So to give you guys an idea of what is happening, let me explain my experience. I was invited to one of these dinners, (been here about 1.5 yr) and when the chief called at first I declined. I am pretty passionate about how I feel the direction of things are heading here, and quite frankly I am frightened at how it will go if ALPA doesn't go through. Then I thought, well, if I go, I could maybe ask some questions that were thought provoking for newbies or fence sitters, and maybe open their eyes to to some issues. They certainly aren't going to change my mind, plus I'll get a free dinner out of it.
I go to the dinner with questions in tow, and ALL of the execs are there. Interestingly, there are line captains there too. Obviously, they aren't new guys, so how did they get an invite to this?!?! OHHHH...they're anti-union...well, no wonder they're there, and getting dinner paid for for them and their wives.
So after dinner, DB opens Q&A, and it was absurd. These captains just throwing up softball questions. Whats the status of wifi on a/c, are we looking at changing iPad so we can bid on tablet, where are we flying to next, etc. You guys know what I'm talking about. Anyway, they are about to close things up and I start with my questions, such as the fact that they are touting 401k as now being in the PEA and they're contractually obligated to it yet it states they can amend or terminate the plan with "significant financial losses", but that is never defined, so they really are not contractually obligated to anything. I also asked about the unilateral change to the peer set and explained to them exactly how the DR has worked for me (it hasn't).
I got the answers I totally expected, and before I could ask any more they closed up the Q&A. But hopefully, one of the other new guys there (there wasn't a huge turnout) can see through the responses and realize we need protections and we need to negotiate for ourselves. Oh well, dinner was good.