Hi all
Mouse,I'm just a line guy but even I and my colleagues can figure things out for ourselves, as well as talk to the pilots, cabin crew, loaders, caterers, ops people,etc and see where the company is going. One thing about WW is that he will go to each department, look you in the eye and tell you what his plans are. That includes taking flak from the staff, as well. Often, we had bosses who were utterly divorced from the troops and stayed in the head office, out of sight and reach.
As for decisions that we percieved to be wrong, during the 146 period,WW told us that the company was pulling out of short-haul routes such as Dub-Man and Dub-BHX, because of low load factors. We knew that the routes had good loads and good returns, so we were a bit taken aback. We also knew that the average load factor was 77%.Which is not bad for a 146, by any stretch. When asked what constituted an acceptable LF, we were told 80%. We then asked, if the 146 was replaced by a 737 or a 320, how he expected these more expensive, larger aircraft to outdo a cheap 146? Ultimately, it turned out he needed a reason to ground the 146s and phase them out. We knew that the routes were sound, as is evidenced by continued good loads on the bigger jets, so Willie lost brownies with us right away, by trying to snow us, instead of using his much-vaunted straight talk to tell us his real plans.
As for the union aspect, I have to say that, in my experience, most people in the company aren't spring-loaded to the "strike" position. We are not remotely as bolshie as in other companies and a lot of the agitation comes from a small core of people who are close to SIPTU and the like. Most of prefer to sort out our needs at local level, without moving it upstairs or in to the hands of axe-grinding union people.Our company is not as hide-bound as is believed.
regards
TDD