Originally Posted by
Carl Spackler
If this were true, we wouldn't have the DPA movement. The problem is that many of us explicitly do not trust the MEC to do what we ask. We expect them to do what they want, then hide behind survey results that we never get to see.
DPA is there because of frustration in the silence that was heard during the last administration. People want DALPA to take a position on the contract, and they probably will if enough guys fill the darn thing out.
As much as I want them to start tuning the drum, Tim has it right, if I took a stand on scope, there would be a few pilots that got upset that I was speaking for them, and it was not their opinion. As much as I want the stand against any type of scope sales, he is dead on.
But we're not talking about giving anything up. We're talking about achieving an industry LEADING contract. How strongly do you support that?
Carl
I strongly support it, and a lot more than you think. AMR going CH 11 will cause a sucking sound. The good thing is that in CH11 they will have to allow PBS and terminate a pension, but their rates and rules are close to industry standard. They will not feel the shock the rest of the carriers did in CH11 because never raised their bar pre 9-11.
It will make negotiations difficult as no one from the company will want a deal that we want until they know what AMR will get from their pilots. I am willing to wait that one out, because I know what I will vote yes for, and it is above SWA, which frankly should not be where we set our sights, we should set the bar higher, and for a ton of reasons:
Most of our most efficient domestic lift has been outsourced, therefore a apples to apples comparison on efficiency is still off.
We must compare pilot block hrs, not flt hrs, and when we do that, we actually are more efficient in some months and slightly less than other.
We fly international flying, and all they do is domestic high frequency stuff. You cannot effectively compare that.
These are the same reasons I did not go to SWA. The contract needs so much improvement here that it may in fact be a long process, but one that I know ALPA will succeed in if, 1) we force the issue by showing up, keeping our reps feet to the fire, and 2) We allow alpa a unified group backing the section 6 process. We we get those two things, ALPA will do will in the first full section six at a legacy carrier in a decade. That last point is very important. Everything up to this point has been a merger contract or a concessionary deal.
They know they need to hit a home run, but they like anyone must have us, the pilot there to support the position to the end.