Originally Posted by
gatorbird
I don't know dude, I could see how it didn't come across as a joke.
OK, which part did you think I was serious about? Law being a guest speaker, or the nametag thing? Or maybe it was the three smiley faces at the bottom that was too serious? Come on dude.
One doesn't have to see eye-to-eye with the MEC to be an active, educated union member. I serve on a committee here and I've got beef with some of the views of the current MEC (including a few with your committee chair). Just because I serve alongside them doesn't mean I have to conform to their every belief (the same, of course, applies to you too).
I completely agree. I, too, do not agree 100% with the MEC every time. I form my own opinions, as should each and every one of us.
I, for one, picked up on something a couple of weeks ago that's left me more than a tad irritated. Apparently the company wanted to take on 10 aircraft in a hurry and asked the MEC for a few consessions (staffing, reserves, time withheld) for a time period in order to allow them to do so. Have you been informed of this? Were you allowed to provide your two cents into it? No- it was swept under the rug. Wouldn't this have been a great opportunity to gain something in return? I sure think so.
FWIW, I heard(unconfirmed) that the company wanted permanent concessions from the pilots, and the concessions were major. They wanted big time increases in productivity to allow us to fly the additional jets with little increase in staffing. My personal opinion...why should we even consider GIVING the company anything to "allow" the company to grow? That carrot has been dangled in front of this group so many times I think we have all lost count. If they want to grow quicker, GREAT. That growth should NEVER be financed in whole or even small part by the pilot group....EVER! They could have gotten those airplanes if they wanted them. If its a staffing issue, there are thousands of qualified pilots looking for work. Hire them. I personally was insulted when I heard the company came to us for concessions in exchange for a few new airplanes.