2016 Postmortem

Bravo, I applaud what you are doing. I can identify with your sandwich on Thanksgiving, my husband spends every major holiday eating out of vending machines---he's a pilot for American Airlines.

Here's a fight I'd love to see you take on...that is companies filing "BANKRUPTCIES OF CONVENIENCE". THAT IS JUST WHAT THE CEO OF AMERICAN AIRLINES DID, HE FILED FOR A "BANKRUPTCY OF CONVENIENCE"--and they have Bain Capital helping them do it.

All companies are watching what AMR is doing because they are coming for everyone else next. That is why I encourage all my pilot friends to keep voting no.

I will apologize in advance for the run on ideas, but want to give you the full flavor of what is going on.

The Book "Retirement Heist" was right. Many companies do it, specifically....American Airlines Bankruptcy was clearly OPTIONAL and is currently playing out (I see many similarities between American's incompetent but greedy management and that of Hostess Foods--they are quick to reward themselves and also quick to cut pay and benefits for employees- my husband and brother took approximately 40% cuts and are working for 1992 salaries (I checked the pay scales to be sure, not to mention if you see a pilot, they are not getting paid. For example: They do not get paid at sign in, or aircraft inspection, while waiting for maintenance to fix something, they are also not pay protected when a maintenance issue or weather issue mean the flights don't go at all).

Combined with the way they treat their employees, the main driver for AMR's bankruptcy was to keep profits earned on the almost fully funded pilot retirement fund AND to keep pilots from retiring since they are still working for 1992 wages AND THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF PILOTS ALREADY OCCURRING. But because of the bankruptcy process, they have no way to increase their earnings other than fly more up to the FAA mandated limit. Chinese Airlines are paying TWICE what American Airlines is paying. Call me crazy but isn't that a security risk, most of these guys are ex-military-do we really love cheap labor so much that this is preferable than paying fair wages, protection from disability (they can't fly if they get so much as a small cancerous mole, and if they ever do, they have to hire lawyers to help them get their licenses cleared to return to fly--and by the way, several pilots at American have recently been cleared, but as American is prone to do, has blocked them from returning to work as part of the hostage taking process during contract negotiations). In addition, the Railway Labor Act means they cannot strike unless released by the National Mediation Board because their contracts do not "expire" they just become amendable (Mr Hoglander of the NMB told the Allied Pilots that no major airline group would EVER be released to self help period-so you have the NMB rewarding management for dragging their feet in negotiations for over 6 years!) (I'd love to see the President can this guy and put someone in that will release them). There is also no true "Whistleblower Protection" in aviation, AMR's response if there is a problem is "grieve it" which takes years and is hidden from the public due to the cover of arbitration required under the RLA.

At any rate, I think I've given you some idea of the goings on.

So glad you're back!


http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2012/11/american-airlines-too-many-pilots-will-retire-if-they-can-take-their-pensions-as-a-lump-sum.html/