A Tale of Two TC Employees

[TorontoGuy]

Just to demonstrate how individuals make all the difference:

Monday morning: OK, it's been 6 weeks since my Cat 3 medical exam, where's my certificate? I phone Ont. Region TC office. Much to her discredit, the woman at TC played out perfectly the slow-talking, disinterested, unhelpful, unwilling-to-do-work stereotype of people from a particular sub-tropical island. Note: I say stereotype. Sadly, she fit it. "No, we have no record of you." I asked a bunch of questions. Got reluctance to give helpful answers that would have meant her lifting a finger.

Hung up.

Called the doctor. "I'm getting closer to soloing and TC says never heard of me." Answer: "Hold on. Yes, we did send it the day after your medical. We will fax it again to TC immediately."

Called TC back. Got same woman. Me: "OK, they're faxing it now. Anyway way to expedite?" Her: "No, I cannot check and have no way to help you." Me: "If I call back Tuesday, can you tell me if you got it?" Her: "You can try to call back."

Hung up.

Called my FTU. It said: "Yes, once they receive, they can expedite."

Tuesday morning: I phone TC. Different woman. No discernable accent. Explained the urgency. Did you get the fax? "I can certainly check. Would you mind holding, or can I call you back?" I'll hold. She returns after a minute or so: "Yes, we have it. I will walk it over right away to processing myself. Is this your correct mailing address?" It was. Thanks ever so much for taking me and your job in customer service seriously.

Tuesday evening: arrive home after work. Mail's on the floor inside the apartment door. TC brown envelope. Cat 3 certif inside, dated last Thursday. Name, date of birth (the way they check you in the system) and address all correct. It's obviously the one the first woman said she couldn't find and wouldn't help me track down.

Sigh.

So, it all depends on the individual. And said-to-say, some people do just seem to try really hard to fit uncomplimentary stereotypes.

Anyway, got the certif. FTU's issuing my student permit next visit. Wonder if a second one will show up in the mail. Is there a black market for them? (kidding)

[Dust Devil]

Thats why I object to trashin on TC in general. I'm blessed where I am with some very helpfull guys on the maint and ops side. There are problems however in other regions.

[Glory.]

Im going to put this nicely...

Quit being so narrowminded and ethnocentric, everybody is different. It would also help to look at the way different cultures handle things and TRY to be sensitive, or just continue to permeate society with stereotypical beliefs that are usually untrue.

[Bede]

Im going to put this nicely...

Quit being so narrowminded and ethnocentric, everybody is different. It would also help to look at the way different cultures handle things and TRY to be sensitive, or just continue to permeate society with stereotypical beliefs that are usually untrue.

I love pinko lefties.

[TorontoGuy]

Im going to put this nicely...

Quit being so narrowminded and ethnocentric, everybody is different. It would also help to look at the way different cultures handle things and TRY to be sensitive, or just continue to permeate society with stereotypical beliefs that are usually untrue.

I knew this might hit a hornet's nest.

Yes, everyone is different. I very carefully said this particular woman unfortunately fit a stereotype. I was just calling in, looking for help. I was as disappointed as you apparently are to see a stereotype given renewed life. And, as I said, her way was to her own discredit. I didn't encourage it at all. Stereotypes are old fashioned. This is year 2006. It's very sad to find people who perpetuate through their actions the old-fashioned images we have of them. Kack on her, not me.

As for "the way different cultures handle things"...umm, excuse me, are you implying that it's ok for some individuals to perpetuate the negative stereotype of a culture of laziness? I wasn't. I was saddened to discover it.

[Glory.]

Im going to put this nicely...

Quit being so narrowminded and ethnocentric, everybody is different. It would also help to look at the way different cultures handle things and TRY to be sensitive, or just continue to permeate society with stereotypical beliefs that are usually untrue.

I love pinko lefties.

"pinko lefties"

smh


anyways, Torontoguy, i agree with you about stereotypes, so no hard feelings

It just riles me when I i notice ppl using sterotypes etc

I didnt say it was 'ok', i was juss highlighting that some things are done differently depending on where you may hail from. By no means am i saying that this 'sub-tropical' woman, or however you said it, should have some kind of pass on being customer service oriented. However, I am saying that some sensitivity is needed when dealing with people, period. And the environment at the time, maybe she was a new person at that location etc, you never know.

[wha happen]

like those beer drinkin' irishmen

Just like me

[TorontoGuy]

like those beer drinkin' irishmen

Just like me

Exactly! Put the damn beer down, you layabout stereotype and get your fingers on your keyboard and find my (obviously it really was there!) Cat 3 Cert!

Now, here's an example of really nasty unmitigated stereotyping: In 1982 I was the guest of a family in a mansion in the countryside outside Manchester, Eng. Lovely people, the husband and wife. Her mother lived with them. A withered old soul. There was a report about some individual bad situation that day in Ireland on the BBC 6 o'clock news. Can't remember what it was. Something relatively innocuous in the grand scheme of things. This old woman suddenly launched into the most scathing diatribe against the Irish. All worthless. All a waste of flesh. All should be, etc. etc. I was 22. First time out of North America. Her hate scared the shyte out of me. Never had met this kind of total ethnic hatred.

I remember her to this day. And the memory of that kind of ethnic hate still upsets me.

What I said tonight was: Sadly, one person I ran into dealt with me in a way that brought to mind a negative stereotype.

And, yeah, I present a double-edged story: one bad TC employee vs a very very good one. And, sadly, one that played a stereotype as if she was trying to act it in a movie. Want to dispell stereotypes, then quit perpetuating them!

(end rant)

[DLB]

So......what you're saying is you hate TC employees and Jamaicans....right?

[Doc]

It's not the fault of TorontoGuy that TC employs persons of minorities that go through life with their fingers up their asses....they also employ white folk with their fingers up their asses....the big difference is that, you can actually fire the white folk!
And Glory....do not pass "go", go directly to Jane and Finch....then get back to me on "stereotypes"!

[bob sacamano]

Explained the urgency.

You're just getting into spirals and stalls if I'm correct. This is not an urgency by any means.

Yeah TC sucks, but relax dude

[Cat Driver]

Doc, you know of a TC employee that was fired?

Cat

[TorontoGuy]

Doc, you know of a TC employee that was fired?

Cat

It's sad that people can't separate comments. But I am not surprised, either. That's where the bullsyte cries of 'oh, you're a racist" begin.

[oldtimer]

I have, in the 47 years I have been in aviation seen, to quote an over abused expression, the good, the bad and the ugly. Started off in 1957 when I tried out for an Air Cadet flying scholarship, only to be advised that my medical category only fit a Private Pilot License, which disqualified me. When the squadron Medical Officer asked why, discovered it was a SNAFU with the interpetation of the form. Next year I was successful and got the scholarship and became a pilot. Then I did a medical renewal while flying floats in Flin Flon. Waiting for the new LVC, called TC in Winnipeg, only to be told there was a problem with the medical. Devastated, I was trying to decide what to do when the LVC came in the mail. No explanation or anything. Just a renewal. 30 some odd years later, I had a heart attack. With a lot of medication and a diet and exercise regime, I regained my health and consideed the prospect of getting my medical category back. Talked to TC in Edmonton and they said, "go do a medical and we will decide" So I did a medical renewal and lo and behold, my medical was reinstated. 10 months after the heart attack. No restrictions, Just do a stress test once a year during a renewal. Then I broke my leg. Called TC in Vancouver and asked about my medical. No problem, your medical is still valid, just don't fly until you are mobile again. I was partially mobile when renewal time came. The medical was OK but the treadmill portion of the stress test was beyond my capability. Called TC in Vancouver and they said that since the stress test previous were very good, just bypass this year. The next two years were a chinch. Passed with flying colours. I have nothing but good things to say about TC because that has been my experiences.

[Benwa]

I'm sorry for all the lefties around here... and gawd there are a lot

But if somebody cannot do her job, either because she's too stupid or too lazy... please fire her as s immediatly ! I don't give a @#$! if she's a minority or not ! Or has 11 kids for that matter... geeze you're paid to do your job that's it... If you can't, well sorry... no soup for you ! (that was for all you Seinfeld fans !)

[mooseway]

People give me a break!!!!!!!

Can we PLEASE stop being so PC and accomodating? None of you are civil rights activists and if you are, please jump off a bridge! Give it a rest! Stop trying to sound so hunky dory "I'm a supper dupper human being" and drop it. Ya know what makes me sick more than hearing the stereotype? The person who it has nothing to do with complain about it. If I say Ukies are lazy (Oh yeah Saskatchenwan I went there! Please don't tell my cousins, they'll kick my Ontarian Butt) then if your not a Ukie SHUT UP!!! If you are, tell me to F-OFF and go home knowing you sure told me off with a bad word. Let them get Crapped on about other more important things like being a substandard worker or rude or something. Oh wait, thats right stereotypes are there for a reason, because it happens enough for the general population to notice! Oh and don't tell me I'm wrong on that one, my Social Psycology Prof did a whole semester on that. I had to read 9, 000, 000 pages on how they're formed. So lets all crawl back into the woodwork and not care. If someone wants to get offended because I don't like purple flowers and Lazy TC phone operators it my choice and I don't care what the F you think about it.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that felt good. I can go back to my German lesson, and droping bombs on Iraq in flight sim.

[bob sacamano]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that felt good. I can go back to my German lesson, and droping bombs on Iraq in flight sim.

I'm playing delta force baghdad, please don't drop any bombs on me. I'm a target I know, price of being a Canadian soldier.

F*cking yankees

[Glory.]

People give me a break!!!!!!!

Can we PLEASE stop being so PC and accomodating? None of you are civil rights activists and if you are, please jump off a bridge! Give it a rest! Stop trying to sound so hunky dory "I'm a supper dupper human being" and drop it. Ya know what makes me sick more than hearing the stereotype? The person who it has nothing to do with complain about it. If I say Ukies are lazy (Oh yeah Saskatchenwan I went there! Please don't tell my cousins, they'll kick my Ontarian Butt) then if your not a Ukie SHUT UP!!! If you are, tell me to F-OFF and go home knowing you sure told me off with a bad word. Let them get Crapped on about other more important things like being a substandard worker or rude or something. Oh wait, thats right stereotypes are there for a reason, because it happens enough for the general population to notice! Oh and don't tell me I'm wrong on that one, my Social Psycology Prof did a whole semester on that. I had to read 9, 000, 000 pages on how they're formed. So lets all crawl back into the woodwork and not care. If someone wants to get offended because I don't like purple flowers and Lazy TC phone operators it my choice and I don't care what the F you think about it.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, that felt good. I can go back to my German lesson, and droping bombs on Iraq in flight sim.

Im pretty sure you DONT know how to read. I didnt say she should get a pass, i said that some sensitivity is needed when dealing with any type of person.

And for the record, you are wrong about the formation of stereotypes, so you should tell us the mark you got for those 9,000,000 pages of social Pyscology that you apparently....'read'. Or wait, actually, your right...ill put it into something you MIGHT be able to understand:

So judging by the amount of people who are 'uninformed' about the state of shady operators in Canada, and whose only source of exposure to them is through the news (which, by the way, only reports the 'bad' things or problems with the industry) , then its perfectly fine for them to stereotype all pilots that fly are pilots who dont know their limits and continue to get themselves into shady operators and life risking operations. Therefore, all pilots are dumb and dont know their limits and are a risktaking bunch, and all small operators are 'usually' shady. IM NOT SAYING THIS IS TRUE, but this is a situation someone can look upon and then suddenly, boom, theres a steroetype born.

Ps: I needed to bold that incase someone jumped on me for having that sterotype, and this thread should be moved to the forum below...

And if there are no civil rights activist around, then who will come to the aid of aviation in Canada? Because you are looking for some kind of activist to speak up and expose TC arent you? But then again, i guess that didnt pop to mind since you only care about things that directly affect you.

[Cat Driver]

Quote Glory:

" Im pretty sure you DONT know how to read. I didnt say she should get a pass, i said that some sensitivity is needed when dealing with any type of person. "

So if you caught a child molester sodomizing your 12 year old you would be "sensitive " dealing with him?

[Glory.]

Quote Glory:

" Im pretty sure you DONT know how to read. I didnt say she should get a pass, i said that some sensitivity is needed when dealing with any type of person. "

So if you caught a child molester sodomizing your 12 year old you would be "sensitive " dealing with him?

obviously not

only because i dont have a 12 year old yet

Seriously though, within reason im meaning. The child molester should recieve the full extent of the 'law' (if you could call it that) in Canada. On the other hand, the idea of the 'lazy, stupid, uncaring caribbean woman is acting like they all apparently act' should be thought about...

[TorontoGuy]

Meanwhile, there was a very helpful TC employee in my story and for her I am very grateful!

[cyyz]

Meanwhile, there was a very helpful TC employee in my story and for her I am very grateful!

The irony is, they fired her.... She didn't fit in.... =P

And PS.

all pilots that fly are pilots who dont know their limits and continue to get themselves into shady operators and life risking operations. Therefore, all pilots are dumb and dont know their limits and are a risktaking bunch

It's true..... We're a bunch of dumbasses....

[mooseway]

Can poor old me the biggot have some of your sympathy because people like you piss me off! Oh please be kind to me because I'm a minority, too few of us speak the truth nowwa days. So you go ahead and try to love some but not others with your illogical and completely subjective rules for interacting, I'll just continue to hate everyone equally. Oh and as for your pilot example, whew am I glad you said that, I think the one about small operators being more unsafe is already out there, most people don't want to fly on Dash 8's because they have props never mind a piston twin with 6 seats. What is it my mechanics always say?? Oh yeah, Props are for boats, so unless you wanna end up in the water... I think you might want to "make up" an example that doesn't already exist. And ya know if you weren't in my psyc class then ya really wouldn't know, or is that one of those uninformed public statements you just made? Ah well, doesn't matter, do you want a cookie for your troubles? Upholding the downtrodden and fighting for all that is unjust!

Don't worry be happy!

[gonfly'n]

//edited by Sulako.

The 'c' word is not appropriate in this forum. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

[Cat Driver]

Well that last comment should take care of this thread.