Well, I don't like what passes for leadership, but unfortunately, they do represent the majority. The problem is that the majority, although the margin is getting slimmer by the day, are by and large apathetic kool aid swillers that will vote yes on anything put in front of them.
If the majority is represented within the leadership, then I think that's a good thing. Although I totally agree the longer this drags out(section 6), the more SWA management will have to deal with the consequences. People don't forget. They will vote accordingly eventually.
Oh, and I've had my hat in the ring several times both here and at ALPA carriers, and I blame my hair loss on it. This group is by far the most difficult to represent, likely by design.
Ya, I did union work for years here at Airtran and at another former carrier also. Frustrating at times for sure. It's hard to rock the boat, when the boat has been running well for many years. Over here we have/had all walks of life here. Military, regional, corporate, furloughed legacy, retired legacy(mostly Delta guys who took the lump sum and retired there), freight guys, you name we have it. Unity is hard. It took over four yrs to get a strike vote here. I'm on the outside looking in but it seems with all the guys I talk to, it will be a while before moral takes a strong hit.
Oh, like TA 1 (which led to TA 2, which became our current contract) where, and I quote the (then) president: "We got everything we wanted, and nothing we didn't". This was the first, ever, contract voted down by SWApA membership, albeit by a slim margin.
Actually that's a good thing. The expectation wasn't met, you voted it down and move on. Hopefully TA2 was more acceptable.
Not around here. While Gary is saying "flattish" they'll spread a rumor that as long as we vote yes (on whatever is placed in front of us), we'll see massive GROWTH! It's worked for just about every issue in the last decade and I'll bet my A fund that it'll work again.....
I have to give GK and the leadership credit. It's absolutely amazing that they control the narrative. The fact the money the company has made since the CBA became amendable but yet everybody just takes his word without blinking an eye. The numbers speak for themselves. The worst part is GK and MVDV go public with it and NOTHING from the union leadership publicly yet. Hopefully that changes. Can't have one side of the story and not try at least counter it.
I think you guys have a good contract. Good pay/work rules. The best scope in the industry. Your the most productive pilot group in the industry by a wide margin for the average stage lengths you do. It just seems to me that the company doesn't need anything contractually from you. They would LIKE to get something but don't need it. If they don't need it, then they shouldn't get it. Long call reserve and a B-fund would be nice but i'm pretty sure MVDV and RM have a quantitative number that has been passed across the table already, hence why the stalemate.