Letter to United
Here's another letter I thought might be interesting:
Subj: Pilot to Tilton...United Airline's Leader...
Subject: Retired Pilot's letter to Mr. Tilton
Letter to Tilton,
4-Oct-2005
Mr. Tilton -
For the longest time I've been wondering, "How can Glenn Tilton look at himself in the mirror every morning?" as I view the cruel, heartless actions you've taken against retirees and employees. We met last December when I welcomed you aboard the B-777 I was flying from Denver to Chicago. On one level I had been hoping you would turn out to be a real bastard - that would explain everything - but you are obviously a very intelligent, charismatic, and outwardly pleasant person.
Recently all my questions were answered. You see, I came upon the book The Sociopath Next Door, by Dr. Martha Stout, and everything snapped into sharp focus. A sociopath is someone who has no conscience, who is incapable of feeling empathy or sorrow. It's not a truly evil trait, it's simply a genetic disorder, like being color-blind. An alarming number of people (1 in 25) are sociopaths. You are one of them. You, sir, are a sociopath. The reason you can do unconscionable things is you have no conscience. And when I realized that, I stopped being angry at you.
Now I see it wasn't personal, just business, when you destroyed the pensions of the retirees; pensions that had been bought and paid for, while still accepting your own bonuses and outrageous salary. I see how you could not even comprehend my suggestion, sent to you in two separate e-mails (which you refused to acknowledge or answer) that you forego your salary and work for $1 per year. It sure would have galvanized the entire employee group into pulling on the same end of the rope. And by the way, it wouldn't have been such a bad idea from a financial perspective. After working for free, your 2007 memoir Rising: the True Story of How Glenn Tilton Rescued United would have netted you a hefty seven-figure advance that would have eclipsed your current United salary. Too bad for you, Glenn. By now the whole world has already seen what you're really made of.
You had your chance to really be a historic leader, and instead you will simply be a footnote in the case studies that will examine United Airlines, such as the one I am researching for the Doctor of Business Administration degree I am currently pursuing. The working title is Rolling in their Graves: How the Legacy Of Pat Patterson and Eddie Carlson Was Destroyed by Greed and Incompetence at United Airlines.
While you appear to be an adequate manager, you're a failure as a leader, because you are unable to inspire people to want to follow you. United Airlines was once truly great, where the company really cared about the employees. Now, it's simply a place where the employees come to work. They know they're not valued; they're considered a liability.
During the 27 years I worked at United, I've had some difficult times: I went unpaid during a strike, was furloughed, took more than a 25 percent pay cut for the ill-fated ESOP, watched my pay decrease by more than 50 percent during my last three years, and grieved the loss of friends and coworkers. Through all of those difficult times United was a family. We supported each other during the tough times. We pulled together. With you as the father figure, United is now truly a dysfunctional family.
But at least you've kept your salary, your bonuses and your retirement. United has picked up the tab for your penthouse apartment, a total amount that would equal the entire mortgage on the home of the average retiree. Yes, I know it was promised to you in your contract. But wait: my pension was promised to me in my contract.
The sad thing - I'm sorry, I just used a term you can't comprehend - is that you lack the trait that makes us humans, well, human. No longer angry, I truly feel sorry for you. I still wish this letter would hurt your feelings, but I know that's not possible.
With all DUE respect,
George E. Nolly B-777 Captain, retired