The following letter was sent in e-mail form to all members of Horry County Councilby an Horry County resident and taxpayer. A copy was provided to Grand Strand Daily. The author expresses his experiences through the years with applying for a job at our newest economic development incentive recipient AvCraft.
Dear Sir or Madam
My name is Andy McCormack and I have been a resident and tax payer of Horry County for 14 years, I have owned a home in Horry County for 13 years and I have 26.5 years as a skilled aircraft painter and 3.5 years of aircraft wire harness fabrication/installation experience. In 1996 I received my permanent residency visa from US immigration based on my skills and experience as an aircraft painter.
In 2003 I marketed the paint shop at Myrtle Beach Jetport for Beach Aircraft Maintenance which was owned and operated by Joe Defeo which included me sending out approximately 1000 flyers to aircraft dealers and repair facility’s up and down the east coast to try and bring work into the paint shop. Joe informed me that one of the flyers landed on the desk of a salesman in Virginia who did business with Avcraft.
Per my conversation with Joe Defeo he told me that he had been contacted as Avcraft was looking for facility’s to bring both their Canton Ohio and Tyler Texas locations together under one roof and noticed that we were a start up operation but were interested in all of the buildings including the paint shop. Joe assured me that when Avcraft commenced operations and took over that I and the other 3 employees with Beach Aircraft Maintenance would all be employed by Avcraft and instructed me to assist with helping hanger the Dornier aircraft as they flew into Myrtle Beach and with anything that Avcraft personnel needed. Per my conversation with Joe he told me that if I had never marketed the paint shop Avcraft would probably have never known about the vacant facility’s at Myrtle Beach Jetport.
Well I never did get a job with Avcraft and over the years even though I submitted in person or via email my resume at least a dozen more times I never even received even a phone call back!
In March 2011 I emailed Mike Hill asking him why I was constantly being over looked for employment but never received a reply. In July 2011 I was working up in North Carolina and sent an email with an attached resume to the paint shop manager Mike Parnell seeking employment but did not get a reply, a couple of days later APA contract services contacted me and asked if I would be interested in doing contract work at Avcraft in Myrtle Beach and I said absolutely but informed the recruiter that I had applied there many times but always got over looked for employment……sure enough once again I was denied employment with Avcraft and they hired individuals from out of state instead. I have never met Mike Hill or Mike Parnell and no reason has ever been given as to why over the course of nine years I have never so much as received a phone call back from them.
In August I had enough and filed a discrimination complaint with the EEOC which as of this time is still being investigated.
It must be nice for Horry County Council to know that for all the money that has been pumped into Avcraft over the years to create jobs and hire locals that I in turn have pumped thousands of dollars into the economy’s of Alabama, North Carolina, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania as well as Lexington County in Columbia and Charleston County when I could of been gainfully and productively employed right here at home and that money could have gone into Horry County business’s and taxes!
I find it utterly amazing and disgusting that once again Avcraft has put its hand out for tax payers dollars to create jobs which the local residents will never see, it seems to me to amount to nothing more than a bail out similar to that of Detroit automobile industry where the CEO’s of the big auto makers flew down to Washington DC in their massive Gulfstream V Jets cap in hand to the government while still collecting massive pay checks and bonus’s and putting people on the unemployment line. I may be wrong but I once heard that Mr Hill owns his own aircraft may I suggest that the next time he endures cash flow problems that he sell it instead of taking money from a town that could put the money to better use elsewhere.
As of today and with 30 years of experience in the aviation industry I am regrettably on the unemployment line in Horry County and the only hope I have of working in the aviation industry is to once again leave home and pump money into another states economy. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother keeping a home here in Horry County!
Thank you all for your time and please do not hesitate to contact me should you feel the need too.
Yours Sincerely
Andy McCormack
Certainly the “unbiased” and “objective” Gables understands that this is America and South Carolina is a right to work state. Companies have the right (in America) to hire anyone they choose. This blog has now resorted to posting disgruntled employee grievances with no fact checks or discussion with AvCraft. Look out Pulitzer Prize!!!!
Why not? He published your ‘unbiased’ dribble that lionized Av Craft and Lofton. And if Gable bothered to inquire, it is obvious he would find that your roots run very close to one of those Frank!
I agree with Mr. McCormack completely. Here is an extremely skilled aerospace worker who has 30 years of skills and experience beyond any other in the field I have known. His skills go way beyond paint and wiring, Mr. McCormack can train others, and/or be easily trained on any aircraft system. Mr. McCormack is the last person to be receiving unemployment benefits from the county and state where he resides. Knowing Mr McCormack personally, it is utterly absurd that he can not gain employment in his home county and state where there are aerospace companies present. I don’t care if SC is a right to work state or not. Does that mean they have the right to hire inexperienced workers from out of county or state? Or even the country?? Inexperienced, cheap labor in the aerospace industry leads to countless lost hours of production due to rework and not to mention it is dangerous. What is wrong with this country. Experienced aerospace workers, or any experienced workers in any field, should be the first to get hired, not blown over and ignored? for years and years. How absurd and ridiculous. Lies Lies Lies. Hire locals with the experience needed and keep the money at home. This is happening in other industries as well and is going to be the downfall of American jobs and skilled workers. Good luck to you Mr. McCormack, don’t give up and fight for what you deserve-a job in your field-in your home county/state. Listen up Government or you will soon have a massive revolution on your hands