Originally Posted by
Slammer
As a L-CAL pilot, I fully support getting a JCBA now, not necessarily any individual MC. Thats the goal, not putting halo's or wreaths on any MC. If we want to unify, it must be the MEC that must step up...and communicate/ coordinate. I support MY MEC and it's current approach to the Heppner plan. Would support the Heppner plan if my MEC had been engaged and briefed. Why would i trust UA MEC and Heppner with my future given the historical and current disdain for CAL pilots and repeated lack of coordination with my elected leadership on multiple issues. What arrogance to think we would just fall in- line w/ out some coordination with the CAL MEC. Talk with us...if you refuse to work Jointly with our elected leadership, then it will remain a stalemate. The MEC and LC reps need to take the lead in bringing the two pilot groups together. JP and JH are incapable because of the contol, power and politics of leading the future 12K pilots once we become ONE union and ALPA National. I do not believe Heppner is a fool, he understands the landscape of the L- UA pilots and I suspect has the best interest at heart for the L-UA pilots BUT certainly not the joint/ collective group.
I, too, respectfully disagree. Nobody is asking you to blindly trust anybody. Just asking that you consider the fact that you are getting two conflicting stories, and review the evidence to determine who is headed down the right path.
None of the facts in JH's message are in dispute. Despite the constant foot dragging outlined today, one MC continues to claim things are going great. The evidence offered is constant talking about small group meetings, company promises, and no other plan. If this is effective, where are the results? Not ONE cost section settled in 2 YEARS. The other MC has been indicating for months that the pace is unsatisfactory and action is needed. He was called a "Debbie Downer" on this board. This announcement is not out of left field. He's been beating the drum for months. At ANY time, JP could have gotten on board. Sadly EVERY update has been the same broken record about great progress. 4 months of great progress updates with zero results. How many months until it rings hollow?
JH and the UAL pilot group have no hatred for CAL pilots (scabs excluded). He went out of his way to make that very clear when he filed a grievance against the company for cheating us on the profit sharing we were due.
Your assertion that the UAL MEC has railroaded and back doored the CAL MEC at every turn also doesn't accurately portray the facts. From the initial salvo of CAL MEC threatening to walk from joint negotiations over a completely ridiculous pay banding stance is not an example of good group effort. Every CAL MEC update and JP blast mail goes to great lengths to discredit the UAL MC and MEC. Not ONE of JH's updates have mentioned the lack of support and untenable positions occasionally discovered at the CAL MEC. Which tact is better for unity?
JH is doing his job, and it makes me sad that you don't see a) the necessity of this action, and b) how this action helps YOU. The Heppner plan seeks to immediately put an end to the atrocious working conditions you suffer, the ridiculous end around the company played on your scope, and the outsourcing of your jobs overseas. The alternative is the JP plan; to trust thr company to do the right thing and have once a week meetings in small groups with no decision makers present.
We want you at our side. I'm quite confident that if JH had felt JP and the CAL MEC would support a release request, they would have been included. But just as we were not willing to give into that RIDICULOUS position that the 747-777 would be banded, but the A320-737 would be unbanded (both clearly advantaging the CAL pilot group) we are no longer willing to wait for more management stall tactics and small group meetings. I hope that we will all put the egos aside and close ranks, but if not, I'm willing to put my job and future on the line to engage in a legal strike for YOU to get the contract you deserve.