USAirways CEO Parker speaking again....
04-12-2011, 06:44 AM
#42
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2011
Posts: 228
04-12-2011, 07:55 AM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: fo
Posts: 179
[/QUOTE]My guess is that AA will enter bankruptcy and Airways will jump in while AA is in BK.[/QUOTE]
If something happens with AA and US,I think it will involve a Bankruptcy with AA as well and Doug and company running the new airline which will retain the AA name. There is some sort of change of control language in the US contract that would trigger pre bankruptcy pay rates for US east pilot group. Not sure how all that works though???
If something happens with AA and US,I think it will involve a Bankruptcy with AA as well and Doug and company running the new airline which will retain the AA name. There is some sort of change of control language in the US contract that would trigger pre bankruptcy pay rates for US east pilot group. Not sure how all that works though???
04-12-2011, 08:10 AM
#44
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Position: Right Seat
Posts: 1,458
My guess is that AA will enter bankruptcy and Airways will jump in while AA is in BK.[/QUOTE]
If something happens with AA and US,I think it will involve a Bankruptcy with AA as well and Doug and company running the new airline which will retain the AA name. There is some sort of change of control language in the US contract that would trigger pre bankruptcy pay rates for US east pilot group. Not sure how all that works though???[/QUOTE]
Doug will scare the pilot group and force a contract before reverting to pre-concessionary rates.
If something happens with AA and US,I think it will involve a Bankruptcy with AA as well and Doug and company running the new airline which will retain the AA name. There is some sort of change of control language in the US contract that would trigger pre bankruptcy pay rates for US east pilot group. Not sure how all that works though???[/QUOTE]
Doug will scare the pilot group and force a contract before reverting to pre-concessionary rates.
04-13-2011, 12:53 PM
#45
Banned
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Posts: 3,240
Dear USAirways Pilots
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to call, email, or text a message of support to me recently. I have remained deliberately silent for some time in order to allow things to “play out,” but I believe it is now time to break my silence. While I cannot comment directly on any ongoing investigation, I remain confident that I will be entirely vindicated- not just found “not guilty” of any wrongdoing, but instead declared innocent of all charges made against me by USAPA.
In the meantime, the incessant clanging from the gong known as “USAPA Communications” regarding what has been deliberately and misleadingly categorized as “identity theft” is no doubt far more annoying to most of you than it is even to me and my fellow accused pilots. However, absent any hearing or due process, what should have been discretely handled as accusations (which they are), have been treated as ironclad convictions by the utterly failed leadership of USAPA. It is patently obvious to even the most casual observer that USAPA has again manufactured a crisis in attempt to keep its understandably restless and mutinous disciples under control. Simply ask yourself if it would be wise to repeatedly declare to anyone who would care to listen that the lock to your house was broken? The first rule of security is to NOT tell the world when you believe you have a security problem. If there really was a problem, then USAPA has actually done its pilots a tremendous disservice by alerting any would-be wrongdoers of a potential weakness in the manner in which it has. This speaks volumes about the real objectives of the Cleary regime and its latest folly. It also reeks of desperation, as the briefly unified East pilots begin to turn on one another and the infighting becomes more and more public. If victory for DOH was truly imminent, then none of this would not be happening.
The distinction between an accusation and a conviction must be beyond the elementary comprehension level of Cleary, Theuer, and the rest of his crack team of would-be thugs who have failed to deliver ANYTHING of value- other than a comic tragedy- to the US Airways pilots. It is ironic how carefully USAPA Communications uses the word “alleged” whenever the accused act implicates one of Cleary's cronies in a physical altercation, but declines to use this important modifier when referring to the supposed “identity theft” of US Airways pilots.
Personally, I find the unwarranted hysteria to be amusing, and even helpful to the cause of Leonidas, LLC. The recent spike in funds raised by Leonidas certainly bear this out. I have remained silent thus far while enjoying my “Administrative Leave” made necessary by the hostile work environment created by Mike Cleary and his Communications Committee. However, I will concede that this has produced a singular downside for me and my fellow accused pilots; it has created yet more baseless accusations and false convictions written in the indelible ink of today's Internet. This is no doubt designed to create personal liability for me and my family (and that of many fellow West pilots and their families as well) forevermore should we choose to undertake endeavors outside the scope of our employment as pilots for the company. For me, this is a battle I have chosen to undertake knowing full well the possible risks to my career and reputation, so I simply brush it all aside (for now). More on that later.
I am no psychologist (so please do not take this as a diagnosis), but it is obvious to me that Mike Cleary's primary and driving personality trait is narcissism- almost pathologically so. This makes for the best possible (and most predictable) adversary from my perspective and that of the West pilots. The overwrought reaction by Cleary to East pilots simply receiving US mail of a factual nature that Mike has been desperate to shield his flock from, was even part of Leonidas, LLC's plan at the outset of that project. We could not possibly have asked for more attention to be drawn to the West perspective of our seniority dispute as illustrated in the Leonidas Brochures.
There was a time when I contemplated the recall of Mike Cleary and Randy Mowrey. However, when we began to discuss this among West pilots, it became clear that most see his “leadership” (though I wouldn't call it that) as helpful to the cause of defending against DOH and enforcing the Nicolau. After some reflection, I realized that I had become too close to the conflagration that is Mike to see what was happening and how it really benefited the West in the long run.
While it is true that a very few may pay the ultimate price and lose their careers due to our union's many inadequate or under-performing components (all courtesy of Mike and his “friends”), ultimate victory for the West- and therefore all US Airways pilots- is much more likely with him in charge. Therefore, my new strategy is to support Mike and help keep him in power as long as possible. If East pilots are truly dissatisfied with Mike and Randy's performance (as is apparent that many are), then they will have to do something about it on their own. In the meantime, we can all enjoy our Cleary imposed “vow of poverty” until the West ultimately prevails in court, or until the East pilots simply find a way to make good on their obligations to the West via the arbitrated seniority list.
It is also clear that these relentlessly shrill and caustic communications are largely designed to intimidate the accused. I envision Mike and Randy drunkenly patting each others' backs, and gently stroking one anothers' egos over the false image of me cowering in a closet somewhere, hiding in fear. They no doubt fantasize that this is the end of the West effort and that victory is just around the corner. This is laughable. Those of you whom I have had the pleasure of speaking with know otherwise.
I must contrast myself and my Leonidas team with the current USAPA President: While Mike Cleary lacked the fortitude to so much as sign a lease on the new USAPA Headquarters, (sighting that he would “not accept the liability” for this decision of the BPR), I and my team stood up against both the East pilots (who outnumber the West pilots two-to-one, and are entitled to a portion of our paycheck under threat of termination) AND the company. We have done this with the foreknowledge that it could well cost one (or all) of us our jobs, and that this union would do anything but protect us. This has been a necessary risk all along, just to “do the right thing.” Furthermore, we have not so much as hidden our names, addresses, telephone numbers, or even schedules from the public or our adversaries during this fight. All along, we have, and will continue to operate to the highest standard of ethics, and we WILL be vindicated when the dust settles.
The predictable idiocy continues unabated even this week. On April 12th, the East contingent of the BPR again authorized Cleary and “USAPA Legal” (in their lone authority) to initiate legal proceedings against Leonidas and whoever else they so choose. This is not unlike the bumbling RICO strategy used in the earliest days of USAPA's “reign of failure” to bankrupt the West pilots' legal defense. The end result of that effort was an even more unified West group, further galvanized to thwart USAPA's singular DOH mission. It went poorly for USAPA, but beautifully for the West. Should Cleary again launch more frivolous litigation against myself or my fellow West pilots, I predict it will only backfire on him.
Bring it, Mike. The West is more than ready.
I recommend that all West pilots continue to support Mike Cleary, though not for any of the reasons he would like our support. He is perfect for the job.
Please visit http://www.cactuspilot.com to keep informed and continue the fight.
Sincerely,
Eric Ferguson
Co-founder of Leonidas, LLC
Former RICO Defendant
Former USAPA Las Vegas Chairman
Current Overwhelmingly Elected PHX USAPA Vice-Chairman
Robust supporter of Mike Cleary as USAPA President
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to call, email, or text a message of support to me recently. I have remained deliberately silent for some time in order to allow things to “play out,” but I believe it is now time to break my silence. While I cannot comment directly on any ongoing investigation, I remain confident that I will be entirely vindicated- not just found “not guilty” of any wrongdoing, but instead declared innocent of all charges made against me by USAPA.
In the meantime, the incessant clanging from the gong known as “USAPA Communications” regarding what has been deliberately and misleadingly categorized as “identity theft” is no doubt far more annoying to most of you than it is even to me and my fellow accused pilots. However, absent any hearing or due process, what should have been discretely handled as accusations (which they are), have been treated as ironclad convictions by the utterly failed leadership of USAPA. It is patently obvious to even the most casual observer that USAPA has again manufactured a crisis in attempt to keep its understandably restless and mutinous disciples under control. Simply ask yourself if it would be wise to repeatedly declare to anyone who would care to listen that the lock to your house was broken? The first rule of security is to NOT tell the world when you believe you have a security problem. If there really was a problem, then USAPA has actually done its pilots a tremendous disservice by alerting any would-be wrongdoers of a potential weakness in the manner in which it has. This speaks volumes about the real objectives of the Cleary regime and its latest folly. It also reeks of desperation, as the briefly unified East pilots begin to turn on one another and the infighting becomes more and more public. If victory for DOH was truly imminent, then none of this would not be happening.
The distinction between an accusation and a conviction must be beyond the elementary comprehension level of Cleary, Theuer, and the rest of his crack team of would-be thugs who have failed to deliver ANYTHING of value- other than a comic tragedy- to the US Airways pilots. It is ironic how carefully USAPA Communications uses the word “alleged” whenever the accused act implicates one of Cleary's cronies in a physical altercation, but declines to use this important modifier when referring to the supposed “identity theft” of US Airways pilots.
Personally, I find the unwarranted hysteria to be amusing, and even helpful to the cause of Leonidas, LLC. The recent spike in funds raised by Leonidas certainly bear this out. I have remained silent thus far while enjoying my “Administrative Leave” made necessary by the hostile work environment created by Mike Cleary and his Communications Committee. However, I will concede that this has produced a singular downside for me and my fellow accused pilots; it has created yet more baseless accusations and false convictions written in the indelible ink of today's Internet. This is no doubt designed to create personal liability for me and my family (and that of many fellow West pilots and their families as well) forevermore should we choose to undertake endeavors outside the scope of our employment as pilots for the company. For me, this is a battle I have chosen to undertake knowing full well the possible risks to my career and reputation, so I simply brush it all aside (for now). More on that later.
I am no psychologist (so please do not take this as a diagnosis), but it is obvious to me that Mike Cleary's primary and driving personality trait is narcissism- almost pathologically so. This makes for the best possible (and most predictable) adversary from my perspective and that of the West pilots. The overwrought reaction by Cleary to East pilots simply receiving US mail of a factual nature that Mike has been desperate to shield his flock from, was even part of Leonidas, LLC's plan at the outset of that project. We could not possibly have asked for more attention to be drawn to the West perspective of our seniority dispute as illustrated in the Leonidas Brochures.
There was a time when I contemplated the recall of Mike Cleary and Randy Mowrey. However, when we began to discuss this among West pilots, it became clear that most see his “leadership” (though I wouldn't call it that) as helpful to the cause of defending against DOH and enforcing the Nicolau. After some reflection, I realized that I had become too close to the conflagration that is Mike to see what was happening and how it really benefited the West in the long run.
While it is true that a very few may pay the ultimate price and lose their careers due to our union's many inadequate or under-performing components (all courtesy of Mike and his “friends”), ultimate victory for the West- and therefore all US Airways pilots- is much more likely with him in charge. Therefore, my new strategy is to support Mike and help keep him in power as long as possible. If East pilots are truly dissatisfied with Mike and Randy's performance (as is apparent that many are), then they will have to do something about it on their own. In the meantime, we can all enjoy our Cleary imposed “vow of poverty” until the West ultimately prevails in court, or until the East pilots simply find a way to make good on their obligations to the West via the arbitrated seniority list.
It is also clear that these relentlessly shrill and caustic communications are largely designed to intimidate the accused. I envision Mike and Randy drunkenly patting each others' backs, and gently stroking one anothers' egos over the false image of me cowering in a closet somewhere, hiding in fear. They no doubt fantasize that this is the end of the West effort and that victory is just around the corner. This is laughable. Those of you whom I have had the pleasure of speaking with know otherwise.
I must contrast myself and my Leonidas team with the current USAPA President: While Mike Cleary lacked the fortitude to so much as sign a lease on the new USAPA Headquarters, (sighting that he would “not accept the liability” for this decision of the BPR), I and my team stood up against both the East pilots (who outnumber the West pilots two-to-one, and are entitled to a portion of our paycheck under threat of termination) AND the company. We have done this with the foreknowledge that it could well cost one (or all) of us our jobs, and that this union would do anything but protect us. This has been a necessary risk all along, just to “do the right thing.” Furthermore, we have not so much as hidden our names, addresses, telephone numbers, or even schedules from the public or our adversaries during this fight. All along, we have, and will continue to operate to the highest standard of ethics, and we WILL be vindicated when the dust settles.
The predictable idiocy continues unabated even this week. On April 12th, the East contingent of the BPR again authorized Cleary and “USAPA Legal” (in their lone authority) to initiate legal proceedings against Leonidas and whoever else they so choose. This is not unlike the bumbling RICO strategy used in the earliest days of USAPA's “reign of failure” to bankrupt the West pilots' legal defense. The end result of that effort was an even more unified West group, further galvanized to thwart USAPA's singular DOH mission. It went poorly for USAPA, but beautifully for the West. Should Cleary again launch more frivolous litigation against myself or my fellow West pilots, I predict it will only backfire on him.
Bring it, Mike. The West is more than ready.
I recommend that all West pilots continue to support Mike Cleary, though not for any of the reasons he would like our support. He is perfect for the job.
Please visit http://www.cactuspilot.com to keep informed and continue the fight.
Sincerely,
Eric Ferguson
Co-founder of Leonidas, LLC
Former RICO Defendant
Former USAPA Las Vegas Chairman
Current Overwhelmingly Elected PHX USAPA Vice-Chairman
Robust supporter of Mike Cleary as USAPA President
04-14-2011, 08:48 PM
#46
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2005
Position: B777/CA retired
Posts: 1,502
Not really sure what the letter from Eric has to do with this but here is what I think.
PHL and CLT have been valuable only because of what Parker did after the merger. He cut a lot of waste out with unneccessary routes, dumped a bunch of old airplanes and replaced them with Airbus orders that AWA had coming. He cleaned out PHL management and has done a decent job of controlling the chaos that characterized that hub.
PHX and LAS were very profitable for AWA. The only time we lost money was after 9/11 and we were able to get the ATSB loans from the government (who actally made triple their investment on the stock that was granted) to tide us over until we could resume making money. AWA on its own made money. US Airways on its own did not. That is why there was no one else in the picture when Parker rode into town, waving Wall Street cash.
Right now, PHL and CLT are making money. The routes are working, the crew costs are low because of LOA 93 on the East, and the West crews that pass through those hubs are on very productive pairings. Same with the East planes and crews moving through the West. The increase in ASMs from flying to a western hub offsets the higher costs of having an East-centic airline. Parker has captured a lot of synergy with two separate operations. International out of PHL seems to be doing very well. I hear from people who travel that they are using PHL as a good alternate to flying out of JFK when travelling from the midwest and west. Star Alliance is good for US. This is a profitable airline with the current system structure.
Parting out the airline would not work as well for the East as the West. Phoenix is the 6th largest city in the USA, we keep trading slots with PHL. Of course, a lot of our citizens in PHX would prefer that the government not know they are here. We have a big high tech industry here with a half dozen microchip plants (thank you, Intel) and a big biogenetics research push here as well. So it's not all snowbirds and vacationers here. Our yields have always been impacted by SWA, but when fuel goes up for us, it now goes up for them, and they have to raise fares too. We are a lot further away from another airline's hub so we fit in well with a lot of different people. CLT and PHL have more limited partners to be merged with.
And then you have the labor issue. With the East entrenched in their date of hire methodology and no other merger even remotely going that way you will have a lot tougher time melding the East into any other pilot group. Remember, these are pilots with a huge sense of entitlement that includes anything you have that they want. Good luck getting through that mess. The West will go along with whatever comes out of the inevitable arbitration because we just want to get a deal done and a better contract.
I personally don't care any more. Whatever happens, happens. I have options available to me that our more junior guys do not so for their sake only I wish Parker would just get on with whatever he wants to try.
PHL and CLT have been valuable only because of what Parker did after the merger. He cut a lot of waste out with unneccessary routes, dumped a bunch of old airplanes and replaced them with Airbus orders that AWA had coming. He cleaned out PHL management and has done a decent job of controlling the chaos that characterized that hub.
PHX and LAS were very profitable for AWA. The only time we lost money was after 9/11 and we were able to get the ATSB loans from the government (who actally made triple their investment on the stock that was granted) to tide us over until we could resume making money. AWA on its own made money. US Airways on its own did not. That is why there was no one else in the picture when Parker rode into town, waving Wall Street cash.
Right now, PHL and CLT are making money. The routes are working, the crew costs are low because of LOA 93 on the East, and the West crews that pass through those hubs are on very productive pairings. Same with the East planes and crews moving through the West. The increase in ASMs from flying to a western hub offsets the higher costs of having an East-centic airline. Parker has captured a lot of synergy with two separate operations. International out of PHL seems to be doing very well. I hear from people who travel that they are using PHL as a good alternate to flying out of JFK when travelling from the midwest and west. Star Alliance is good for US. This is a profitable airline with the current system structure.
Parting out the airline would not work as well for the East as the West. Phoenix is the 6th largest city in the USA, we keep trading slots with PHL. Of course, a lot of our citizens in PHX would prefer that the government not know they are here. We have a big high tech industry here with a half dozen microchip plants (thank you, Intel) and a big biogenetics research push here as well. So it's not all snowbirds and vacationers here. Our yields have always been impacted by SWA, but when fuel goes up for us, it now goes up for them, and they have to raise fares too. We are a lot further away from another airline's hub so we fit in well with a lot of different people. CLT and PHL have more limited partners to be merged with.
And then you have the labor issue. With the East entrenched in their date of hire methodology and no other merger even remotely going that way you will have a lot tougher time melding the East into any other pilot group. Remember, these are pilots with a huge sense of entitlement that includes anything you have that they want. Good luck getting through that mess. The West will go along with whatever comes out of the inevitable arbitration because we just want to get a deal done and a better contract.
I personally don't care any more. Whatever happens, happens. I have options available to me that our more junior guys do not so for their sake only I wish Parker would just get on with whatever he wants to try.
04-15-2011, 05:46 AM
#47
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Posts: 48
Dear USAirways Pilots
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to call, email, or text a message of support to me recently. I have remained deliberately silent for some time in order to allow things to “play out,” but I believe it is now time to break my silence. While I cannot comment directly on any ongoing investigation, I remain confident that I will be entirely vindicated- not just found “not guilty” of any wrongdoing, but instead declared innocent of all charges made against me by USAPA.
In the meantime, the incessant clanging from the gong known as “USAPA Communications” regarding what has been deliberately and misleadingly categorized as “identity theft” is no doubt far more annoying to most of you than it is even to me and my fellow accused pilots. However, absent any hearing or due process, what should have been discretely handled as accusations (which they are), have been treated as ironclad convictions by the utterly failed leadership of USAPA. It is patently obvious to even the most casual observer that USAPA has again manufactured a crisis in attempt to keep its understandably restless and mutinous disciples under control. Simply ask yourself if it would be wise to repeatedly declare to anyone who would care to listen that the lock to your house was broken? The first rule of security is to NOT tell the world when you believe you have a security problem. If there really was a problem, then USAPA has actually done its pilots a tremendous disservice by alerting any would-be wrongdoers of a potential weakness in the manner in which it has. This speaks volumes about the real objectives of the Cleary regime and its latest folly. It also reeks of desperation, as the briefly unified East pilots begin to turn on one another and the infighting becomes more and more public. If victory for DOH was truly imminent, then none of this would not be happening.
The distinction between an accusation and a conviction must be beyond the elementary comprehension level of Cleary, Theuer, and the rest of his crack team of would-be thugs who have failed to deliver ANYTHING of value- other than a comic tragedy- to the US Airways pilots. It is ironic how carefully USAPA Communications uses the word “alleged” whenever the accused act implicates one of Cleary's cronies in a physical altercation, but declines to use this important modifier when referring to the supposed “identity theft” of US Airways pilots.
Personally, I find the unwarranted hysteria to be amusing, and even helpful to the cause of Leonidas, LLC. The recent spike in funds raised by Leonidas certainly bear this out. I have remained silent thus far while enjoying my “Administrative Leave” made necessary by the hostile work environment created by Mike Cleary and his Communications Committee. However, I will concede that this has produced a singular downside for me and my fellow accused pilots; it has created yet more baseless accusations and false convictions written in the indelible ink of today's Internet. This is no doubt designed to create personal liability for me and my family (and that of many fellow West pilots and their families as well) forevermore should we choose to undertake endeavors outside the scope of our employment as pilots for the company. For me, this is a battle I have chosen to undertake knowing full well the possible risks to my career and reputation, so I simply brush it all aside (for now). More on that later.
I am no psychologist (so please do not take this as a diagnosis), but it is obvious to me that Mike Cleary's primary and driving personality trait is narcissism- almost pathologically so. This makes for the best possible (and most predictable) adversary from my perspective and that of the West pilots. The overwrought reaction by Cleary to East pilots simply receiving US mail of a factual nature that Mike has been desperate to shield his flock from, was even part of Leonidas, LLC's plan at the outset of that project. We could not possibly have asked for more attention to be drawn to the West perspective of our seniority dispute as illustrated in the Leonidas Brochures.
There was a time when I contemplated the recall of Mike Cleary and Randy Mowrey. However, when we began to discuss this among West pilots, it became clear that most see his “leadership” (though I wouldn't call it that) as helpful to the cause of defending against DOH and enforcing the Nicolau. After some reflection, I realized that I had become too close to the conflagration that is Mike to see what was happening and how it really benefited the West in the long run.
While it is true that a very few may pay the ultimate price and lose their careers due to our union's many inadequate or under-performing components (all courtesy of Mike and his “friends”), ultimate victory for the West- and therefore all US Airways pilots- is much more likely with him in charge. Therefore, my new strategy is to support Mike and help keep him in power as long as possible. If East pilots are truly dissatisfied with Mike and Randy's performance (as is apparent that many are), then they will have to do something about it on their own. In the meantime, we can all enjoy our Cleary imposed “vow of poverty” until the West ultimately prevails in court, or until the East pilots simply find a way to make good on their obligations to the West via the arbitrated seniority list.
It is also clear that these relentlessly shrill and caustic communications are largely designed to intimidate the accused. I envision Mike and Randy drunkenly patting each others' backs, and gently stroking one anothers' egos over the false image of me cowering in a closet somewhere, hiding in fear. They no doubt fantasize that this is the end of the West effort and that victory is just around the corner. This is laughable. Those of you whom I have had the pleasure of speaking with know otherwise.
I must contrast myself and my Leonidas team with the current USAPA President: While Mike Cleary lacked the fortitude to so much as sign a lease on the new USAPA Headquarters, (sighting that he would “not accept the liability” for this decision of the BPR), I and my team stood up against both the East pilots (who outnumber the West pilots two-to-one, and are entitled to a portion of our paycheck under threat of termination) AND the company. We have done this with the foreknowledge that it could well cost one (or all) of us our jobs, and that this union would do anything but protect us. This has been a necessary risk all along, just to “do the right thing.” Furthermore, we have not so much as hidden our names, addresses, telephone numbers, or even schedules from the public or our adversaries during this fight. All along, we have, and will continue to operate to the highest standard of ethics, and we WILL be vindicated when the dust settles.
The predictable idiocy continues unabated even this week. On April 12th, the East contingent of the BPR again authorized Cleary and “USAPA Legal” (in their lone authority) to initiate legal proceedings against Leonidas and whoever else they so choose. This is not unlike the bumbling RICO strategy used in the earliest days of USAPA's “reign of failure” to bankrupt the West pilots' legal defense. The end result of that effort was an even more unified West group, further galvanized to thwart USAPA's singular DOH mission. It went poorly for USAPA, but beautifully for the West. Should Cleary again launch more frivolous litigation against myself or my fellow West pilots, I predict it will only backfire on him.
Bring it, Mike. The West is more than ready.
I recommend that all West pilots continue to support Mike Cleary, though not for any of the reasons he would like our support. He is perfect for the job.
Please visit http://www.cactuspilot.com to keep informed and continue the fight.
Sincerely,
Eric Ferguson
Co-founder of Leonidas, LLC
Former RICO Defendant
Former USAPA Las Vegas Chairman
Current Overwhelmingly Elected PHX USAPA Vice-Chairman
Robust supporter of Mike Cleary as USAPA President
I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to call, email, or text a message of support to me recently. I have remained deliberately silent for some time in order to allow things to “play out,” but I believe it is now time to break my silence. While I cannot comment directly on any ongoing investigation, I remain confident that I will be entirely vindicated- not just found “not guilty” of any wrongdoing, but instead declared innocent of all charges made against me by USAPA.
In the meantime, the incessant clanging from the gong known as “USAPA Communications” regarding what has been deliberately and misleadingly categorized as “identity theft” is no doubt far more annoying to most of you than it is even to me and my fellow accused pilots. However, absent any hearing or due process, what should have been discretely handled as accusations (which they are), have been treated as ironclad convictions by the utterly failed leadership of USAPA. It is patently obvious to even the most casual observer that USAPA has again manufactured a crisis in attempt to keep its understandably restless and mutinous disciples under control. Simply ask yourself if it would be wise to repeatedly declare to anyone who would care to listen that the lock to your house was broken? The first rule of security is to NOT tell the world when you believe you have a security problem. If there really was a problem, then USAPA has actually done its pilots a tremendous disservice by alerting any would-be wrongdoers of a potential weakness in the manner in which it has. This speaks volumes about the real objectives of the Cleary regime and its latest folly. It also reeks of desperation, as the briefly unified East pilots begin to turn on one another and the infighting becomes more and more public. If victory for DOH was truly imminent, then none of this would not be happening.
The distinction between an accusation and a conviction must be beyond the elementary comprehension level of Cleary, Theuer, and the rest of his crack team of would-be thugs who have failed to deliver ANYTHING of value- other than a comic tragedy- to the US Airways pilots. It is ironic how carefully USAPA Communications uses the word “alleged” whenever the accused act implicates one of Cleary's cronies in a physical altercation, but declines to use this important modifier when referring to the supposed “identity theft” of US Airways pilots.
Personally, I find the unwarranted hysteria to be amusing, and even helpful to the cause of Leonidas, LLC. The recent spike in funds raised by Leonidas certainly bear this out. I have remained silent thus far while enjoying my “Administrative Leave” made necessary by the hostile work environment created by Mike Cleary and his Communications Committee. However, I will concede that this has produced a singular downside for me and my fellow accused pilots; it has created yet more baseless accusations and false convictions written in the indelible ink of today's Internet. This is no doubt designed to create personal liability for me and my family (and that of many fellow West pilots and their families as well) forevermore should we choose to undertake endeavors outside the scope of our employment as pilots for the company. For me, this is a battle I have chosen to undertake knowing full well the possible risks to my career and reputation, so I simply brush it all aside (for now). More on that later.
I am no psychologist (so please do not take this as a diagnosis), but it is obvious to me that Mike Cleary's primary and driving personality trait is narcissism- almost pathologically so. This makes for the best possible (and most predictable) adversary from my perspective and that of the West pilots. The overwrought reaction by Cleary to East pilots simply receiving US mail of a factual nature that Mike has been desperate to shield his flock from, was even part of Leonidas, LLC's plan at the outset of that project. We could not possibly have asked for more attention to be drawn to the West perspective of our seniority dispute as illustrated in the Leonidas Brochures.
There was a time when I contemplated the recall of Mike Cleary and Randy Mowrey. However, when we began to discuss this among West pilots, it became clear that most see his “leadership” (though I wouldn't call it that) as helpful to the cause of defending against DOH and enforcing the Nicolau. After some reflection, I realized that I had become too close to the conflagration that is Mike to see what was happening and how it really benefited the West in the long run.
While it is true that a very few may pay the ultimate price and lose their careers due to our union's many inadequate or under-performing components (all courtesy of Mike and his “friends”), ultimate victory for the West- and therefore all US Airways pilots- is much more likely with him in charge. Therefore, my new strategy is to support Mike and help keep him in power as long as possible. If East pilots are truly dissatisfied with Mike and Randy's performance (as is apparent that many are), then they will have to do something about it on their own. In the meantime, we can all enjoy our Cleary imposed “vow of poverty” until the West ultimately prevails in court, or until the East pilots simply find a way to make good on their obligations to the West via the arbitrated seniority list.
It is also clear that these relentlessly shrill and caustic communications are largely designed to intimidate the accused. I envision Mike and Randy drunkenly patting each others' backs, and gently stroking one anothers' egos over the false image of me cowering in a closet somewhere, hiding in fear. They no doubt fantasize that this is the end of the West effort and that victory is just around the corner. This is laughable. Those of you whom I have had the pleasure of speaking with know otherwise.
I must contrast myself and my Leonidas team with the current USAPA President: While Mike Cleary lacked the fortitude to so much as sign a lease on the new USAPA Headquarters, (sighting that he would “not accept the liability” for this decision of the BPR), I and my team stood up against both the East pilots (who outnumber the West pilots two-to-one, and are entitled to a portion of our paycheck under threat of termination) AND the company. We have done this with the foreknowledge that it could well cost one (or all) of us our jobs, and that this union would do anything but protect us. This has been a necessary risk all along, just to “do the right thing.” Furthermore, we have not so much as hidden our names, addresses, telephone numbers, or even schedules from the public or our adversaries during this fight. All along, we have, and will continue to operate to the highest standard of ethics, and we WILL be vindicated when the dust settles.
The predictable idiocy continues unabated even this week. On April 12th, the East contingent of the BPR again authorized Cleary and “USAPA Legal” (in their lone authority) to initiate legal proceedings against Leonidas and whoever else they so choose. This is not unlike the bumbling RICO strategy used in the earliest days of USAPA's “reign of failure” to bankrupt the West pilots' legal defense. The end result of that effort was an even more unified West group, further galvanized to thwart USAPA's singular DOH mission. It went poorly for USAPA, but beautifully for the West. Should Cleary again launch more frivolous litigation against myself or my fellow West pilots, I predict it will only backfire on him.
Bring it, Mike. The West is more than ready.
I recommend that all West pilots continue to support Mike Cleary, though not for any of the reasons he would like our support. He is perfect for the job.
Please visit http://www.cactuspilot.com to keep informed and continue the fight.
Sincerely,
Eric Ferguson
Co-founder of Leonidas, LLC
Former RICO Defendant
Former USAPA Las Vegas Chairman
Current Overwhelmingly Elected PHX USAPA Vice-Chairman
Robust supporter of Mike Cleary as USAPA President
04-15-2011, 06:29 AM
#49
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Posts: 48
04-15-2011, 11:25 AM
#50
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Posts: 182
Better hope its not AA just spoke with a union pilot and they are well aware of this posibility and he told me flat out that they would only honor the mediated list between west and east for a new merged list between the two/three/four (AA, TWA, US, AW) groups...they know there are not enough of you guys to to overide there pilot group and there present union...im just passing it on not trying to dig at anyone...
Really?? I just spoke with Santa Claus and he said that since he is imaginary that the imaginary merger between AA and US will go by the naughty and nice list.
Any REAL merger between the two companies will of course go by McCaskill Bond legislation. Not what an AA Union pilot or a US Union pilot wants. Besides....who knows who is going to get parted out where.
Currently there is no combined list between US and former AWA pilots. Still two separate pilot groups. AA pilots union doesn't have a choice to honor an arbitrated combined list under ALPA (That was only to go in effect under a combined contract within ALPA) Talk to a Railway Labor Lawyer. Ask them how many seniority lists there are out there that have never been used. There are quite a few.
Any pilot that claims he knows what will happen in a merger is a fool.
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