Originally Posted by
index
Is that the best you can come up with? I haven’t looked up the pretax numbers for 2010-12, but I assume they are slightly lower. My response to you is this. So what?
I stated that DAL is “in its best financial position ever” and that the time is “NOW” for restoration. Slow, in an attempt to lower others’ collective expectations, said “DAL was in better financial shape 1996-2000 (98 being the best year), which, he said "set the stage for C2K." It had better operating and pretax margins and a much lower debt.” He then challenged me to “please discuss from facts.”
I then posted the FACTS, including the reason (fuel prices, interest expense, etc…) that our pretax margins were lower (albeit only slightly) for the 1996-2000 timeframe. TheManager insightfully added that, given the current “it can be argued they [Delta] are doing much better now [than 1996-2000].” In short, the two of us showed that slow’s thesis was wrong. DAL is doing phenomenal right now (and that was my point), but this won’t last. That is why it is critical that we get our piece of the pie NOW!
Here’s the real issue, acl. Your problem, and you’re no alone, is that you’re not a true advocate for either this pilot group OR the profession as a whole. What you’ve failed to come to grips with is that you are a PILOT, not MANAGEMENT. I don’t know what it is that makes some PILOTS feel this way. Do the ALPA trip drops, hotel reward points, positive space passes to meetings, ALPA expense reports, ALPA vacation bank, hospitality suite, lavish dinners with the MEC front table on the ALPA credit card create some overinflated view of yourself that makes you think you’re MANAGEMENT?
There’s not a question as to whether or not there are two sides to this debate (restoration). There clearly are. The problem is that we seem to constantly hear only management’s arguments from BOTH management AND DALPA.
Here’s a sample:
“DAL is making record profits”
DALPA apologist: “not so, they’re not doing nearly as well as before”
RA pay went up 42% this year
DALPA apologist: “he’s worth every penny of it”
Restoration now!
DALPA apologist: “C2K was unaffordable. DAL had no intention of honoring it. They merely agreed to C2K terms to facilitate filing BR.”
Inflation has significantly eroded our purchasing power
DALPA apologist: “we can’t restore our pay rates in one contract…it’s going to take at least 2” [without ANY explanation as to why]
DAL is spending $1B ($ taken out of the pilot’s contract) on worthless stockbuybacks and dividends.
DALPA apologist: “This is money well spent. It will assure us a spot on the S&P 500, as well as lower the corporations borrowing costs.”
Restoration now!
DALPA apologist: "It's going to take AT LEAST 2 negotiating cycles" [again without ANY explanation how this "conclusion" was reached.]
There are SO many different ways that you could be advocating FOR the pilots instead of AGAINST us. The way to be an effective advocate for your client—the pilots---is to emphasize the points that justify restoration and minimize the reasons why restoration is not achievable. What you are doing right now is exactly the opposite.
If you want to be management, that's fine. Go do it. Just don't masquerade as a pilot advocate when you're not.
Do a little research and recall how I voted last time. What the majority voted in favor of is our PWA, I strongly believe that you must respect that, move on, and work on the next issue. Wanting to beat a war drum is just that, where is the conversion to results? Look at all DAL has achieved with our help, would going tribal be in our best interests or does that just allow us to go back to traditional bargaining which will allow a lot of time to lapse where nothing is being added to our PWA valuation?
What does the company prefer now that they are on the S&P? Have you strategically thought about their desires and next moves? What works best to add the value we all want? Is there an outside of the box way of doing business that does not go back to traditional bargaining but also does not be overly pragmatic while still being proactive with our corporation? It is important to realize that the move you may want to make may not be the move that is best for you to make.