Reply #4: Perhaps they share some of the blame. [View All]

[purduejake]

I truly appreciate the protections unions have brought to workers, but I know first-hand that places with strong unions have trouble adapting. Right now the airline I work for is fighting the union over counseling employees who don't show up to work on time or are unable to be located for an hour or less. We're bankrupt and the union doesn't see a problem with aircraft waiting at the gate for somebody to guide them in so the passengers can get off and the turbines (which burn ~3000 lbs of fuel an hour) can be shut down. I was grieved today for TALKING with an employee who was late for an inbound aircraft after an hour and a half of down-time. This behavior was permitted in the past (shame on the prior management), and it is killing us now.

on edit: The person was being paid over $30 an hour. Seems like a job worth working hard for, even after pay cuts.