The Eastern Airlines Mechanics took the Pilots and Flight Attendants and the airline to its grave.
Frank Borman, speaking about the dolt that the mechanics forced on the Board of Directors, said, “he’s a nice guy but he knows NOTHING about the airline business!”
That was the death of Eastern. Not Frank Borman’s fault, at all.
Union’s thinking they are the strength is the killer, for both company and employees.
Was Charlie Bryant the goon on the Board of Directors??
Forgive the typo - Charlie Bryan was the head of the IAM local covering Florida who yes pushed for representation on the board and gave Eastern the worst labor relations in the business even though pay and benefits were comparable to other airlines. I hate to sound biased but Eastern Airlines’s downfall truly was organized labor’s fault moreso than management.
“The Eastern Airlines Mechanics took the Pilots and Flight Attendants and the airline to its grave.”
I remember back in the ‘90s heavy jet Mechanics were being laid off, I had a friend who was a heavy jet mechanic in the military for 8 years and then 10 or 12 years working for an airline. He got laid off because they were only retaining heavy jet mechanics with tenure. He ended up fixing boat engines down in Florida. I was a little shocked that a master mechanic with about 20 years total was considered expendable. But... that’s a union for you.