in the family.

 

[Blues604]

Smileyface...I flew with you after your promotion into international, (brownnosing past many pilots in the process) and it was evident that it was a blow to your ego to fly a little ol' lawndart with the rest of us.

 

[bizjet800]

Walmart IS a Socialist institution, they love for the government, or more specifically you and I, to pay for their healthcare. In 2003 (or about then) California had to subsidize nearly $90 million to Walmart for their employee’s healthcare. Why should I help the world’s largest retailer pay for their healthcare? Anyone who can explain that should be a politician! That logic doesn’t make any sense, AND NEVER WILL!!! If you think Walmart is a good company, apply for a job anywhere in California and they’ll give you an application for public benefits! And just because 500 trillion people shop at the world’s largest retailer each week, doesn't make it right! The real issue here is standards, or lack thereof at Walmart. Look what our industry has become. Look at companies like Skybus and how they have lowered the bar so low it’s now a line in the sand. What are we going to do when airline captains are in line for food stamps? If you think that is unreal you try supporting a wife and two kids on a $65,000 a year.

And for the “Stalinistic” comment, well, I have news for you, we are not a “true capitalistic society.” Ever heard of minimum wage? unemployment benefits? disability insurance? And the endless list of government programs?

Like I said, ANYONE WHO SHOPS AT WALMART OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!

 

[smileyface]

It strikes me as funny how quickly most threads on this and other boards degenerate into personal attacks. I simply started this thread to vent a little and see if anyone knew of any good 601 jobs out there... and in a little over 24 hrs I've been attacked multiple times. I guess the anonimity that an online forum give brings out everyones true colors.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

WalMart is a totalarism regime... as is corp America... does any employee have choice?

 

[Swass]

Apparently you aren't anonymous, seems to me that most know who you are.

 

[jdubya]

I've always heard horror stories about Wal-Mart Aviation over the years.
Good luck to the CL pilots there.

 

[airplane wizard]

ANYONE WHO SHOPS AT WALMART OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!

You won't catch me in one of their s**thole stores.

 

[Blues604]

It strikes me as funny how quickly most threads on this and other boards degenerate into personal attacks. I simply started this thread to vent a little and see if anyone knew of any good 601 jobs out there... and in a little over 24 hrs I've been attacked multiple times. I guess the anonimity that an online forum give brings out everyones true colors.

I guess the anonymity brought out your true colors when you started lambasting your company and management team. It's a good thing management isn't the vindictive type or I would feel sorry for the pilots that get stuck flying with you over the next few weeks.

None of the CL pilots are out of a job...period. They can leave and get a very lucrative severance package, move to the Home Office (yuk), or keep flying for Wally World with a pay cut. As much as many of them moaned about how small the raise was to fly the CL, the pay cut shouldn't be that much.

I feel sorry for the pilots that enjoyed flying the international trips. I know they will miss the challenges of international flying and all the cool places they used to go. But I've flown a great deal with these people and I think most of them will suck it up, and take it in stride. However, a pilot who's ego is driven by the type of plane he flies is in the business for the wrong reason and bound to be disappointed sooner or later.

 

[smileyface]

The anonimity of this forum didn't influence anything that I've said here. What I've stated is my extreme displeasure with the management teams' handling of this downsizing. I've not said anything that I haven't either already said or intend to say to management face-to-face. I have not "lambasted" the company, that was done by others. I don't have a rabid hate for the company as some others on this board obviously do. In the 10+ years that I've been here I've worked with some great people, and I wouldn't trade the time spent here for anything. I have simply stated my opinion about how this situation was handled and speculated on possible explanations of why this all came about, which is well within my rights as an American citizen.

I'm not sure exactly how you know we were offered a "very lucrative severance package", as it's not even been offered to us yet. We are meeting with management the first of the week to formally discuss our options.

As for your dislike of me personally, I'm sorry that you feel that way. I have always tried to maintain a professional attitude with my co-workers, as I will continue to do, regardless of where I work or what equipment I'm flying. If you would like to discuss what I've done to displease you, I'd be happy to do so.... I'm sure you have my phone number on the company phone list, but if not, let me know and I'd be happy to PM it to you.

As I've said before, I started this thread partially out of anger and to enquire if anyone out there knew of any Challenger job openings.

 

[lazyace75]

The anonimity of this forum didn't influence anything that I've said here. What I've stated is my extreme displeasure with the management teams' handling of this downsizing. I've not said anything that I haven't either already said or intend to say to management face-to-face. I have not "lambasted" the company, that was done by others. I don't have a rabid hate for the company as some others on this board obviously do. In the 10+ years that I've been here I've worked with some great people, and I wouldn't trade the time spent here for anything. I have simply stated my opinion about how this situation was handled and speculated on possible explanations of why this all came about, which is well within my rights as an American citizen.

I'm not sure exactly how you know we were offered a "very lucrative severance package", as it's not even been offered to us yet. We are meeting with management the first of the week to formally discuss our options.

As for your dislike of me personally, I'm sorry that you feel that way. I have always tried to maintain a professional attitude with my co-workers, as I will continue to do, regardless of where I work or what equipment I'm flying. If you would like to discuss what I've done to displease you, I'd be happy to do so.... I'm sure you have my phone number on the company phone list, but if not, let me know and I'd be happy to PM it to you.

As I've said before, I started this thread partially out of anger and to enquire if anyone out there knew of any Challenger job openings.

You say you will always maintain a professional attitude while your description says that your current position is MISSIONARY.

Now I don't care who you are but that's funny!

I'm sorry but I couldn't resist.....

 

[Swaayze]

I hope you're not including me as attacking you. Didn't mean it that way and I certainly understand your frustrations. I also didn't realize it was one of those no-notice deals that we often hear about, pretty chickensh!t IMO, but not all that out of the ordinary from what I hear.

Try to enjoy the good news, that you can do domestic while searching for an out. Focusing on the negatives will just do you wrong; believe me, I know.

Good luck!

 

[smileyface]

You say you will always maintain a professional attitude while your description says that your current position is MISSIONARY.

Now I don't care who you are but that's funny!

I'm sorry but I couldn't resist.....

That is funny... I had totally forgotten that I put that there. Part of a professional attitude is a sense of humor, which I try to maintain...

Anyway, I know that it will all work out in the end, it's just a matter of getting there.