Originally Posted by
Bucking Bar
...At the same time we want all of Delta's growth. Not simply stagnation above a floor number. We want any new flying to be us...
What we want is the contractual right to our flying. Delta can run its airline as it sees fit, we'll be in charge of pilot labor. We don't care what Delta flies, we simply want to be the pilots who's labor is needed...
Bottom line, as a union we need UNITY and as long as we keep that as the central goal, we'll work out the details when the time comes...
Spot on Bar.
Our biggest threat going forward is Delta not needing Delta pilots to perform Delta flying...
How are we going to mitigate that threat? It starts by taking an honest assessment of where we are.
Case in point the AFKLM/AZ JV. It is in many ways for scope, the equivalent of the crown jewels in the PWA. Overall it is a decent agreement, but in MOU14 we lost the downside protection (from March 31 2011 to April 1st 2014) that was so eagerly sought in LOA12.
Contractually we are in no-mans-land right now when it comes to the JV and developments in Europe and at AFKLM/AZ make it appear that we might get in compliance not by us growing, but by them shrinking in the years ahead.
The brilliance of the original AF JV was the requirement to fix any inequities in growth annually, not after a three year wait.
What we got now is shared ups and downs and a three year wait before we have any contractual ability to require the company to match flying on the other side.
How many pilots will be on the seniority list in 2014?
What will your seniority be in 2014 due to effects of attrition, hiring or a merger?
I bet most pilots are done waiting...
At this point in many pilots careers, deferred scope/compensation/benefits just won't cut it anymore. We are done waiting for the _____ when everything will be better. Worst of all by the time we catch up, the game has changed, the players have changed and we start all over again.
We have to break the cycle.- A paycheck for all that well exceeds the current pay of our peers at the unnamed discount carrier, not in the future or after a few years but at signing.
- New Delta jets on the ramp growing the fleet, not just replacing jets.
- Total freeze on any codeshare JV or DCI growth until Delta hires for growth, not just attrition.
- A stable workplace that values pilots by mitigates the effects of moving bases with financial incentives for those who move and travel incentives for those forced to commute.
- Retirement benefits that enable pilots to retire when they wish by providing a smooth transition to post retirement plans.
- Healthcare plan pilot contributions frozen or matched in pay increases to keep net cost flat.
Take care of that and I''ll do backflips for constructive engagement all day long...
Oh and about unity – it's just not something one can impose.
- It has to come from within.
- It is built on trust.
- Its based on a shared and common goal.
These are the things that need to be articulated, negotiated and delivered.
Cheers
George