You know what I love about Wal Mart?

[smileyface]

Wow, how did that Kool-Aid taste, there Bender?

The thing you fail to see is that the executive committee now has their foot in the door.... the hand is writing on the wall and the fat lady is warming up!

Never in the history of this flight department has an airplane been sold without being immediately replaced. It's kinda like screwing a virgin.... It takes months and months, sometimes even years of planning and manuvering to get in the door, but once you stick it in the first time, it gets easier every time. Thats whats happening in Rogers. The majority of the execs see our department as a huge liability, and would rather spend the money to open regional offices and place the RVPs in their respective territories (which is happening now) than continue to support our department. Look for more cuts to come... the Challenger was just the first to go because it was an easy target. It was not eliminated because it was not useful to the company, it was eliminated because it was expensive (although I find it funny that they didn't even consider that the Global costs nearly double to operate).

As far as the pay cuts... yes, it does hurt. You can sit in your cushy 2nd floor office and spew your Kool-Aid infused drivel to the world, but before you go telling me what a great opportunity it is to go back to the domestic fleet, why don't you give up 25% of your pay and see how that feels.

As for me and mine... I will go back to flying domestic and smile each morning like a good little boy, but any loyalty that I had for the company and any ounce of respect for its management are long gone. I know that something far better will come along, but I have a family to feed right now, so I'll be the mindless little worker drone that the company expects me to be for now.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Well Going Hot and Bender?

 

[Swaayze]

Well that definitely sucks for those guys, but how is this any different than any other company that parks an airplane? When the worst that happens is you still have a decent flying job with a halfway reasonable wage I'd say you should be thanking God. If you don't like it you know what they say: it's better to hunt for a job while you're already employed. I don't mean to sound trite about the negative aspects of this situation, but take a breath and realize it's not nearly as bad as what thousands of pilots have experienced (some more than once) in the past.

Good luck to you guys.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Well that definitely sucks for those guys, but how is this any different than any other company that parks an airplane? When the worst that happens is you still have a decent flying job with a halfway reasonable wage I'd say you should be thanking God. If you don't like it you know what they say: it's better to hunt for a job while you're already employed. I don't mean to sound trite about the negative aspects of this situation, but take a breath and realize it's not nearly as bad as what thousands of pilots have experienced (some more than once) in the past.

Good luck to you guys.

Because Wal mart is such a wealthy company.. it is not like they are struggling... they have a repsonsbility as a global business leader. They could easily give these guys a fair severence package and help them find work...

simply put just becuase disrespecting your employees is common place doesn't make it right...

 

[BenderGonzales]

Smileyface,

I didn't mean to offend you. I have been in the situation you are in and it stinks.

I'll keep my opinions to myself.

My best to you and your family.

 

[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!