With due acknowledgement to the author at Air Canada could this also apply to Qantas pilots.
I am an army of One - A Captain in the Air Canada army.
For years I was a loyal soldier in Air Canada army. Use to fight for the
big red - Now I fight my own war.
I used to feel valued and respected. Now I know I am mere fodder.
They used to exhibit labour leadership. Now they exploit legal loopholes.
They used to enjoy my maximum. Now they will suffer my minimum.
I am an army of One.
I used to save Air Canada a thousand pounds of fuel per leg; finding the
best altitude, getting direct routing, throttling back when on-time was
made, skimping during ground ops, adjusting for winds, being smart and
giving the company every effort I could conjure. Now, it's "burn baby,
burn!".
I used to call maintenance while airborne, so the part would be ready at
the gate. Now, they'll find the write-up when they look in the book.
I used to try to fix problems in the system, now I sit and watch as the
miscues pile up.
I used to fly sick. Now I use my sick days, on short notice, on the worst
day of the month.
I am an army of One.
I used to start the air conditioning at the last possible moment. Now my
customers enjoy extreme comfort.
I used to let the price of fuel affect my fuel loads. I still do.
I used to cover mistakes by operations. Now I watch them unfold.
I used to hustle to ensure an on-time arrival, to make us the best. Now I
don’t share my success.
I used to call dispatch for rerouting, to head off ground delays for bad
weather. Now I collect paid minutes, number 35 in line for takeoff.
I am on a new mission - to demonstrate that misguided leadership of
indifference and disrespect has a cost. It's about character, not
contracts. It's about leading by taking care of your people instead of
leadership by bean counters (an oxymoron). With acts of omission, not
commission, I am a one-man wrecking crew - an army of One. My mission used
to be to make Air Canada rich. Now it's to make Air Canada pay.
When they manipulate summer vacation to save their understaffed airline – I
will make them pay
When they force my FO to sit in economy while dead-heading with Jazz pilots
sitting in first class– I will make them pay
When they provide me with a sub-standard hotel for me to rest- I will make
them pay.
When over-booked customers are denied boarding system wide because of their
lack of planning - I will make them pay.
When they force pilots, who have waited 12 years to become Captains, to be
FOs again - I will make them pay.
When they try to manipulate my schedule to fix their lack of planning - I
will make them pay.
When they trick my FO into flying over his duty day – I will make them pay
When the CEO reveries his 5 million dollars bonus on April 1st while I am
still 20% below - I will make them pay
When they constantly violate the letter and spirit of our contract - a
contract that's a bargain by any measure, and force us to fight lengthy
grievances - I will make them pay.
My negotiating committee speaks for me, but I act on my own. I am a walking
nightmare to the bean counters that made me. Are you listening? This
mercenary has a lot of years left with this company; how long can you
afford to keep me bitter? I'm not looking for clauses in a contract, I'm
looking for a culture of commitment and caring. When I see it, I'll be a
soldier for Air Canada again. Until then, I am an Army of One…And I'm not
alone!
