How a unique and open culture treats its staff......
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How a unique and open culture treats its staff......
I heard a wonderful story today about an airline with a unique and open culture, that prides itself on making people it's most important asset. Or isn't that what it says in the advert?
Seems a young Training Captain with this well-known airline needs to head back home (Antipodes) to visit his Mother for a week or two as she is terminally ill. His yearly rolling total is just a shade under the maximum (guess who?) so is quite limited to how much he can fly anyway, but the airline in it's most caring, concerned manner says they will only give him three days compassionate leave, the rest will have to be taken as unpaid leave. If he had stayed in town he would have had to had suffered the ignomy of sitting at home on full pay unable to fly (high days!!) as he has done for the last roster period. This guy is an excellent chap and has served the airline well for nine years.
Call me old fashioned, but does anyone else think this is disgusting? No wonder nearly 130 people in the last year alone have decided that the open and unique culture is indeed unique and they want no part of it!!!
Seems a young Training Captain with this well-known airline needs to head back home (Antipodes) to visit his Mother for a week or two as she is terminally ill. His yearly rolling total is just a shade under the maximum (guess who?) so is quite limited to how much he can fly anyway, but the airline in it's most caring, concerned manner says they will only give him three days compassionate leave, the rest will have to be taken as unpaid leave. If he had stayed in town he would have had to had suffered the ignomy of sitting at home on full pay unable to fly (high days!!) as he has done for the last roster period. This guy is an excellent chap and has served the airline well for nine years.
Call me old fashioned, but does anyone else think this is disgusting? No wonder nearly 130 people in the last year alone have decided that the open and unique culture is indeed unique and they want no part of it!!!
From the management...
Doing well at their jobs at the mo, aren't they?
- Committed People who are inspired to give their very best.
- People are our greatest asset, stretching boundaries in everything they do.
- Getting the best out of our resources, working them hard while caring for them.
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First, this is based on the fact that the opening statement so true.
Why not just go 'sick' due to the beligerent, uncaring, hypocritical, stress provoking attitude from their majesties. For suitable treatment it is necessary to adjourn to the caring breast of one's true loved ones.
Call their bluff, or damp f@#t, and if they turn nasty, as is almost guaranteed, there is always the industrial tribunal lurking poised in the background. And, then again, there is always BALPA, for whom this type of negotiation was made; as is any union. This is not a poke at them, just an invitation for them to show their mettle. Even if this guy is not a member, the principle is worth fighting for and would be their greatest recruiting gambit yet. But please do not reply on this as a BALPA thread. This is much more about the gutless hypocritical management. Where is a REAL chief pilot when you need one? Perhaps a letter direct to the new MD might help. It used to work when sent to the Queen; but then again, the orange ones are a bunch of fairies.
Perhaps the new boss will accept the wonderful political opportunity to introduce a new fresh friendly atmosphere and wash away the poison of so many years.
Good luck.
Why not just go 'sick' due to the beligerent, uncaring, hypocritical, stress provoking attitude from their majesties. For suitable treatment it is necessary to adjourn to the caring breast of one's true loved ones.
Call their bluff, or damp f@#t, and if they turn nasty, as is almost guaranteed, there is always the industrial tribunal lurking poised in the background. And, then again, there is always BALPA, for whom this type of negotiation was made; as is any union. This is not a poke at them, just an invitation for them to show their mettle. Even if this guy is not a member, the principle is worth fighting for and would be their greatest recruiting gambit yet. But please do not reply on this as a BALPA thread. This is much more about the gutless hypocritical management. Where is a REAL chief pilot when you need one? Perhaps a letter direct to the new MD might help. It used to work when sent to the Queen; but then again, the orange ones are a bunch of fairies.
Perhaps the new boss will accept the wonderful political opportunity to introduce a new fresh friendly atmosphere and wash away the poison of so many years.
Good luck.
Perhaps the new boss will accept the wonderful political opportunity to introduce a new fresh friendly atmosphere and wash away the poison of so many years.
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Now hold on a second. A company no matter what it's reputation doesn't necessarily have to give a person paid compassionate leave.
3 days is not all that compassionate, perhaps a week would be better after first allowing him to take the days on which he would be illegal to fly anyway due to FTL's, thereafter
-compassionate leave
-banked sick days
-future sick day IOU's
-banked holidays
lastly,
-unpaid leave
I'd agree 3 days isn't very generous, but that type of thing does tend to be precedent setting within a corporation and opens up a pandora's box of other requests and possible subsequent abuse by less honest folk. Its a shame though when it affects one of the honest ones...
3 days is not all that compassionate, perhaps a week would be better after first allowing him to take the days on which he would be illegal to fly anyway due to FTL's, thereafter
-compassionate leave
-banked sick days
-future sick day IOU's
-banked holidays
lastly,
-unpaid leave
I'd agree 3 days isn't very generous, but that type of thing does tend to be precedent setting within a corporation and opens up a pandora's box of other requests and possible subsequent abuse by less honest folk. Its a shame though when it affects one of the honest ones...
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Three days - not bad.
Look at it from another way - pilot, whose mother is dying, is given 3 days compassionate leave, and presumably as much unpaid leave as requested, at peak season.
Disgusting that people think that sons need to be paid to go visit dying mothers... Call me old-fashioned, but it does seem a bit much to expect payment when on such a trip, when (presumably) normal leave has been used up. His mother is dying on the other side of the world, and he already burned his leave? Jolly well hope it was seeing her earlier in the year, or he comes across as a ninny.
Look at it from another way - pilot, whose mother is dying, is given 3 days compassionate leave, and presumably as much unpaid leave as requested, at peak season.
Disgusting that people think that sons need to be paid to go visit dying mothers... Call me old-fashioned, but it does seem a bit much to expect payment when on such a trip, when (presumably) normal leave has been used up. His mother is dying on the other side of the world, and he already burned his leave? Jolly well hope it was seeing her earlier in the year, or he comes across as a ninny.
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OK, Freehills, look at it another way. Would you want to be flying with a pilot, let alone a Trainer with a very young cadet (200 hours+) who has got THAT on his mind. Bad enough going to work after an argument with the old nagger!!!
Obviously he did not use his leave up, then decide he needed to go to visit and expect the company to pay!!! He found out very recently and had no leave to use. Most importantly, it isn't costing the company anything, anyway! That is the whole point of the thread, or did you miss something???
Call me daft, since when is December peak season?? I feel very strongly on this point for the poor chap since I was in exactly the same situation myself earlier this year, except I went in July in the middle of peak season. They either let me go, or I went after tending my resignation. When it may be your last chance to see one of your parents, you don't give a damn!!
Obviously he did not use his leave up, then decide he needed to go to visit and expect the company to pay!!! He found out very recently and had no leave to use. Most importantly, it isn't costing the company anything, anyway! That is the whole point of the thread, or did you miss something???
Call me daft, since when is December peak season?? I feel very strongly on this point for the poor chap since I was in exactly the same situation myself earlier this year, except I went in July in the middle of peak season. They either let me go, or I went after tending my resignation. When it may be your last chance to see one of your parents, you don't give a damn!!
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Three days compassionate leave is standard in a lot of industries. Certainly is in mine (engineering) and has been the same for the last 20 years. If you have no annual leave left, then anymore the company may give you is either unpaid or taken out of following years leave. Fair or unfair, Ryanair or otherwise, that is life.
No FR bashing points on this one I think.
No FR bashing points on this one I think.
This topic is something the young 'uns might not understand. The new way of running a company only pays someone for tarmacing the drive when they are tarmacing the drive.
The point the Col makes here is one of poor management.
The poor manager looks at the book and says "3 days only". The rest of the workforce take note and remember that whenever they may be in the **** in the future, they will get no support. This will encourage them to look elsewhere, not make an extra effort, despise and deride the company and so on. Huge cost to the company.
The good manager will always see an opportunity to give a lot at (little or) no cost to the company. Here he is losing nothing (the worker is high on hours) but the company will be seen as compassionate, trustworthy, worth working for and will gain respect, hard work, discretion and a favourable nod when others choose an employer.
Well, this is how it worked when I was a manager. And it worked well.
The point the Col makes here is one of poor management.
The poor manager looks at the book and says "3 days only". The rest of the workforce take note and remember that whenever they may be in the **** in the future, they will get no support. This will encourage them to look elsewhere, not make an extra effort, despise and deride the company and so on. Huge cost to the company.
The good manager will always see an opportunity to give a lot at (little or) no cost to the company. Here he is losing nothing (the worker is high on hours) but the company will be seen as compassionate, trustworthy, worth working for and will gain respect, hard work, discretion and a favourable nod when others choose an employer.
Well, this is how it worked when I was a manager. And it worked well.
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In this case I think the company have been quite reasonable.
What is the priority with the crewmember?, to get home to see his mother or to be paid for it.
He has been given the oppurtunity to go home and his job is being kept open. His company are not under any obligation to give him unpaid leave.
I don't mean to sound cruel but I would have thought the important thing is to get time off.
They are not depriving him of the chance to be with his ill mother.
What is the priority with the crewmember?, to get home to see his mother or to be paid for it.
He has been given the oppurtunity to go home and his job is being kept open. His company are not under any obligation to give him unpaid leave.
I don't mean to sound cruel but I would have thought the important thing is to get time off.
They are not depriving him of the chance to be with his ill mother.
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If my mother, who lives over the otherside of town was ill I would only get 3 days compassionate.
So, as your mother lives 13000 miles away you get 2/3 weeks compassionate.
Also, whilst you are away I am having to take up some of the work.
Seems to me that I would be being disadvantaged for having a mum who lives around the corner.
Whether the chap is at max hours or not is completely irrelevent.
So, as your mother lives 13000 miles away you get 2/3 weeks compassionate.
Also, whilst you are away I am having to take up some of the work.
Seems to me that I would be being disadvantaged for having a mum who lives around the corner.
Whether the chap is at max hours or not is completely irrelevent.
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fmgc.
Unbelievable!!! When my father died, the company we both work for, sent me away and said come back when you are ready. Three days is not enough and you should not be in charge of an aircraft in that frame of mind.
Unbelievable!!! When my father died, the company we both work for, sent me away and said come back when you are ready. Three days is not enough and you should not be in charge of an aircraft in that frame of mind.
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qwertyuiop
As long as that applies to everybody that is fine, I am not advocating that companies should not be taking a sympathetic point of view but that this chap seems to want special treatment as his mother is so far away.
As long as that applies to everybody that is fine, I am not advocating that companies should not be taking a sympathetic point of view but that this chap seems to want special treatment as his mother is so far away.
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taking the penny a long time to drop here isn't it! They can't use him anyway..his hours are too high. They could have let him go for a while with no harm done as he will be twiddling his thumbs on High Contactables. It is yet another demonstration of the management's total inability to 'think outside the box'.
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It's interesting to note that a few contributions to this thread make the assumption that the company in question is FR, who openly make no secret of their stance to toward their crews.
The company in question has banners emblazoned (in orange for the dopey ones) proclaiming the gospel and filling the niave full of propoganda.
Whilst it has been widely agreed that the standard protocol is 3 days compassionate, I can only feel for the poor chap in question, knowing his mother is slipping away but being unable to rush to her side. I could not AFFORD to take 2 weeks off and I would suggest a large proportion of you would be in the same position.
Klinks point . . . what would it hurt to give this guy a break? Nothing. 60 whatever million profit this year alone. They hide behind the propoganda . . . . but are mean, heartless, liars that couldn't give a flying f*** about their people.
The company in question has banners emblazoned (in orange for the dopey ones) proclaiming the gospel and filling the niave full of propoganda.
Whilst it has been widely agreed that the standard protocol is 3 days compassionate, I can only feel for the poor chap in question, knowing his mother is slipping away but being unable to rush to her side. I could not AFFORD to take 2 weeks off and I would suggest a large proportion of you would be in the same position.
Klinks point . . . what would it hurt to give this guy a break? Nothing. 60 whatever million profit this year alone. They hide behind the propoganda . . . . but are mean, heartless, liars that couldn't give a flying f*** about their people.