Originally Posted by
Bill Lumberg
Solving problems while gaining 20% pay raises and improvements in work rules, sick leave, and scope tightening, while doing it all within the time normal negotiations would have taken? I guess, yes then.
Let's look at the above:
20% raise. Numbers compute and that is improvement. We can argue over whether it is enough of an improvement, but....
Improvements in work rules. If work rules change allowing the the company to man with 300 fewer pilots, then the work rule changes are concessionary. If management has too many pilots sitting around on reserve, that sounds like a good time to bid reserve, or bid down to a where you can hold a line.
Improvement in sick leave. Eliminating the 75% pay provision is an improvement, as is the extra hours for pilots with more than 20 years. But the monitoring program will not be eliminated as advertised by the MEC, but in fact is now part of the contract. IMO, this section is now worse than present book.
Tightening scope. With the SEA and Q400 carve out, I'm not not convinced. Allowing more 76 seat jets, while reducing the 50 seat??? I'm just not there. JV improvements? Great.
Doing all this early? I'm all for it if it meets the needs of the pilot group. Not meeting mine.