I have worked for SWA for almost 16 years now. I see a lot of new guys come and I have seen a lot of new guys go (fired or transferred out). I think that SWA is a great place to work and I love the job. When I see people that I work with behave as if they don't care about the job or take advantage of the job it really bugs me. I have spoken to some mechanics and their attitude is "they can't make me do it so why should I go the extra mile?" I agree that the company can not force us to do things but my question is: why would you not?
The things I am talking about are getting your Engine Run Qualification and getting your Taxi Qualification and getting CAT III Qualified. We work in a Line MX environment. That means that we do all the maintenance on the plane. We work engines and avionics and EVERYTHING. Is it fair to other mechanics when you do not get those qualifications? When a guy does not have those qualifications then another guy has to go out and do your work for you. Run YOUR engine. Taxi YOUR plane. Sign off YOUR CAT III work. It makes no sense to me as a MECHANIC to have to be relying on others to complete my work for me. And it seems to me that when you were hired you said you would do ANYTHING to get the job. Which brings me to the subject: Would you make the cut?
Take a good look at your work performance in the past year. Be honest. Have you done everything that you could have? Have you been calling in sick every Friday? (Hot topic these days). Do you go out of your way to learn about how the plane works? (I bet you said you would during the interview). When another mechanic is out there working at 4am and you have been done for two hours but decided to wait out there on your plane before coming into the shop (sand bagging) are you "thinking outside of the box" like you said you do on your resume? Does being a "go getter" or "self starter" like is mentioned in the interviews mean that you go and get the easiest airplane to work on? How many times during the interview did you tell the HR guy that you were going to bitch and moan about what job you would be assigned on any given night?
It's been sixteen years and I guess the interview questions have changed. Today's interview must be something like this:
"Welcome please come and work for SWA, oh and don't bother trying or learning we have a handful of guys who will do your work for you."
I recently had a convo with a guy who was complaining about the work he was assigned. As the Lead left the room this guy (I'll call him "Yellow") called out over his shoulder "well, you better send someone over to run my engines for me." This, to me, meant that the Lead should not assign Yellow any work that involves running engines! At least that is what Yellow believes. So I asked Yellow how long he has been here (which dose not really matter) and why he does not have his engine run yet. He tells me that he did "all that" at his last job and is not "interested" in doing it here. I said "I bet that's not what you told them during the interview". He tried to blow it off and I called him a lazy sack and he went on his way.
We should all take a close look at ourselves. If we had to interview again today would we make the cut? If the company decided to re-interview all of us, who would they keep? Would they keep the guys who can't even look up things in the maintenance manual? Not likely. So why not learn?
If the company could (which of course they can't) and they re-interviewed, knowing what they know about your work ethic, would you be invited back? I can say that I'm not even sure I would be back in that case, but I know that at least half of the 50ish mechanics we have here in OAK would not be back if I were doing the selecting.
It's an interesting exercise to think about it.
AMEN BROTHER!
ReplyDeleteHey Goat,
ReplyDeleteAstonished, really!
How, as a line mechanic, would you not want to be rated for TESTING ENGINES and learning how to TAXI (and CAT III, it's an autopilot autoland thing, not sure what it means to be checked out on) Just awful!
It's normal these days, even I see at (heck I'm 19 and I work in a supermarket) but todays 'big challenge' is to do the less for the most of money. I see many colleagues who wouldn't do that extra stop for a customer, or even a fellow colleague but just do what they're supposed to do (preferrably less) and that's it. Oh hey it's 17.00h I'm outta here! Why not wait for your colleague to arrive and tell him what you've done, any heads-up's and wish 'm succes! Nooo...gotta get outte here, won't say any sec longer!
I try not to be bothered by people like that, but really, sometimes... They're the ones complaining about not being given compliments, that work sucks and they boss is an ass. Well howcome? The boss also sees you slumping through the hallway obviously having the look that you don't give a sh!t. Not to call myself a holy angel, but I try to do my best and often more than that and it gets appreciated, it will come.
Okay, riighttt :P
Epic blog, love reading the interesting stuff here!
Bas
True....But then I look at it this way.....Nothing can stop me from learning everyday.I go to work every night being thankfull that I got a job & work as hard as I did on my 1st night 20yrs ago.
ReplyDeleteI do try & motivate people but thats their call.Atleast I know I've done my bit....
Right on Goat, I hear ya. Great post. While working overseas contracting I worked with a bunch of slackers. There were guys who didn't even know where the torque wrenches were kept. But they were a warm billable body for the government so the company was not going to fire them. One guy showed up with nothing but harbor freight tools. I mean after doing the same job you would think they would know which tools we would be needing but no, all we get was the same blank stares. We called them rope holders because that's all they were good for. Holding the guide rope while hosting an engine or rotor blade. After that long 2 years, I was a very disgruntled individual, I mean why did the small core group of mechanics (including myself) have to pull all the weight while these slackers just sit and tell stories? I finally come to realize that everyone has there own pace and many if not most people are just downright lazy.
ReplyDeleteI now work as a helicopter mechanic for a major EMS outfit. I am a base mechanic. I basically work alone which I thoroughly enjoy. Nowadays the only slacker is me. It does however mean I have to wear many hats which can get tiresome but I will take that any day over working with complete slugs.