Originally Posted by
eaglefly
Remember though, it's not JUST about pay rates. As for the "softening", that is what I expected and said is much in a post over the weekend. Problem is, Parker isn't interested in softening anything unless APA places themselves under his control and at risk. They are NOT "negotiating", but attempting to manipulate by domination. THAT is the road block and it's unacceptable considering it was APA and AA pilots who gave him the keys to AA and his so far 30 million 2014 compensation.
I understand what you're getting at. But I don't think this management team is going to change their tactics much. It's my opinion if we can get some meaningful changes to the items below, particularly the more onerous ones, then we take their money. Still doesn't mean we have to trust them or like them. But in my opinion, why let them take that extra money to pad *their* bonuses? Thinking that if we stiff-arm them that suddenly they might wake up and start acting more like Anderson is a dream at best.
If most of the above items were "softened", then yes, I think that would give APA the wiggle room to move the process to the pilots. Right now, Parker has given them no essential out and is FORCING them to play the arbitration card whereby any negotiations prior to the hearings will be even more contentious. IF the arbitration card is played (whether an agreement is reached prior or through actual hearings), Parker will have lost this pilot group FOREVER, at least the majority. If Parker was smart, he'd be the bigger man and demonstrate his B.S. wasn't all B.S. and dump the Jerry Glass junkyard dog tactics and talk turkey with APA.
I think management has pretty much lost a lot of the pilot's trust, and that will be hard to get back. I don't think you'll see management change course on how they approach labor, it's just not their way of doing business. So we have essentially two options...reject their offer and stay angry, or blunt the worst of their offer, take their money, and still be angry.
I think BOTH sides need an out and the only hope of that is Parker realizing he's put APA in an untenable position and it's HIM that must alter the equation PRIOR to pulling the arbitration trigger.
Agreed. But part of me thinks, based upon his previous interactions with labor, that he doesn't care if we're in an untenable position.