Originally Posted by
744driver
I totally disagree...we (any pilot group under a negotiated CBA) are always in negotiations...
What does that mean?!! It means that when we don't fly the current CBA, and let the company get away with something, it sets "past practice" or precedents, that they can and do use in grievances, disciplinary hearings, LOA/LOC negotiations, etc etc etc...
When you keep the company from violating the CBA (whether you call them on it, or let the Union know about it and let them fight for you), they cannot use precedents as a tool to drive a hard bargain.
Also, what you do now (on a daily basis) matters when you actually sit down during your actual negotiations...
So, my take is that we are ALWAYS in negotiations...
Excellent post. Every time we go around the CBA and set a precedent, we are letting them gain ground and giving them ammunition that can and will be used against us.
Some crews will fly over their contractual duty day after experiencing delays because they don't want to layover in a crap hole; so, they'll fly well over their contractual limits to continue on to a better layover spot. Guys will let the company deadhead them over 20 hours; and, or, put them on a coach ticket domestic over 16 hours. Guys will answer the phone on their off days going into reserve and accept schedule changes when they aren't required to do so. Inside of the 30 hour requirement...and the list goes on and on.... We just had guys volunteer to fly on their days off for free to go to a football game! You can't make this stuff up.
When guys circumnavigate the CBA, sometimes to their personal gain, they're hurting their fellow crews and giving up ground to the company; so, yes, we are ALWAYS in negotiations.