Originally Posted by
MusicPilot
First of all, a scab is basically someone who has either refused to join a union, or who has crossed a picket line and gone to work during a strike.
Your coworker thinks that because people go to work for lower than standard wages that they are considered scabs. That's not the definition of a scab. I'm not the one that started the scab topic.
Here's my take: RP and F9 pilots are all on the same master seniority list. However, there are currently two different CBAs. With that said, if the majority pilot group votes for a strike and it's an approved NMB strike than it's the pilot group that falls under the CBA, in which is being struck, that would have to be the ones to stop work and picket.
However, since F9 pilots are also represented by the same union, if the union requests that all pilots it represents to support the strike than any IBT Local 357 pilot that goes to work would be considered crossing the picket line and labeled a scab. If the Local doesn't than by all means go to work. Do I personally think that you need your union to tell you that? No. You should support your union and fellow brothers and sisters.
Thank you for the response. There is a lot of blustering on this subject, by some that don't have an understanding of the situation so I do appreciate your response. This is a very unique situation, two airlines, represented by one union, with one master seniority list, and two separate contracts.
In order to strike under the RLA (Railway Labor Act), the NMB (National Mediation Board) must release the group to strike (after a 30 day cooling off period). Only then can workers strike.
In our current situation, the IBT is only negotiating one contract for one group (FFD). If released to strike, it would only be for that group. Frontier has a contract. If Frontier pilots struck, it would be an illegal job action and would be grounds for termination.
I here a lot of talk that Frontier pilots should (or must) go out on strike as a show of solidarity. To me that lacks a basic understanding of the labor and the RLA.
Along this line, would the local be within their rights to also ask all other airlines represented by the IBT (i.e. Omni) and other labor groups (truck drivers, janitors) to strike as a show of solidarity?