ABX hires replacements with dozens furloughed
03-23-2012, 07:13 AM
#21
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Today is the 10th day that replacement workers are enjoying work at ABX while 2 dozen pilots remain furloughed and ready to return. At some point, the replacement workers will be scheduled with the uniform company to get fitted for their new pants, jackets, hats and ties. Some of the furloughed pilots probably have teenage daughters who would like some new summer clothes too. Maybe a nice summer dress, some shorts and tops, sandals...
03-23-2012, 07:16 AM
#22
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Today is the 10th day that replacement workers are enjoying work at ABX while 2 dozen pilots remain furloughed and ready to return. At some point, the Teamsters will take the replacements workers out for a nice dinner and drinks. The furloughed pilots will have to be more careful about what they can spend for entertainment like going out to eat, going to a movie, entertaining family and friends...
03-23-2012, 08:31 AM
#24
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Sheriff, I have a friend in class at ABX. He was told that all furloughees had been offered recall at least twice and bypassed. YOUR union informed the new hires that there was an agreement being worked on and not to worry about it. The new hires first sign that there was any problem was when HR started talking about possible harrassment from other ABX crewmembers. The problem is with the furloughees and the union. Not the new hires. Don't make assumptions about what you THINK they knew. They still aren't being given the whole story and you aren't giving it either.
03-23-2012, 08:43 AM
#25
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Sheriff, I have a friend in class at ABX. He was told that all furloughees had been offered recall at least twice and bypassed. YOUR union informed the new hires that there was an agreement being worked on and not to worry about it. The new hires first sign that there was any problem was when HR started talking about possible harrassment from other ABX crewmembers. The problem is with the furloughees and the union. Not the new hires. Don't make assumptions about what you THINK they knew. They still aren't being given the whole story and you aren't giving it either.
03-23-2012, 09:47 AM
#27
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03-23-2012, 09:52 AM
#28
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As far as I can make out, here is the sequence of events in this debacle (according to both the company and the union):
1. Proffer is issued for FO's.
2. Recall notices are issued to all eligible* pilots.
3. FO slots are not filled, company & union agree that 5 positions can be filled by new hires.
4. ATI furloughs pilots who are now eligible for recall.
5. ABX offers positions to new hires, but extends offer to 2 classes of 4 rather than the agreed-upon 5.
* excluding pilots who have bypassed and ABX pilots employed at ATI.
The simple and right solution would have been for the company to NOT extend offers to new hires and instead recall the pilots who were about to be furloughed. The job offers were not extended until after ATI pilots had begun receiving furlough notices. I understand that the company had a legal right to extend offers to 5 pilots. Too bad that the company has never understood that doing the right thing by your employees is good business. Doing the right thing would save them a lot more than having a handful of lower-cost new hire pilots will.
I hope that the union is working overtime behind the scenes to resolve this issue. For myself, I am no longer willing to consider a yes vote to the "Asian side letter" or any other side letter until this issue is resolved satisfactorily. The company claims that the Asian side letter is key to further recalls, but the company has demonstrated that it is not committed to bringing our furloughed guys back.
The new hires did not create this situation and are not responsible for it. Even those of us on the inside have had difficulty getting any information. They didn't do the wrong thing by accepting this job. Responsibility for doing the wrong thing rests squarely on ABX Air management.
1. Proffer is issued for FO's.
2. Recall notices are issued to all eligible* pilots.
3. FO slots are not filled, company & union agree that 5 positions can be filled by new hires.
4. ATI furloughs pilots who are now eligible for recall.
5. ABX offers positions to new hires, but extends offer to 2 classes of 4 rather than the agreed-upon 5.
* excluding pilots who have bypassed and ABX pilots employed at ATI.
The simple and right solution would have been for the company to NOT extend offers to new hires and instead recall the pilots who were about to be furloughed. The job offers were not extended until after ATI pilots had begun receiving furlough notices. I understand that the company had a legal right to extend offers to 5 pilots. Too bad that the company has never understood that doing the right thing by your employees is good business. Doing the right thing would save them a lot more than having a handful of lower-cost new hire pilots will.
I hope that the union is working overtime behind the scenes to resolve this issue. For myself, I am no longer willing to consider a yes vote to the "Asian side letter" or any other side letter until this issue is resolved satisfactorily. The company claims that the Asian side letter is key to further recalls, but the company has demonstrated that it is not committed to bringing our furloughed guys back.
The new hires did not create this situation and are not responsible for it. Even those of us on the inside have had difficulty getting any information. They didn't do the wrong thing by accepting this job. Responsibility for doing the wrong thing rests squarely on ABX Air management.
03-23-2012, 12:21 PM
#29
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Here is what happened from someone directly affected. I'm currently furloughed from ABX and ATI.
ABX had a class on Jan 18 with 12 available slots. Only 7 people showed up. The Company then claimed that they could fill the remaining 5 vacant slots with New Hires since they had already been through the entire recall list. All parties involved agreed to this.
The Company did not begin hiring those New Hires until February 23rd. A month prior on January 24th 8 ABX pilots employed at ATI were furloughed and became eligible for recall to ABX. They were not recalled. Instead, 4 New Hires began on February 23rd and were somehow "tied" to the January 18 class. If the Company wanted new hires, then they needed to hire them before January 24th, the date furloughed pilots became available for recall. Instead - somehow - they got the Union to buy off on protecting 5 slots for new hires indefinitely into the future.
By the logic above, why doesn't the company just advertise a class for 200 people starting next Wednesday? When only a handful of guys are available to show up, then they can preserve 190+ positions indefinitely into the future for cheaper new hires who were the only ones legal for the original class date and never need to recall another pilot again. Our 7 year recall clocks will time out, and we would have to move on. The whole idea is ridiculous.
On February 20 another 16 ABX pilots flying for ATI were furloughed bringing the total furlough count to 24. Again, the first new hires weren't hired until three days "after" that. There were then 24 pilots eagerly desiring recall to ABX. Every furloughed pilot became outraged at that point at both the skewed viewpoint of the Union and the lack of regard for them displayed by the Company. The Union justified the New Hires and basically told everyone to bug off.
Last week, March 14th, another 3 new hires were brought on board. Again 24 pilots were available for recall - some for nearly two months. The Union finally stepped in and said that the total new hire count was in excess of the agreed upon 5 (which is preposterous to begin with), and that the Company was discussing resolutions with them.
I can tell you that every single new hire is taking a position that should have been awarded to a furloughed pilot. Many pilots on furlough have been with ABX for 15+ years. It is impossible for New Hires in this information age to be unaware of the situation that is unfolding. There are threads on this forum alone dating back to the beginning of the whole mess providing detailed information on what they were getting into. I hold each new hire personally responsible for their actions. They each took the job blindly accepting whatever rationalization they could muster to feel okay about what they were doing. I would never accept a position under these circumstances. Scab may be the wrong word, maybe a blood blister (they resemble each other).
Some people may disagree with me. Frankly I don't care. There are "many" pilots at ABX who will be just as upset at the presence of new hires as I am. Sure there will be some who buy the timing excuses for the original 5 slots (total bull crap....those guys weren't hired until over a month after furloughed pilots became available). And there will be some who buy the Union excuse, "We're working on it". There will be the vocal tiny minority that post their opinions on public forums, and try to speak for the entire seniority list. There will be some who accept the new hires and some who won't. I don't accept them. They took my job when I should have been recalled!
Shame on everyone involved. I blame the following:
1 - Management for disregarding their ethically and contractual responsibility to pilots on furlough to save a buck on probationary pilots
2 - The Union for their lax approach to the situation and lame saber rattling which has been entirely fruitless to this point
3 - The New Hires who sought personal advancement at the expense of the contractual rights of those furloughed.....no matter what line of BS they were fed and bought off on to rationalize their decision. The information is out there people. Nobody takes a job knowing nothing about the water they're stepping into.
ABX had a class on Jan 18 with 12 available slots. Only 7 people showed up. The Company then claimed that they could fill the remaining 5 vacant slots with New Hires since they had already been through the entire recall list. All parties involved agreed to this.
The Company did not begin hiring those New Hires until February 23rd. A month prior on January 24th 8 ABX pilots employed at ATI were furloughed and became eligible for recall to ABX. They were not recalled. Instead, 4 New Hires began on February 23rd and were somehow "tied" to the January 18 class. If the Company wanted new hires, then they needed to hire them before January 24th, the date furloughed pilots became available for recall. Instead - somehow - they got the Union to buy off on protecting 5 slots for new hires indefinitely into the future.
By the logic above, why doesn't the company just advertise a class for 200 people starting next Wednesday? When only a handful of guys are available to show up, then they can preserve 190+ positions indefinitely into the future for cheaper new hires who were the only ones legal for the original class date and never need to recall another pilot again. Our 7 year recall clocks will time out, and we would have to move on. The whole idea is ridiculous.
On February 20 another 16 ABX pilots flying for ATI were furloughed bringing the total furlough count to 24. Again, the first new hires weren't hired until three days "after" that. There were then 24 pilots eagerly desiring recall to ABX. Every furloughed pilot became outraged at that point at both the skewed viewpoint of the Union and the lack of regard for them displayed by the Company. The Union justified the New Hires and basically told everyone to bug off.
Last week, March 14th, another 3 new hires were brought on board. Again 24 pilots were available for recall - some for nearly two months. The Union finally stepped in and said that the total new hire count was in excess of the agreed upon 5 (which is preposterous to begin with), and that the Company was discussing resolutions with them.
I can tell you that every single new hire is taking a position that should have been awarded to a furloughed pilot. Many pilots on furlough have been with ABX for 15+ years. It is impossible for New Hires in this information age to be unaware of the situation that is unfolding. There are threads on this forum alone dating back to the beginning of the whole mess providing detailed information on what they were getting into. I hold each new hire personally responsible for their actions. They each took the job blindly accepting whatever rationalization they could muster to feel okay about what they were doing. I would never accept a position under these circumstances. Scab may be the wrong word, maybe a blood blister (they resemble each other).
Some people may disagree with me. Frankly I don't care. There are "many" pilots at ABX who will be just as upset at the presence of new hires as I am. Sure there will be some who buy the timing excuses for the original 5 slots (total bull crap....those guys weren't hired until over a month after furloughed pilots became available). And there will be some who buy the Union excuse, "We're working on it". There will be the vocal tiny minority that post their opinions on public forums, and try to speak for the entire seniority list. There will be some who accept the new hires and some who won't. I don't accept them. They took my job when I should have been recalled!
Shame on everyone involved. I blame the following:
1 - Management for disregarding their ethically and contractual responsibility to pilots on furlough to save a buck on probationary pilots
2 - The Union for their lax approach to the situation and lame saber rattling which has been entirely fruitless to this point
3 - The New Hires who sought personal advancement at the expense of the contractual rights of those furloughed.....no matter what line of BS they were fed and bought off on to rationalize their decision. The information is out there people. Nobody takes a job knowing nothing about the water they're stepping into.
03-23-2012, 12:31 PM
#30
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Joined APC: Nov 2008
Posts: 67
One more thing. I've been hearing that, "if these new hires didn't take the job then others would" excuse for too long in this industry. People seem to rationalizing bad behavior with that logic. While its true, does that mean we should just roll over and die?
I guess if that's the case we should just lay off our entire police force. Why arrest any criminals? There will will always be more.
I guess if that's the case we should just lay off our entire police force. Why arrest any criminals? There will will always be more.
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