Originally Posted by
casual observer
I enjoy reading the threads here, but I find myself thinking the representation here is narrow in relation to the pilot group. I've been at delta about 14 years and although I understand the importance of scope, there are other important issues to me and, I believe, to us as a pilot group. It seems reasonable to me that during a normal negotiation, both sides make concessions. It seems logical to me that at some point, being unwilling to make some concessions could be counterproductive. I don't understand the idea of being unwilling to compromise on one individual issue, regardless of what else is on the table.
First of all, welcome to our little neighborhood. Here is the main reason that there can be no "give and take" (compromise) when it comes to Section 1: Unlike ANY other section in our entire contract, Scope is the ONE point that we are unlikely to ever be allowed to strike over (although the case law isn't completely settled but we'd have a huge hill to climb). Because of this problem with the law, once we give a concession on scope, it can NEVER be regained by us through any kind of job action. With all the other sections in our contract, we can fight and strike over them in order to make gains.
With this wrinkle of the law in mind, concessions in scope is like being killed by a python. The python doesn't crush you, it just maintains its grip until you exhale. Each time you exhale, it tightens the grip until you no longer have any room to inhale. Every time we give a scope concession, the company takes it to the limit...thus tightening its grip. We MUST stop giving ANY concessions to scope while we still have a little chest cavity room left to breath. Does that make sense?
Originally Posted by
casual observer
I also feel that although the piloting profession has suffered in terms of wages in real dollars; advancements in safety, navigation and communication make the job more comfortable today then when it enjoyed greater compensation.
And to a great degree, the reason the profession has suffered so greatly is that so many major airline jobs have been outsourced to puppet management teams at the regionals who abuse their pilot workforce.
Originally Posted by
casual observer
I don't follow these issues as closely as most people here do. I'm open to changing my mind, but for now I tend to think the opinions here are mostly an unrealistic minority view.
Couldn't disagree more. I think the opinions here represent an accurate cross section of pilots who actually vote on anything. Regarding the pilots who don't vote...they are irrelevant.
Carl