Originally Posted by
Hotel Pen
Saabs, Purple, Whisky et al:
I agree we should negotiate as much as we can and that the Jan. 3 deadline is a scare tactic, but isn't there a false sense of gain in the whole 'I'm fine with the greenbook' argument?
I agree that now is not the time for concessions, but we can't act as if arbitration is a victory. It equates to a loss of a good deal of money for every pilot on the list and what the greenbook maintains simply isn't that good. If we had the vaunted 'Delta work rules' in the greenbook that would be one thing, but it seems to me we have a choice here of 'crummy work rules with a small raise' or 'crummy work rules with a bigger raise.' Whether or not this was the company outmaneuvering us in negotiations can be argued, but it is the current reality. The losses from the Company's offer (HBT, combined intl/dom and midnight sims) don't seem to outweigh the financial gain for every pilot.
Merry Christmas everyone!
HP,
Arbitration is not a victory for the pilots but its certainly not a victory for management either. Look at it this way, all of the items that Doug wants to gut he can not in arbitration so its status quo in that regard.
I will say this, what AWA lacked in hourly rate we made up for with some of the better work rules in the industry. 5:15 min day credit, company paid STD which was 66% of whatever your hr rate was. LTD benefits and a number of others. This is all gone now and while I like the new hourly rates, look at how much we have had to pay for them. I will not dare ask an LAA pilot what they have given up and what the company wants us to give up now.
So while Arbitration is no savior for us its certainly not one for them either.
Merry Christmas
WD at AWA