Originally Posted by
Old UCAL CA
You guys really do need to become better informed.
Flight and Duty Time is coming out on or about August 9th. Since F&DT is the primary means for costing certain proposals and forecasting headcount, it is unlikely any counter from United/Continental will occur until after that date.
United/Continental put it's opening "money" positions on the table about last September (the proposal on the website). The JNC countered shortly thereafter. You haven't seen that...neither have I. Further activity or a company counter is unlikely to occur on the "money" issues until after August 9th.
The fact that both MEC chairs have been quoted that negotiations are progressing and the NMB has been silent should be the first two clues.
So, FT/DT prevents ANYTHING being negotiated?
I am QUITE informed about what is going on and where things stand. Do you attend any union meetings at all by chance? Do you talk to the union representatives one-on-one to ask questions?
Yes, three sections are waiting the release of FT/DT and for other joint costing issues both sides have agreed to run. I probably should have clarified my comments to reflect that reality. This week's update stated that the vacation section has also been tabled for now over the value and accrual of vacation. So that makes a few sections currently in a holding pattern: 1 officially parked and three working through a few issues.
However, the remainder of the sections are still open for negotiations and no where has the union or anyone else stated these sections are because of the FT/DT rules about to be announced. Look at this week's union update you even pointed out above and you will see that many sections were passed back and forth again this week. ALPA returned ALL of the sections they had been working on to management and got back exactly one (vacations which was tabled for now). Even the update stated that various sections have been in management's hands for months with no response.
When I talk to a union representative and they say the mediator is quite unhappy with the company about the speed at which the company is turning over sections at the table, I think my original assessment was right. The mediator sees exactly who the delay in this is on and it is not on ALPA's side. So for J. Lo to be out in the press saying, "It takes two to tango" implies that his side of the table is doing everything while ALPA is holding up the completion of the contract.
Just because the MEC chairs say there is progress (i.e. the battle) doesn't mean there is true progress for an overall deal (i.e. the war). There is progress in negotiations in that our side has worked on counter proposals and returned them to the company AND we do have SOME sections agreed to in principle.
So let's be clear and look at the entire picture here. Being informed about the progress of negotiations and with the back up of the JNC update, I stand by my original statements.