zeidmaan wrote:
usmarine wrote:
So as some of you may know, my airline closed its doors Friday night. This morning we had a meeting so they could explain a bunch of crap to us. I walked out half way through because I was so pissed off. As I walked out the door, there was a news crew from ABC standing there. The reporter came up to me and asked if I wanted to be interviewed. I paused for about 20 seconds and then told her no. She asked if I would talk to her off camera, and I said yes. After she listened to me, she begged me to do the interview. I said no and walked to my car.
For those of you who know anything about aviation, you know it is a very small community. So for that reason, I did not want to burn any bridges that I may have to cross in the future.
So now that I think about it more, I wonder if I did the right thing. I really could have made people angry disclosing some of the info I know. But I would have made a ton of people happy when the saw me disclosing it.
First of all you wrote more than 2 lines of text in one post? What gives? You must be really pissed off.
Anyway it depends on what you could have disclosed and what the management did.
Long story...
I was working construction for a while, and one time were were building this huge roof balcony. According to the specifications it was supposed to be able to hold 2 tonnes. According to the regulation this ment that we had to install 2 very expensive steel wireframes as support. But this asshole boss decided to put only one and save some money. The rule is that wireframes were supposed to be installed and than wait for inspection before covering the wireframes with concrete - but we did it rightaway. Than when the inspection was supposed to come we were to put what seemed like 2 tonnes of materials on that balcony so that the dude doing the inspections doesnt get suspicious (if it can hold 2 tonnes than it must be 2 wireframes). But the trick is to fill the empty cement bags or the like with styrofoam or bubblewrap so that ten 50kg bags weight 2kg instead of 500kg.
Basically money is saved and corners are cut all the time and people (me too) keep quite. But this was too much and too dangerous so me and few other guys blew the whistle. Boss got fined, we got fired and it took me a while to find another job. First few tries I was told that the company was looking for loyal workers... bullshit. But I still think it was the right thing to do.
So it depends and what you can disclose. If its reckless management that endangers planes safety and people on board than you must go public.
As an engineer who has taken structural engineering classes, you did the right thing.
By loyal, they meant loyal to their interests.
Why did you not sue them after you got fired? Here in America whistleblowers are protected by law. Seriously, you could sue that company for a lot and take them down. I'm sure their former customers would be interested in a class-action lawsuit. BTW why not consider getting a job doing the inspections?