Originally Posted by
654G
Fair point, I just hoped for something anecdotal, rather than the 'they all suck' type of flippant remark.
Morale can go up and down for a number of reasons. So you look at the constants, and usually what is left generally becomes the cause of your lower morale.
As pay and benefits have remained fairly constant, then some other issues seem to be to blame.
Look back a few years, and the sentiment was very different. Since then, your competitors have rewarded their pilots, while you guys are left hanging.
I've read most of the threads, so would you see it as a change in leadership style (?), change to policies, or new management personnel.
The post on a different thread, where the higher management allegedly ignored the pilots, while engaging with other employees at BOS - that was a good example
'RVR' - great information. Thank you
Thanks 'POG', that sheds some light.
One of the biggest morale killers is that they market themselves as another day at the Brady Bunch home but in reality it's more like being having your parents stealing from your piggy bank while you're in the hospital to pay off their drug habits.
BJ spends inordinate amounts of time and $$$ to paint themselves as a hip/trendy/customer caring culture but it's nothing more than Management School 101 stuff used to pacify your employees. The truth is that they are ruthless with their "discipline". I know about 10 people (half Captains, half other workers like gate agents, FA's) who have been either suspended, pay suspended, or otherwise got something in their file. Everything BJ does revolves around using the legal system (e.g. policies) against you. They have policy books (e.g. FOM, FSM, Bluebook) but the problem is that they can rewrite it or interpret it however they want. Just read my posts about the "dependability policy". Even if you follow their policies, if they want to destroy you, they can and they will. They will dig through trash to find dirt on you or monitor your internet activity. Obviously there are many examples of bad employees, but nevertheless they drag in good people too. You will be walking on eggshells all the time dealing with other people at this company, particularly non-pilots. My best advice is that if you ever detect any leading questions, any setup of conflict from an FA, gate agent, etc., just walk away. The biggest trap is engaging people because then they can lie intentionally or unintentionally. You are then left to prove your innocence against someone for whom it costs nothing to make an accusation. For many FAs (not all), for example, this is a temp job or something they can just jump away from at any time. For you, it's a career. So you're dealing with people who may resent you just because you're a pilot and you get paid more. Obviously I can't write about any specific cases here because of company retribution to several people, but if you ask around in person, you'll find out for sure. There are a few articles on line written by third parties such as the one where a flight attendant got fired for using the jetbridge phone to call operations.
If they dropped the whole humanity, culture, caring, B.S., at least they would be honest. They ought to just change their slogan to "profit at any cost" or "you don't matter". At least it's truthful as a corporation. I can't expect a typical poorly ran corporation to be any better than that. BJ claims they are, but they are not. I particularly detest when these MBA flunkies use the word "family". Well, this "family" wouldn't hesitate to burn you alive if you are a liability to them. If you expect this place to live up to its propaganda, you will hate it. If you understand that it's a job, they are not your family or friends, then there are no false expectations. You will be much happier provided you always watch your back. 99.999% of the pilots here are wonderful (even the willfully ignorant apologists) so they are not going to cause you issues in the cockpit. Just watch out with calling Crew Services, calling in fatigued, being late, missing commutes, talking to people, making creative cabin announcements, waiting to update your iPad, doing FLICA trades inflight, etc. Most people don't live in fear for their job BUT you have no legal protection at this company. It is essentially "at will" with a facade of having work rules. If you become a liability to them, expect them to launch nukes at you without remorse. They'll just get some other low rent pilot to hire.
I hope you don't make any mistakes at this company because they will hang you. Your turn apologists and chief pilots...
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