JDFlyer

I respect your opinion on this matter of the wrist band.

However, I just wanted to point out that your position is a common mistaken belief among many people about the First Amendment.

The First Amendment states, to quote "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech . . ."

Continental Airlines (a private organization and not a federal branch of government or federal governmental agency) or any other airline may establish any uniform policy they want and it is NOT a suppression of free speech rights. The captain may or may not have made up his own uniform policy on the spot, but this is another issue all together.

The day Congress says "Continental pilots shall not wear red/yellow wristbands . . ." is the day I would say you are correct in your argument.

newKnow

Spot on, counselor. You beat me to it. I think I mentioned earlier in the thread that the employee manual/FOM would be a place to go to see if what the captain did was appropriate.

A lot of people would be amazed at what little rights we have in the areas of free speech and privacy in the private employment workplace.

New K Now

BeenThere

Nothing in the manual specifically addresses this, so we are free wear jewelry promoting any cause that isn't offensive. As we all know, "you" starts with a "y," not a "u"." So the letters in question can mean many things. Besides, if a company choses to go that route, the flight attendants will have to remove all those cute little multi-colored "awareness" ribbons supporting every ailment know to man.

This captain did the wrong thing, and he knows it now.

USMCFLYR

So correct - which is why I asked the question about CALs uniform policy in the early stages of the thread. We here at APC often get this *free speech* argument often

USMCFLYR

bfull

Except that Jayson has made it very clear what that acronym stands for, and even you acknowledge that here with the spelling lesson. It does contain language that many find offensive.


How far does captain's authority go?

BuffaloA10

FWIW the guy is not a scab. A Scab Wannabe maybe (had his app in during the strike, and was in one of the first post-strike classes), but not an actual scab - according to the CAL MEC at the time. You may personally consider his actions scabby, and I may agree, but the CAL MEC determined what their definition of scabbing to be during their strike and this guy did not meet that threshold. For example, UAL's definition was slightly different.

There is a good explanation of all this in the master scab list

I just feel very, very strongly that this description is only used for those who really deserve it, and we don't water it down by applying it where it doesn't belong.

He is not a scab. And yes, I am absolutely, 100% sure of that.

There are plenty of other adjectives that will work just fine

FWIW - for those of you who would just take the bracelet off and worry about it later, fine. Not me, not ever. Fork the little napoleons. The Capt is supposed to foster communication and teamwork not act like a little hitler. The Capt is supposed to be the one exercising the most maturity and judgement. This isn't the military and shouldn't be thought of as such. Let the company boys/girls get away with this type of stuff and pretty soon it's stickers on bags, bumper stickers on your car if it's in the company parking lot, etc, etc. Anything to bring us under total control, destroy our efforts at unity and break the union

newKnow

Yes, while the "free speech" claim sounds good, it is not the correct argument/claim to be making. Unfortunately, most employees think they have these basic rights in the workplace and don't find out that they don't until they get in trouble. Unions could negotiate more rights if we forced them to, but as usual, things don't appear on our radar until they already have a lock on us. Examples for our profession being; scope, pension reform/protection, health insurance, declining pay rates, ect.

I admit that enhancment of free speech rights is and should be low on our totem pole, but it is still on the pole. If anyone thinks it's not, try posting your name on this forum after you badmouth your airline, especially if you are non-union.

New K Now

577nitro

Maybe its me, but those plastic bands look CHEEZY, and people generally wear them to make a political or life style statement. They are not jewelry in any sense of the word, I have bought my wife plenty to know the deference. When your a professional pilot you should look and act like one, she apparently did not. He probably told her, "if you want to make a statement do it on your own time." She likely lipped off, and he bounced her. When your on the deck your 100% professional, anything else should not be tolerated. Call me old school if you have too, but thats what I believe.

BuffaloA10

How do you know what he "probably" said and if she "likely" lipped off? How does wearing a statement band designed to promote CAL-ALPA union unity, whether you like plastic wrist bands or not, make you unprofessional?

I think you "probably" have something against unions. The "Capt is god attitude" (call it "old school" if you want, but that's not how it sounds to me and I've been around a bit) doesn't work so well, especially when things start to go south. Easy to start calling F/Os "unprofessional" when they disagree with you. For folks with that kind've attitude I bet they fly with tons of "unprofessional" F/Os! Having an issue with a silly band and then getting the F/O kicked off the flight seems pretty unprofessional to me. I think it's "likely" he came at her with attitude and she responded in kind - oh wait, like you I wasn't there so maybe I shouldn't pontificate with "probablys" or "likelys".

BL: At then end of the day He's the one who has had to apologize and her pay was restored. Hmmmm

Ftrooppilot

Equating military pilots to "little Hitlers" ? Must have issues and / or no military "crewed aircraft" flight experience.