Hi All,

I've been keeping mum on this topic because of equal parts hurt, depression, and anger, and I'm going to try to get through this post without addressing the so-called "reasoning" behind this. Yes, I am directly affected, and because I cannot/will not transfer to another station, I will be without a job by June 1 at the latest.  

I used to be the proudest, happiest guy in the world, and I always used to say "I GET to go to work", not "I HAVE to go to work."  When I started with Continental in 1992 at the whopping salary of $5.80/hr I felt like I had the world at my fingertips. In spite of the problems CO was having at the time, it was a great place to work and it only got better and better.  Through the early years I worked on the ramp, in cargo, and became a flight attendant.  I took a leave of absence in 1994 to help my Dad with his business, and came back in 1997.  Unfortunately, I was gone too long to retain any of my previous seniority and started all over from scratch...but it was cool...I was BACK and Continental was starting to soar!  

When I came back in 1997, it was to the cargo facility where I became a lead and we were busy as all get out.  Even when I got stuck on the overnight shift from 2400-0830 for a while, I was still happy because I was working for a company that was thriving and knew how to treat its employees.  The Gordon Bethune years were magic, going from "Worst to First" in nearly every ranking nationwide, and throughout the world.  CO was a star and I was part of the supporting cast...who could ask for more?

As a lifelong aviation geek, I had my own aviation scanner (of course), and I would always carry it around in my tug listening to the various frequencies at the airport while I worked.  It was from listening to this scanner that I learned that it was Continental and not the FAA who handled all the ground traffic around the C Concourse, and the new D Concourse, as well as half of the B Concourse.  Of course, I HAD to have that job, so I applied for a transfer to the Operations department of which Ramp Control was part of.  As there were no openings in Ramp Control at the time, I satisfied myself by working the Snow Desk for that first winter, yet still I was happy to be where the action was!

Before long, we expanded service, traffic increased, and a new Ramp Controller was needed and I got the position!  It was my dream job...I got to be in the tower and in control of all the ground movements around our concourses...issuing taxi instructions and clearing push-backs from the towers on both C and D concourses.  And there were only NINE of us who had this job...what a bragging point!  I couldn't have been prouder!  I did that for many years and then 9/11 happened.  This was certainly unprecedented and a tragic time for all, and I was part of thirteen members of the Operations department that got furloughed.  My furlough lasted six months and I was the only person of the thirteen who got called back into service (but I did lose six more months of seniority in the process).

I came back to my ramp control position and I was once again the happiest guy on the planet.  When Gordon left, we went through the Larry Kellner years and rejected a merger with troubled United Airlines stating: "The airline made the announcement in a letter to employees from CEO Larry Kellner and President Jeff Smisek. "We want you to know that our Board of Directors met today and has unanimously supported management’s recommendation that, in the current industry environment, the best course for Continental is to not merge with another airline at this time," it read... The Board very carefully considered all the risks and benefits of a merger with another airline, and determined that the risks of a merger at this time outweigh the potential rewards, as compared to Continental’s prospects on a standalone basis."

Then came Jeff Smisek.  I will refrain from saying too much here, but the moment he stepped in things began to change, and not for the better.  He was all too willing to make a name for himself and got into bed with United at his first opportunity.

After the announcement of the merger, my beloved Ramp Control position (long a sub-set of the Operations department) was the first thing to change.  It was determined that Ramp Control had to be a management position, and we had to all re-interview for our jobs knowing they would be cutting it from nine controllers to eight.  I lost that position and I feel I know the reason why.  When asked "why I never went into management" I responded that I never wanted to be a manager...that I was happy as a ramp-controller and that's what I wanted to be.  Probably not the best choice of words in retrospect, but that's why I feel I lost the position.  But still, all was not lost...I didn't lose my job, I just got put into the regular Operations department which I had to learn from scratch.

It was fine for a while, but then in late 2012 it was announced that the entire Ops department would now be required to be management, and they would be reducing the total number of heads by 50%.  We all had to reapply and re-interview again for positions we already held, or voluntarily resign or move to another department.

To my best recollection, we all applied to stay within the department and went through the interview process again.  We waited...and waited...and waited for word on who got the jobs.  Finally, the news came and I was once again voted off the island.  So...my choices now were to go for a ramp position and keep my seniority, or go to a position as a gate agent and lose six months seniority.  Both options came with a $1.75/hr pay cut.  I opted to go back to the ramp where I once began back in 1992, and considering how stressful Operations was with a full compliment of people, I was happy to be out of there as the same work would now be done with half the staff.

I started back on the ramp last April, and I was happy again...and even with less pay I was feeling safe and loving life.  The stress of Ops was gone and I was making tons of new friends, plus, I got to play with airplanes again!  All was good.

Then came last December.  Right before Christmas, the company announced that effective February 9th, they were forcing 47 ramp employees to either go part-time, resign, or transfer to another station, but they couldn't tell us which station.  They gave us one week to make this life-changing decision.  Even so, some people opted to transfer to another station rather than going part-time, yet even a week before this was supposed to happen some still hadn't been told where they were going. (How are you supposed to make plans, find a place to live, and all those other things that go along with it?)  For my part, I elected to stay in Cleveland and get forced to part-time.

Then...someone blew the whistle and leaked news to the media that United was planning a HUGE pull-out in short time.  This was news the employees got from the media and not from the company.  The company can't say "when" they were going to tell us this little tidbit, but they "were going to."  Employee morale went from crappy to pure shit and everyone was angry, and rightfully so.  To find this out from outside sources not only hurt, but it completely busted our trust in this company.  They even had the nerve to say in a hasty memo to the station (posted at the beginning of this thread) that  "Throughout this difficult process, we are committed to treating our people with the same level of openness, dignity and respect that our Cleveland co-workers have shown our customers and each other over the years."  Somehow, finding out through the media that we are losing our jobs doesn't seem like "openness, dignity and respect" to me.

This leak caused an uproar in the station, and representatives were sent here to speak to the employees in our break rooms and elsewhere, where they continued to tell us that "United hasn't made money here in 10 years" (how did CO manage to do so?) and that this is a "difficult decision."  Questions were asked about why people were being forced to part-time or transfer if they knew this was coming...and they DID know!  In the singular bit of "good news" about this whole thing, the company rescinded that demand and now those of us who were being forced to part-time or transfer can now stay on full-time until the bitter end.  (Or until they find some other excuse to get rid of us sooner than later.)

I too, find it hard to believe that we are losing money here...our flights are overbooked all the time.  (Someone should tell those other airlines that are jumping in to fill service that there's no money to be made here...) 

So yeah...to sum up, I'm hurt, angry and bitter. I still LOVE my job, but I don't love my employer.  Every day that I go to work my heart aches knowing this wonderful ride is almost over.  There is so much more that I haven't even mentioned that might help you understand how I went from the happiest worker on the planet, to a typically jaded United worker.  All the talk pre-merger about "bringing United up to Continental's standards" has proven to be lies, and the glory days are long gone.  It's all corporate and all greed now, and I need to see what I can do with my life from now on.

To that end, when I found out in December that I was to be going part-time, I applied for and got accepted to a training course to become a naturalist via the Ohio State University Extension Service and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  One of the things I've been saying lately is this; "All my life I've had two loves, aviation and nature.  I got married to aviation and have kept nature as my mistress.  Now, my aviation wife is cheating on me and it's time to take up with my mistress."  I start training in April and I hope I can use this to get a job with one of the park systems in the area.  In addition to this, I hope to use more of my photography skills to make some extra cash while also learning to live with less.

At least I won't have any more of the stress that has plagued me over the last few years since the non-merger, merger, and I will still be staying true to my heart by pursuing my other passion.

Sorry for the long-winded response, but I guess I had to get it off of my chest, and to let you all know where I'm at.  I appreciate all your comments and concern, and I only hope that this turns into the silver lining that I hope it does. I'm deeply saddened by the path United has chosen to take, and I wish all my co-workers who may read this the best life has to offer.  I will miss you all profoundly and I wish you all the greatest success in wherever life takes you.

Happy Trails,

Chuck