"Increase airplane and crew productivity"
Hmm, in my 7 years at the airlines, I saw airplanes fly from 6 am until 10 or 11 pm. The only way those airplanes can be more productive is if we had a overnight freight service (which may or may not be feasable, but it's an idea). As for crew productivity, we flew to the FAR max many more times than we actually had a overnight where we could catch more than 6 or 7 hours of sleep. The legal FAR 'rest' time is 8 hours. So at the time we step off the airplane, we could have to be back at the airport 8 hours from that moment. By the time we wait for the hotel van, get to the hotel, clean up, decompress, you can get maybe, and I mean maybe, 6 hours of sleep before you have to get up, get ready, catch the van, and go back to the airport. Imagine a 4 day trip with every overnight like that? Can we say FATIGUE? We've given all we can. In fact, I personally don't have ANYthing more to give, I already gave 100% of my paycheck and benefits! (Furloughed) All the employees at United could work for free, and the company would STILL be losing money, according to their figures. That is not labor's fault, we've done our part, now it's time to see some trimming in the sheer number of management, eliminate ANY and ALL bonuses for management until such time as the companies are profitable again. The board at Delta that determines how much of a bonus and under what condition bonuses are given decided that since times are bad, they still want management to get bonuses, so they're giving bonuses based on how much 'cost savings' management generates. Therefore by giving concessions, labor is creating 'cost savings' for management, and while line employees hit the street, management gets to line their pockets with a bonus! How nice for them! Not to mention having fully protected retirement (no matter what happens to the company, bankruptcy, etc, they still get their money), complete with pre-paid taxes.
I don't mean to rant and rave, but everytime I hear about management whining that they didn't get enough money from labor it makes me want to spit. We'll gladly share in any burden to help save our companies, but we're tired of being the scapegoat reason that airlines aren't making money. We all need to share equally in making our companies profitable again, and until I see some good faith efforts on behalf of our management , I say the employee concession stand is CLOSED!
Just my 2 cents worth, but since I'm furloughed can you please give them back when you're done?