'Walking The Line' is an opinion blog written by John Gozzi, a Quinnipiac graduate student, and a Sikorsky worker with an insider's view of the strike. This blog in no way represents
Sikorsky, The Union or the Connecticut Post newspaper. Please keep your comments relevant to each blog entry: inappropriate or purely promotional comments may be removed. Please respect the community at large when making comments and that you use appropriate language and tone.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.
6900 Main Street, P. O. Box 9729
Stratford, Connecticut 06615-9129
(203) 386-7000 Fax: (203) 386-3555
Jeffrey P. Pino
President
March 28, 2006
Dear Colleague,
I am writing to express my personal appreciation for your efforts during the strike. Your extraordinary dedication and the support of your families and friends have kept Sikorsky open for business and will certainly make a difference for years to come. I encourage you to share this letter with your families.
Every day I see motivated, energized employees who have rolled up their sleeves and added new job responsibilities to an already full workload. I recognize that these long hours do not come without sacrifice. Many of you are working weekends and have foregone vacations, family gatherings, social events, or simply just time to unwind and relax.
Throughout the strike, every Sikorsky customer has continued to fly and we continue to provide aircraft, spares, and services to our customers under the satisfied watchful eye of the Department of Defense and the civil regulatory agencies. A recent report from the U.S. Army confirmed that we are keeping up the supply line to the critical missions they fly every day.
I am extremely proud of what Sikorsky has accomplished during this difficult period. As a testament to your commitment and teamwork, we have delivered four aircraft and shipped more than 5,500 spares since the strike began with more deliveries expected by the end of March... many of these aircraft were still on the assembly line when the strike began.
We're learning valuable lessons that will drive success in the near term I and well into Sikorsky's future. Already, more than 800 of these '"lessons learned" have been documented and some are already being implemented across the enterprise. These are not top-down driven procedures; they are process improvements that stem directly from your incredible efforts, real examples of what I like to call "everyday ACE."
President Kennedy once said: "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future. I cannot think of a quote that better captures my optimism for Sikorsky's future.
I want to assure you that we are working hard to end the strike so every Sikorsky employee can share in the success of Sikorsky's promising future. The Sikorsky we are creating today will continue because you have shown that we always find a way and that nothing is impossible.
Warmest regards and thanks to you and your families,
