What is becoming evident in reading this thread is that the comments posted are taking the form of ‘alignment’ along very obvious lines … those of “management” and those of “workers.” It’s my opinion that as long as the participants are focused on defending and accusing – regardless of the side – the potential is that the separation of interests is going to be, and remain, the center of all attention.
The problem with this, beyond the hurt feelings and the explosive reaction that such disagreements often fuel, is that the issues of “safety” and “professionalism” and “competence” receive minimal attention and little or no direct or active “hands-on” actions to correct any “short-coming” or prevent any similar circumstance from developing in the future.
I contend that the time has long-passed since ALL of us in this industry must realize that each of us has our own defined experiences – and it is that combined grouping of experiences that must be brought to bear on ANY logical addressing of the multiple, collective circumstances that periodically combine in such a way as to present a unique and challenging scenario that sometimes develops into a problem – which then, sometimes, results in tragedy.
Pointing fingers and assigning blame does little or nothing to correct any knowledge or competence short-comings – and such emotional tendencies do not generate solutions, and, in fact, may well stand in the way of achieving a collective attitude toward ensuring that knowledge and competence can be increased to a level that might prevent the kinds of unwanted circumstances that seemingly generate the kinds of situations that all too regularly generate these kinds of finger pointing reactions.
It reminds me of the now-famous quote of Rodney King, when he said, “Can’t we all just get along?” If we can’t find a way to regularly “get along,” (and by that, I mean, work together to identify, and then completely correct - and then verify that correction - the short-comings in training, knowledge, and competency that might well exist – anywhere throughout the entire flight sequence … gate-to-gate) I’m afraid we’re doomed to continue to relive, over and over, the deterioration of circumstances that all too often result in yet another tragedy.