PC's VIPs message, your thoughts?
 

Okay,

I don't think this is an illegal job action! How about a role call style thread about your thoughts on PC's VIPs message.

Personally, I thought the "cost" table was an interesting tact for him to take. Based on the current economics and the "insider" site info, I think it was a mistake in the debate but...

What was the admission/info about a new TA that only covers some sections?

My suspicious mind thinks that this is a ploy to get us through peak this year without a contract, or hiring, or major section revisions...but maybe I'm wrong?

How about some calm and non-emotional thoughts about this topic. Yeah, I know it's the blogosphere, but I'm really interested in my brother/sister's comments on this...especially the TA revelation.

Unity, Hound

My only thoughts are: this is an attempt to create division in our crew force, I would rather avoid direct negotiations, and my NC speaks for me.

Actions speak louder than words - the company never once mentioned "PiBS" during our many, many months of interim talks, only to suddenly surprise us at the table once Section 6 opened, with a not-even-conceived PBS system with tentacles into virtually every section of the contract. And we are the ones delaying the negotiations??? :confused:

2 thoughts:

- My negotiating committee speaks for me, and

- POR is on its way. "Distractions on PFC while trying to operate safely" or something similar.

Haven't read it. Don't plan on it. Anything to do with negotiations on the web site I have to access to get to my flight plan is a safety distraction.

http://tinyurl.com/24g65fb

My negotiation committee speaks for me!

Deleted.

My negotiating committee speaks for me!!!

:):)
Don't open it. Don't read it. Remember, his lips are moving....So????:eek:

Make it happen
 

My thoughts are that PC needs to approach this issue as we do with most issues at FedEx.

Make it happen. Tell your people to get on it and make it all happen.

Sending placating messages to the crew force with PFC is nonsense. Use the fortitude and "can-do" attitude that has been so successful at everything else to make the contract happen.

Exercise some leadership and get it done.

No more Smoke and Mirrors. No more justifiable delays.

Get focused. Sit down and get it done.

A contract can be done. We have waited too long and have listened to too many great excuses why it hasn't happened.

You are the guy in charge of it all - MAKE IT HAPPEN

This!!






......

Send your comments to the NC not here.

PC's VIPs message, your thoughts?
 

Peak is quickly approaching. Management just showed the first chink in their armor.

+1

[filler]

Obviously, the stress felt at the lower levels has progressed up the proverbial chain of command. Recently, scheduling has resorted to calling one individual no less than five times in one 24 hour interval, drafting for various trips/standbys. The very next day a crew notification is sent advising anyone interested in a draft trip to call scheduling. This certainly is not the conventional method of drafting folks. And now PC feels "compelled" to say/do something, perhaps to justify his position. I guess everybody is just doing what they have to do.

Parts of PC's message tells me it's still status quo -


And this quote is not in reference to managements positions, to include PiBS. Remember those? It's referring to our positions.

When you read the message understand his conclusion.

Not quite accurate, PC is not directly in charge of negotiations. That falls to the VP of Labor relations, JM...the guy who wrote the opinion on doctors notes. He reports to the Chief Counsel of the Company who reports directly to Fred.

So, PC can't just direct JM to make it happen. The bosses way above PC have the real say in this and thus give JM his marching orders.

That being said, it does reflect on PC's leadership or lack thereof. PC made his big mgt change 2.5 years ago with bringing in BM and his FC plan. They did their surveys, focus groups and hamburger lunches, all aimed at "fixing" our broken culture. PC sold this plan to the big bosses and they ponied up big bucks. Sleep rooms, AOC rehab etc. Pretty interesting he got the millions to do that during a time of severe fiscal restraint. Read any of the earnings reports, media conference calls, etc. and you can see how much we have cut in every part of the company...except in flight.

The direction to PC was to FIX the mess in flight. Does anybody think things have gotten better culturally? Far from it. We seem to be worse off than we were in the mid 90's.

Our company isn't broken, our pilot force isn't broken, but our front line leadership is. All employees deserve solid leadership, it's about time the senior leadership of our company start asking the hard questions of PC, JB, and BM. "We've given you 2+ years and millions of dollars, why is this still broken? Why is the rift getting wider?

I'm a stockholder and a 20 year employee. I've made a great living and provided a great life for my family. I enjoy my job, the people I work with and still look forward to seeing the world from my office window. But I/we deserve real leadership, not the BS we've been getting from the con man in the front office.

If the real bosses want the rift healed and a contract in place to exploit to the economic up turn, it's time to hold PC and his team responsible for their failed initiatives.

Mr Smith, Mr. Bronczek, it's time to provide your pilots with a real leadership team.

Blah Blah Blah, its all our fault. Waist of time for me.

I like most of what you said but the upper echelon does not think our leadership is broken. these guys have pulled down great management bonuses/5 star awards this year. One of them brags that's how he got the car he parks in late call. I think he parks it there to prove he got a bonus for his great leadership.

I don't think the truth is widely known.

We get a contract and scores of 777 guys are out the door. No contract and peak will make the news for lack of reliability.

Heck of a choice this stall/PIBS tactic has gotten them.

The retirement issue could be easily rectified by requiring pilots to retire after Jan 1 to be eligible for greater retirement benefits.

If we don't have a contract by peak, it will probably be very ugly...

His email fired me up even more.

Blaming it on ALPA because we asked for increases in certain areas which will cost company XXX millions over the next couple years...***?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what negotiations are?! We start at one level, they start at the other, and we whittle each other's position down to an acceptable level.

Personally, we should be asking for more. Stock is at an all time high, billions are being made, on our backs.

Kudos NC, you speak for me!!!

The company had $3.2 BILLION in cash (earned thru revenue operations with a brand value that the crew force maintains) that they couldn't find anything to do with so they did a stock buyback. Recently raised the dividend as well.

I'm not sure how PC and BM became part of "The 3 Stooges Management Team" but I'm disappointed that we can't do better than them. If there's any good news it's that the Management revolving door should be about ready to turn ... especially if it starts to look like Contract Negotiations might affect peak :eek:

If memory serves, back in the day when PC flew the line soaking up draft and volunteer $s, he also had a part time job selling (used?) cars. Judging by his message he wasn't very good at it. But he is a perfect fit in management...epic fail.

My opinion
 

Could not have said it better.

My takeaway is that all this time....through the entire time interim discussions, and the entire Section 6 negotiations, our Negotiating Committee has held fast according to this msg. Great Job guys! Man, that has me especially encouraged. He says the Company really wants an agreement, so I think we should continue to stick to our positions.

Sounds like our Negotiating Committee is doing exactly what we asked them to do in spite of "one side holding to a ridiculous position....(read PBS)". I'm just surprised we heard about them serving our interests so well from this source.
You'd think he was supposed to try to drive a wedge between us and our NC.... Instead he tells us how well they've done.....curious

Does anybody know how Management gets paid? I vaguely remember something about "average line Captain" BLG + X% over ride"? Does that mean that if we decide to enjoy the nice weather at home this summer (and work fewer hours) that Management gets paid less?

Hmmm ... what affect might that have on Contract Negotiations? :eek:

FO hats are back-ordered at the uniform shop. Irma says delivery time ~ 3 weeks.

My Negotiating Committee speaks for me!

Order a CA lid and take a sharpie to the scrambled eggs.... Sorry couldn't resist.

Crewforce reaction to PC message:

Cricket Sound - YouTube

PC's message could have been drafted by an Obama speech writer. The message is similar, "I can't do anything because the other guy is being unreasonable."

buffoonery
Syllabification: buf·foon·er·y
Pronunciation: /bəˈfo͞onərē /
NOUN (plural buffooneries)

Behavior that is ridiculous but amusing.

Overnite, you are correct. This thread was a bad idea on my part. Apologies to all. I had good intentions but this forum is the wrong avenue. If the Mods can kill the thread, please do. If not, can we all just let it die a natural death.

We can yuck it up at the Zoo event. :D

And yep, I bought a hat too!

...........+1

Anyone have a link to the uniform store so I can order my hat?

VF Imagewear
4696 American Way
Memphis, TN 38118

Phone Orders: (800) 966-0141
Fax: (901) 367-2573

Thanks. I thought maybe I could order online.

You sort of can, print the order sheet and fax it. Think 90s.

Skype them. 21st Century.

My thoughts are that this message comes very close to direct negotiations with the crew force.

I am forced to look at this drivel before I can see my flight release.

Even if I do not click on it, I can see the title and know the subject matter.

I do not want to read any drivel from the SCP. I just want to fly my trip safely.

My Negotiating Committee speaks for me, and they will hear that I do not appreciate being told about how greedy I am before I go fly a revenue trip.

REVENUE. Meaning it makes money for the company. How many of these messages must I hear from people in NON-REVENUE positions?

Either turn a wheel, or I will tune you out.

Just some quick math on Cassel's numbers. Over 5 years $3.5B in cost over 5 years comes out to roughly $166k per year per pilot! So I think he needs to speak with his negotiating team and get some new numbers.