American Airlines Files for Bankruptcy — Blames Unions
- Posted on November 29, 2011 at 7:53am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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American Airlines’ parent company is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it seeks to unload massive debt built up by years of accelerating jet fuel prices and labor struggles.
The nation’s third largest airline also said Tuesday that its CEO Gerard Arpey will step down. He’s being replaced by Thomas Horton, currently the company’s president.
Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corp., along with its regional affiliate AMR Eagle Holding Corp., said Tuesday that they filed voluntary petitions to reorganize.
American says it sought protection to reduce its costs and debt to remain competitive. The airline will continue normal flight operations during the reorganization.
American is the only U.S. legacy airline that hasn’t filed for bankruptcy protection. The last major airline to file for bankruptcy protection was Delta in 2005.
American says labor-contract rules force it to spend at least $600 million more than other airlines. That’s partly a result of AMR avoiding bankruptcy last decade, while airlines like United and Delta were able to scrap existing labor contracts after filing Chapter 11.
Besides higher labor costs, American also struggled with rising jet fuel costs. Jet fuel cost an average of $3 per gallon so far this year – a record according to government data that goes back to 1990. Jet fuel is more expensive now than the average of $2.96 per gallon in 2008, when oil rose above $147 per barrel for the first time. It’s risen 56.4 percent in the past five years. The average price of jet fuel was $1.92 per gallon in 2006.
American lost $162 million in the third quarter and has lost money in 14 of the last 16 quarters.
Analysts have speculated about a bankruptcy filing as the shares sank and AMR struggled to make money while its rivals reported profits. Most recently, AMR’s inability to reach a contract with its pilots fueled talk about a possible filing.
American was founded in 1930 from the combination of more than 80 smaller carriers. It now flies about 240,000 passengers per day and has about 78,000 employees.
The airline operates out of five major hubs in New York, Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago, and Miami.
This is a breaking story. Updates will be added.
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Comments (104)
bjornskis
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:09amwhat don’t unions kill after the host runs out of blood
Report Post »flyoverbob
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:30pmYou cant blame people for getting as much as possible for their work.The company had to agree to these contracts.I dont blame it on the employees but now they have to suffer the consequences.I gurantee the Union and Company leaders are getting as much as they can.
Report Post »VoteBushIn12
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:02pmThe Pilots are already worked beyond the breaking point! I would blame the CEOs that rack in over a million a year salary alone. You can literally pay the salaries of 100+ pilots with the annual salary of a single American Airline CEO.
“AMR Corp. Chief Executive Gerard Arpey received $5.2 million in total compensation last year, even though the parent company of American Airlines was the only major U.S. carrier to lose money in 2010.”
Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/04/22/112669/american-airlines-ceos-pay-rose.html#ixzz1f9qxTzA7
Blame the Unions? Blame your own corporate greed. I’m all for giving the higher ups grotesque amounts of money when the company is doing well, but when the company is failing the captain needs to go down with the ship.
Report Post »TexOkie
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:30amLet us be careful not to demonize the union members in cases of these companies. The union members are people just like you and me for the most part who are simply out to make a living wage to feed and shelter their families. They are not to blame for wanting the best wage and benefits that they can get.
It is the union management, corporate management and more importantly government regulators who are to blame. Without the government intervention management of the unions and the companies they negotiate with would be on equal footing and when hence be able to negotiate fair deals for both the companies and the employees. It is the distorted market caused by government intervention by way of union lobbying that has created this mess and so many others.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:43amIt is the UNION who is to blame. People join unions and they get jobs as baggage handlers, because they want the “great pay”, “benefits”, and “job security” that comes with it.
The members support the people at the top, financially and morally.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:46amThis torques me off so much. I live in St. Louis, and my customers have been getting screwed by American for years in the form of rediculous ticket prices. There’ve been times when I drove to a customer site simply because it was cheaper than flying, even though I had to drive 7 – 8 hours.
Ever wait for your bags when flying into St. Louis on an American Airlines flight? Might as well get a cup of coffee and take a seat. You’ll wait AT LEAST 20 minutes, and I’ve waited up to 45 minutes for my bags to come down.
Every time it happens, I have to wonder how many union baggage handlers are sitting around joking and smoking while my bags wait to be moved onto a belt.
Report Post »Treaty
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:00amMaybe if they didn‘t smoke dope and drink booze on their lunch breaks they’d be more productive…
Report Post »Taxpayer550
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:05amUnions are the reason. They have been linked to more instances of corporate failure than any other cause. Once a corporation chooses to contract with unions, they’re tied in – in bed together for life. The union will continue to demand more and more without any consideration for fiscal solvency. They’re built on the idea of class-hatred, so they don’t really care if the company goes under.
Report Post »AxelPhantom
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:17amOh I don’t know. I have two in-laws who work for AA and they are as liberal as liberal can be, think the union walks on water and that somehow they are worth every red cent of thier pay and benefits (which includes free flying for all of their immediate family).
Over Thanksgiving they were trying to decide where to vacation this year. Skiing in Switzerland, Italy or Hawaii (they are part of the 47% also) I suggested that Russia is beautiful in the spring, they didn’t find the humor. With this bankruptcy I think their plans may be on hold.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:21amI see the 1%’s poodles are barkng to protect their masters. Instead of standing with real americans, the american worker, the Beckerheads rather act like slaves for the 1%, hoping for a bigger share of table scraps.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:16pmThat’s a load of bull. Unions from top to bottom have been nothing but legalized extortion and racketeering rings since shortly after the industrial revolution. There is a reason everything a union bargains for is centered around protecting the incompetent rather than rewarding excellence.
The bankruptcy process itself needs to be overhauled though. The way corporate bankruptcies function now is like a debt forgiveness program. You declare bankruptcy, have your debt wiped out, claim to reorganize a little, and continue on as if nothing ever happened. You should NOT be able to continue operating after declaring bankruptcy. You just had all of your debt wiped out under the guise that your business was losing money hand over fist and would never be able to repay their debts. There is no way in hell that business should be able to continue to operate. They need to go back to how things used to be, where declaring bankruptcy meant all the companies assets were liquidated, what debts could be paid were paid, remaining debt was wiped out, and the company ceased to exist.
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:25pmAmerican barely survived 9/11 without going into bankruptcy, as a share holder was tough then and now. Word came out a couple of months ago this may happen. I’ve made tens of thousands od dollars on airline stocks when America West and Delta came out of Bankrupcy and so can you with AMR. Look at the bright side.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:27pmThe good thing about a structured bankruptcy is the union contracts will have to be torn up and re-negotiated. This is what should have happened with GM but Obama needed the UAW intact. As a result today we have the Chevy Volt and it’s penchant for catching on fire.
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:31pmENCIDIOT..what part of AMERICAN AIRLINES IS BROKE THANKS IN PART TO LABOR COSTS…is too difficult for your stunted intellect to absorb and process? You nauseating little drip how do you keep meeting union demands for benefits and pay when there’s no margin to pay for them? Just print some money up? IOU’s perhaps? Let me guess..sell off a few planes right? Cretin.
Report Post »Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:38pmencinom, that is an interresting libturdial view by a *******. We are the working people, you are the working for a check till you tire. Ever consider that those big ole 1% guys actually are Obimbo supporters? Warren Buffet types that are willing to pay more taxes however…kind of behind, like since 2002? Do you see the hypocrit in hypocrit? Oh, did you get that sale on koolaid on black friday?
Report Post »John Galt here
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 1:45pmIn 2003 American’s unionized labor signed concessionary contracts with the bankruptcy gun pointed at their heads. As a pilot for American, our labor group alone took an average 23% pay cut (some took a lot more) to help American stay out of bankruptcy. Since then, management/executives have been rewarded with $100′s millions in bonuses. And for what? They‘ve done NOTHING to improve American’s bottom line. My hope is that you supposed “conservative” thinkers can see the flaw in rewarding FAILURE through your anti-union lenses!! Union labor NOT the cause of this bankruptcy. As a group, our income is LESS than those pilots flying for carriers who previously filed bankruptcy.
Report Post »John Galt here
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 1:59pmIn 2003, American’s unionized labor signed concessionary contracts to help the company stay out of bankruptcy. As a pilot for American, our group took an average 23% pay cut (some much more than that) and today we make make less than pilots flying for carriers that previously filed bankruptcy. Since 2003, management/executives have been rewarded with $100′s millions in bonuses. And for what? American has lost $$ every year since 2003 and we’ve performed poorly in almost every metric the DOT tracks. I hope you conservative thinkers can see the flaw in rewarding failure through you anti-union lens. Not all unions are bad. There’s nothing worse to employee morale than for company executives to continue to receive bonuses while their employees have taken major pay cuts. This is why American Airlines SUCKS!!! And this is why you should avoid flying on American Airlines. We truly provide an inferior product and will continue to do so until the current senior management (not just the CEO) team is replaced.
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 2:23pmUnion members want the best wage and benefits that they can get, and have no qualm with using blackmail and intimidation to get it.
Report Post »BobtheMoron
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:19pmIt ain’t the people its the union leadership.. Union bosses living of the blood, sweat and tears of working man. Union employees would make as much money at lower pay, if the union leeches weren’t sucking them dry.
Report Post »GOTTADIY
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:29amFor those who think this is a union problem, the unions at AA gave huge concessions in 2003 to keep their company out of bankruptcy. My employee group gave up 23% of its pay only to watch management make one poor decision after another while paying themselves huge bonuses along the way. Truth is, if the pilots at AA worked for FREE the company still would not post a profit! I’m amazed at you lemmings who read the company press release and take it at face value! If you follow Glenn at all DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH! You might then understand the situation.
Report Post »AxelPhantom
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 3:32pmMy Father in law was a pilot, my sister in law and brother in law are attendants and my husband worked for the airlines for 5 l-o-n-g years in various capacities, research done.
Pilots are one group in the airline industry that actually have a skill that cannot easily be replaced (mechanics are another) however airline attendants, ticket agents, baggage loaders (my husband worked his summers loading bags in highschool/college) are all jobs that can be learned with minimal training by any high school graduate and are not worth the money and benefits paid. When you have a job that can be done by 200,000,000 people with minimal training it is worth less in the marketplace than one that can only be done by 1,000 people.
What has happened not only in the airline industry, is that unions have assigned the same “worth” to the lesser skilled job as to the highly skilled job (research the history of unions) basic Marxist economics.
Report Post ».
There is no way an airline attendant should be making $60 gs a year plus full pension and platinum benefits for working 6 international trips a month plus pay nothing every time they, spouse or one of their children wants to hop a flight. That would be like computer manufactures giving away two new laptops free to each year to every employee, their kids and their spouse. Unions like to exempt themselves from the reality of wage based market value.
KangarooJack
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:28amUAW Union Dues taken from Daycare workers – forced to join the Union or face being closed down because the State Required Inspection will be denied. Parents taking care of their two adult handicapped kids now paying Union Dues from the State Health Care Monopoly ….Michigan.
NUMEROUS!!! Video/audio evidence of Union Workers drinking alcohol &/or smoking pot while on their lunchbreaks-but they are NOT fired. The employer’s hands are tied due to Union Labor Negotiators. Detroit Auto Companies forced to hire temp help every Summer because a significant amount of their workers got Medical Leaves for their bad backs…every Summer. Bad Backs lasted the length of time they had alotted for leave.
I’m sorry, Unions have lost sight of why they were started in the first place…to ensure Worker Safety. Now it’s just a huge money making machine for the few…yet the useful idiots at the bottom don’t see it.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 1:32pmyup they are bought off with their benefits and dont mind. when the unions collapse and the union bosses still have their big homes and the pensions for the working folks are gone maybe they will see they were sucked into a pyramid scheme….or they will just cry about being the poor 99%. blame game never seems to end
Report Post »GrumpyCat
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:09am240,000 passengers/day with 78,000 employees? Thats only 3 passengers per day per employee. No wonder they are bankrupt.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:22amGood point and unions don’t hire employees management does. No doubt if the company was doing well the CEO would get a huge bonus and heralded as a wizard. But when the company is doing bad you blame it on the unions. Let’s remember management has to ultimately agree and sign union contracts. Their payroll may be higher than other airlines but that doesn’t necessarily translate into higher wage rates. Perhaps as pointed out they have too many employees, maybe too many managers. They might want to start the blame game with their Sr. VP of marketing.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:36amI don’t know about that. What is the avg. price of a ticket? $300?times 3= 900 times 7= 63.000 dollars per week per employee. Without comps to other airlines, I do not know how this works.
So before condemning my ignorance, please expand on the general $ breakdown.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:48amthe one reason why unions are still growing in existence, is the communist party. they are obama’s ”private army” he was screaming for. all they want is to destroy and enslave the lives of every American to destroy America.
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:08amUnions have long been the tool of communism.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:26am“massive debt built up by years of accelerating jet fuel prices” You might want to look at the comparative size of these before you spout off the union rhetoric. Interesting to note that if they were doing well the CEO and his management team would be heralded as a wizards. But in the contrary it must be the unions fault. Don’t think the union controlled their capital management strategy or their hedging strategy regarding the price of fuel. You might want to start with the VP of Marketing when considering why their load factor was so low.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:48amUnions and their mouthpieces can take their Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger sing song blather,
Report Post »and give it to each of their relatives, working beside them in the union, to place under the Christmas tree like a present coming from uncle Stalin. Or aunt Rose of Tokyo.
The very existence of unions is a blot on the face of free enterprise. Their time has passed along with the horse and buggy which will make a comeback thanks to the communist leadership in the unions.
Fear and intimidation are the tools used widely by the union henchmen of Trumka and his backdoor lover, Obama. It flies for American Airlines. It flies for American unions. And it crashed in Wisconsin
to a chorus of wailing crybaby Stalinists for all to see. Jump in the grave, unions. You dug it. You took 50 years to design it. It belongs to nobody but you.
Rowgue
Posted on November 30, 2011 at 5:28amUnions aren’t growing in existence, they have shrunk almost completely out of existence in the private sector. Except for utility companies and auto manufacturers you’d be hard pressed to find a union in the private sector.
I include sports franchises as public sector because they could not operate without being exempted from anti trust laws, being allowed the benefits of massive amounts of loopholes, and outright being largely subsidized by the government in many cases.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:44amunions have ruined more lives in the last 30 years than have bettered them. it’s time to disband.
Report Post »Shasta
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 12:28pmAnd unions have destroyed entire cities and industries. Just look a Detroit for a picture that says it all about unions.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:33amHmm, labor contract rules. Who would have thunk it.
Report Post »ed0315
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:32amF the unions. Their time has come and gone. Now they are nothing more than greedy parasites feeding off the last bit of the host until its death.
Report Post »John Galt here
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 2:15pmCare to guess which airline is the most unionized? Hint: It’s NOT American. It’s NOT Delta. It’s NOT United. Another hint: In the 30+ years they‘ve been in business they’ve NEVER took a loss in any year; save for a couple quarters. Who are they? Give up? Southwest!! Southwest Airlines has the most unionised labor of all airlines.
Report Post »M24
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:13amMake up your mind Unions Are Communists Americans Are Free What Side Are You On ?? YOU HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND You Cant Have It Both Ways
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:12amThis is exactly what GM should have done. Unfortunately, our Bystander in Chief threatened the CEO and senior management with prosecution if they didn’t pursue a bailout. I actually wonder why Barry hasn’t stepped in here. But there’s still time, just watch.
Report Post »brownsfan3
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:54amGee whis , maybe if we were drillin ( as Palin would say) oil, jet fuel would be lower, people on the Gulf coast would be workin, price of gas would be lower savin consumers a bundle to be spendin and creatin jobs , etc etc etc, movin our economy and maybe pullin Europe out of its coffin,,,let’s hear it for union gangsters and collective extortion…
Report Post »rock-n-roll-rebel
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:32amPalin is a coward, all of that big talk and no action. I have lost all respect for her. She needs to be in that presidential race which is now being fought between two establishment republicans.
Report Post »JUSTANOTHEROPINION
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:46amHere we go again, another large company trying to blame a union for their woes just because they demand adsorbent amounts of pay and ridiculously large amounts of benefits. This has to stop. Just because the blood sucking unions don’t want companies to be financially sound and competitive is no reason to vilify them, or is it? I’m just saying, you decide.
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:08amYES! It’s those evil Pilots! They are to Blame. Check this out (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-01-15-plane-crash-hudson_N.htm) Look how evil Sullenberger is.
There is a direct correlation between financial stress and some man made disasters. Dupont has addressed this in their hiring and operations. Sullenberger has spoken of this before Pilots (I believe).
As things disintegrate, we will see where things we took for granted just become simply unsustainable. Some Pilots in AA have faced economic decline after decline, and in a society where there would be something wrong with you if you were a Pilot and did not have a Home, they like most Americans are now upside down and owe more on the House than it is worth.
My Friend’s Sis tries to be encouraging to her Amer. Eagle Pilot Husband and says ‘At least we get to Fly Planes’
I think we will find that they are not overpaid. Not for what is expected of them in and out of the cockpit. Some have to live in a trailer on Airport property (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8186690.stm). At least they get to Fly Planes.
maybe these people can be loved for who they are, what they go through, to take you along for the ride?
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:36amUnions are the common denominator of failure. And, it is a fact that unions are the tool of communism. “Workers of the world unite.”
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:37amdo like the socialist in chief and blame everyone but the union. AA could always blame the American People but only do that on foreign soil.blame big oil,big pharma,the “do nothing republicans”,dr wanting to make money by cutting limbs,everyone but the unions……for not understanding it’s hard for the companies to keep paying hugh benefits…..
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:47amI blame the Congress. TSA, DHS, Full Body Scanners, Pat Downs, Gropings, Sexual Assaults.
Competition within an industry is hard enough, but when your customers have to go through government abuse before they can get to your services WT*!?
And we thought that this was going to end differently.
The friend’s sister says it is never one particular thing that puts you on the ground. It is over or under reaction to the 1st that causes the 2nd, and it is not the Second thing that puts you on the ground, it is your over or under reaction to the 2nd that causes the 3rd, and there you are.
I just gave you 6, and we have not gottent to the Goods and Services yet. After that there are the three issues of Wages, Benefits, and Capital.
WE have not even gotten to the insanity of the Monitary System just yet!
Cut the Employee Owned Unionized AA some slack until the facts can be presented for dispute.
I humbly ask, because every airline is facing what I have described, and these are in the end, people and their lives.
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:35amAA was Employee owned too. Shame.
Report Post »John Galt here
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 2:17pmThis is not true. Employees are not equity holders.
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:33amBeen hearing this for 4 mo. It was expected.
A Good Friend’s sister is an MD-80 Pilot for them, just got out of Thyroid Cancer Treatment was hoping to return to the Second Officer’s Seat.
She is probably the only person in the world who has twice had to take a full load of people off the ground past the point of no return while shutting down a disintegrating (burning) engine.
HELL of a Pilot. Someone had better snatch her up.
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:38amA Pilot going for his Captain Seat Test was told by his friends to not let a woman screw up his chance.
He got my friend’s sister instead of his friends who were lining up to help him, because ‘She is the best damned pilot I have ever seen’.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:30amAnd to think that there are some folks out there who feel like union anything is the best way to go…..
Report Post »notreally
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:29amI flew for Pan Am for many years. I saw why we went bankrupt.
-We had baggage handlers making over $80,000 in today’s money, stewardesses making the same, pilots making over $280,000. All unionized employees, of course.
-Pan Am installed a multi-million dollar automated cargo cart distribution system in hangar 67 at JFK. It was operational for a few months and then sabotaged by the unions because it reduced manhours.
-A furloughed pilot got a managerial job in maintenance at JFK. He told me that there were spaces behind lines of lockers in various hangers where workers could sleep during work hours, that one of these spaces had 40 cots in it. I asked him if anything could be done about that (Pan Am bonds were already junk status), he being a manager: He just shook his head.
-I took it upon myself once to secure a dzus fastener on a 747 engine, as I had done many times in previous years. A supervisor came over to me and said, “Do you want to shut down the whole operation? If a union guy sees you doing that that’s what will happen.”
-The faster Pan Am went down the more the unions would demand. They had absolutely no regard for the impact their demands had on the company, just as government unions don’t care about the impact they have on taxpayers.
Sure, there was mismanagment, and Pan Am was denied a domestic route structure for too long, but the number one killer of the old Pan Am was…damned unions.
Report Post »000degrees
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 11:57amThree time re-tread for three majors……..worked line mtc and overhaul…….completely agree
Report Post »paulusmaximus
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:29amI know there are bad unions and right now there are more then enough of them, but maybe you should look at the management also. There will be layoff and pay cuts but only at the working level rest assured that the lousy management team will continue to be well compensated and don’t point at the scrap goat that is stepping down till you look at his compensation package.Pilots already have taken major pay cuts and as a result it is no longer desirable for season pilots to work for the air lines, keep that in mind you climb on plane into you cramped seat and see a kid who dosn’t even need to shave yet take you through the “freindly” skys.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:28amThe unions are just trying to help, just like they helped the steel industry…move to Japan.
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 9:10amOr the auto industry, or education, or pubic service or…
Report Post »grayling646
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:10amEither the union leadership knew this was gonna happen and didn‘t care or they’re just stupid. How else can you explain it?
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:14amI believe they intentionally are doing things like this to hurt America.
Report Post »NOTAMUSHROOM
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:18amBoth.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:22amStupid and aloof…..by design!
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:23amI agree with GRUDGEYWOLF it’s on purpose. Once they destroy American companies, their comrades in the White House can nationalize them under the guise of ‘creating jobs’ and bingo, we are a communist nation.
Obama has ALWAYS planned to be in on this destruction of the greatest, freest, nation on this planet.
Report Post »seldomscene
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:32amUnion members will take a whipping, union bosses will get stimulated..if you know what I mean.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 10:46amUnion membership made concessions in 2003, AA management made one mistake after another and is now attempting to blame everybody but themselves for the crisis.
Beck has taught his followers to enjoy the 1% screwing them.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:06am.
Report Post »How’s that old song go? Look for the union lable, it’ll be rusting at the end of the runway……
bandi9
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:02ami hope they lay off thousands. so how is that wealth redistribution workin for ya now, union thugs?
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:02amBlame Southwest.
Report Post »boston-rightwinger
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:20amThe free enterprise system gets rid of inefficient companies. AA will be a much better company after it comes out of bankruptcy. GM and Chrysler would be better companies if nature had taken its course. Now we have the Volt. The Federal Gov’t needs to do the same to get rid of the unions.
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:01amUnions are the tools of communism and should be watched carefully. It does not mean you are a communist if you are a union member but that the leadership should be carefully monitored. This is why we can’t compete globally.
Report Post »NOTAMUSHROOM
Posted on November 29, 2011 at 8:28amThe attraction of a union job is the ridiculous pay and benefits that you know you wouldn’t have if not for the union. So its not just the leadership. The union members can’t have it both ways. You can’t have your cake, and eat it too.
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