Thread: SWA or JB?
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Old 04-20-2019 | 10:43 AM
  #125  
BeatNavy
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Originally Posted by n606tw
Correct ... the grass isn't greener but reading both threat it is inevitable to notice there are less whiners on SWA side. What might be reason?
I could write a book about this, but I'll try to keep it short.

Over the years there's been a continuous erosion of QOL/benefits thru many unilateral changes made by the company. There used to be a ton of anti-union guys at JB (hence why it took 3 votes to get a union on property), but JB in the last few years has managed to get 2 unions on property, with more coming. That should paint the management picture. The labor dispute with the pilots didn't help (with management basically saying "while we can afford to pay you guys industry leading pay, we think you deserve less than DAL, AA, UAL, FDX, UPS, SWA, and ALK").

Icing on the cake, for all labor groups, was the insulting profit sharing. The unilateral change to the profit sharing formula (for the 3rd time at JB), pssed off a ton of people. PS payouts for the last few years:
2015: 11%
2016: 16.35%
2017: 2.9%
2018: 0.2%

Talk about disincentivizing people, especially when the company is making a ton of money and peers are getting a lot more.

Not saying there aren't issues and btching everywhere, but I think this forum, and other JB forums, has more than other airlines due to the labor war management waged, mostly due to their fear of rising costs and their Wall St. overlords (and Joel P.). There is more to it than just sport btching. Former company guys/blue juicers have flipped to either apathetic or anti-company. That said, out on the line, there are plenty of happy people at JB. Attrition to other airlines isn't that high. People at JB, even the loudmouth complainers on forums, want the company to succeed but are frustrated by the wasted opportunity and the repeated shortcomings of the company (labor relations, operations, etc.).

Management at JB really needs handle the next round of negotiations better, fix profit sharing, invest money to fix the operation, staff appropriately in all departments, and do more than have BBQs and pizzas to try to fix the culture problem. Buying back $1.25bil in stock (to please Wall St) while taking PS away from frontline employees and while watching the operation crumble wasn't smart. It's misstep after misstep by management on the operation and labor sides. There is one overriding concern with management: the next earnings call...to the overall detriment of the company and its future (at least in the minds of many). Lots of people at JB, despite the forums, hope the operation and culture turn around and things turn out well. I personally hope for the best for JB and all the employees chugging along, and hope both the operation and labor/management relations get a lot better over the next few years.

Edit: I was reading this thread and thought it was a JB thread. There are issues everywhere, some just have more than others at times. Spirit ranks above American

Last edited by BeatNavy; 04-20-2019 at 11:07 AM.
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