From A UAL Forum

It is not an original question to ask, but let me ask it anyway:

WHAT HAS THIS COMPANY DONE FOR YOU LATELY?!

The answer should be the EXACT same one as you give to the question:

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE COMPANY LATELY?!

Been back on the Forum for a month or two now and been tracking the pilot "dialogue," and both the company and union protestations from a distance suitable for some perspective.

I think (so you can stop reading now if you so choose) we need to ALL take a long hard look at WHO we are, WHERE we are and WHAT we intend to do about it.

Since Grandpa Jack Creighton fell asleep at the switch after 9/11, and allowed this company to pi$$ away the billions "needed" to ensure a bankruptcy filing by his successor...who was brought in BECAUSE OF his prior "expertise" dealing with large, capital intensive companies, unions, and how to screw them in bankruptcy...we have been dealing with an entity that bears ABSOLUTELY ZERO RESEMBLANCE to the United Airlines that hired us ALL.

Gone are the ideals of Pat Patterson.
Gone is any semblance of employee engagement.
Gone is the facade of employee respect.
Gone is the company that believed employees were an asset.
Gone is the company that believed we were the best in the world.

What UAL IS, and what it projects to the world, is a second or third tier company within the U.S. domestic market and an also ran on the global stage, which is ceding more ground every day and with every aircraft order placed by the competition.

Clearly, UAL has pretensions of more and likes to tout its membership (what used to be leadership!) in the Star Alliance, its global route network, its mainline (coast to coast) domestic hub system and one of the largest fleets of widebody aircraft in the world.

However, what was once a strong, from the inside, company with new global reach borne from strategic investments in the Atlantic and Pacific markets, is now a mere shell of its former self, with a mangement team that has turned its back on tried and tested airline truisms like "can't shrink to profitability" or the quaint "treat the employee right and they will take care of your customer."

Instead, we have a management cabal (one wonders who is on that team from one day to the next with the revolving door we call "corporate leadership") that, through a determination to continue the bankruptcy mindset amongst employees well beyond the expiration date of any bankruptcy notions in the corporate suite (as noted by their higher than 9/10/2001 pay and benefits), has sought to BOX IN all of its employee groups in advance of the mother of all union contract cycles beginning 12/31/09.

It is clear that ALL unions in this industry have suffered from a laissez faire Executive branch, which, while touting the necessity for airlines to operate, was quick to throw as many airlines as possible on the funeral pyre that was 9/11. In no small measure, the sickening irony of their actions should astound ANY normal human being.

It is equally clear that ALL OTHER airlines sought to engage their employees in a manner that was completely different than UAL. We saw NWA and DAL follow UAL and AAA into bankruptcy, only to see tham change the dynamic of what a bankruptcy SHOULD be, namely a REORGANIZATION of the business, and not a once in a generation opportunity to scalp employee pay, benefits and pensions while spreading tens of millions in largesse between the management that had the gall to accomplish such a feat. Having seen that occur from a front row seat, it still takes my breath away that in this country the Congress can allow a company to use the laws THEY WROTE TO PROTECT US to vindictively ruin the lives of over 100,000 employees.....that is 100,000 FAMILIES and probably over 250,000 citizens; an amazing number considering the numbers associated with the actions that were the genesis of the bankruptcy.

So, here we sit, in the middle of 2008, 18 months before we plan to improve a contract that has decimated lives at this company and we are seemingly ill-prepared for the months ahead.

Your company has instituted policy after policy designed to make you just another employee. AMS was instituted for all employees, but pilots were "exempt." Then, pilots only had to send a note for about 9 occurences, then 7, then 5, now 4.....unless you are in one of the fleets and seats that THEY have determined, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR CONTRACT SAYS, WILL provide a note for EVERY occurence. Even the Flight Attendants get TWO SL calls before they are called onto the carpet by their vindictive supervisors. Are we Flight Attendants now? I remember a conversation with Bob Jordan, where he told me anything a bove 4 was too many. I explained the usual points to him and he told me that we were heading down that road unless sick leave dropped dramatically. Well, folks, here we are!!! We are being BOXED IN, one drop at a time. We are being painted into the "contract corner" one stroke at a time.

For those who have no idea what I am getting at, let me make it clear. This company has taken liberties with us, steadily and frequently. They push us three inches, we push back two inches and they win an inch. The war of attrition has been met by SOME with anger, frustration and emotion, but by others with disregard, inattention and "union fatigue." Well, guess what, UNION-BUSTING 101 RELIES ON THE LATTER RESPONSES FROM YOU!

Painted into a corner, boxed in, call it what you will but make no mistake, the "freedom to operate" you once enjoyed as a federally regulated "decider" is being reined in, managed, and having data compiled on it EVERY DAY OF YOUR WORKING LIFE. You are being "metric'd" to death and your EVERY ACTION is being charted so that when the day comes and you really DO want to do something about the a$$ raping going on at this company, it will be too late and the charts will illustrate your every action as "non-normal per the historical norms of this procedure/action/segment, etc.." Do you think fuel is the only thing being monitored? What about the gate cameras and Zone Controllers ratting you out to management for being a minute late of the gate in our "On Time Zero" world? What about the mechanics who report you for wanting soemthing fixed? What about the CSR who reports you for delaying the flight while you ascertain who does and does not have the right to be an OMC or carry a gun on your flight? 1984 was 24 years ago in actuality, but the realities are front and center at UAL today.

So, what to do?

Know your contract and use the resources it provides. Not sure of what a section means, call the Contract Hotline at 847-292-1743. Not sure why CM is assigning you to do something, ask them for the Contract section and chapter under which they are assigning you and take the time to read it on Skynet....OR IN YOUR NEW PAPER CONTRACT, WHICH WAS CREATED FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE AS WE APPROACH CONTRACT 2010! Know your rights and be careful to stay within them. With authority comes responsibility, so know WHY you did something before your actions are used against you in the Flight Office, or worse...by the management monkeys at WHQ who do the discipline hearings.

And here, let me be specific and succinct:

ANYONE WHO WALTZES INTO THE FLIGHT OFFICE FOR ALMOST ANY REASON OTHER THAN THEY WERE CALLED TO THE OFFICE BY THE CHIEF PILOT OR ASSISTANT CHIEF PILOT IS DOING THEMSELVES AND THEIR FELLOW PILOTS A DISSERVICE AT THIS POINT.

IF THEY NEED ANYTHING FROM YOU IN THE FLIGHT OFFICE, CALL YOUR REP BEFORE YOU GO IN.

Battle lines are being drawn in front of your face every day, and the company is not shy in stuffing them down your throat if need be. Do not be the guy who THOUGHT he had it under control only to find out he has created a problem for himself and the extrication is going to require much work and capital to achieve.

It is not an original question to ask, but let me ask it anyway:

WHAT HAS THIS COMPANY DONE FOR YOU LATELY?!

The answer should be the EXACT same one as you give to the question:

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE COMPANY LATELY?!

If they are not both "Nothing," then you are either doing favors for the company and being rewarded for them or you are doing favors for the company and NOT being rewarded for them. Either person is being counter productive to the efforts of the whole, but one of them is just plain stupid.

DON'T BE STUPID! Or counterproductive!

Your Master Chairman has informed you that the company is UNWILLING to engage in ANY meaningful negotiation with your elected representatives at a time when 20% of us are going to be thrown out on the streets into the worst aviation job market for some time. They have rejected even providing lower paid jobs for them at the UAX carriers that will be taking their jobs. Even CSRs get THAT "luxury!"

Your Master Chairman has, in the face of the company's calculated intransigence, WITHDRAWN vital committees from meeting with the company until such time as they are willing to listen, discuss and negotiate, as opposed to talk, DEMAND and DICTATE to us.

Your Master Chairman, in the face of a company attack on our negotiated sick leave benefit, has detailed the federally mandated rules on who should and should not fly at any given time. The law is quite clear, but the company is trying to intimidate pilots into breaking the law and flying when the FAA has deemed you unsafe to fly. Do not allow the company's naked attempt at intimidation to sway YOUR, AND ONLY YOUR, decision on when YOU are safe to fly. ALPA resources are available if you have questions about ANY medical, physical, emotional event in your life.