Originally Posted by
Trip7
I completely agree that the significant raises you seek are achievable.
First of all, I'm seeking a hell of a lot more than raises. I'm seeking all the things that we asked for on our survey such as tighter scope, improved work rules, scheduling, vacation, sick leave, retirement and many other items. That's how you get to actually have "The World's Greatest Contract" - you know, like Donutelli preached initially.
Originally Posted by
Trip7
However, I believe they are achievable after 3-5 years of negotiations.
Maybe yes, maybe no, but why give up to this "strategy" before our current contract is even amendable? Understand that in this environment, 3 to 5 years of labor unrest hurts management far more than us. The stock price is hurt because management can't make the claims of labor peace, and management must continue to pay out very large profit sharing checks during a time they predict even larger profits.
Originally Posted by
Trip7
Might as well take the rumored 25% raise over 3 years now since its going to take that long anyway.
I know you're new here and have adopted this line of reason from the many DALPA guys who privately espouse it, but you don't know that. See above. When this process began, Donutelli talked consistently about this being our first Section 6 in over a decade and that now we'll get to see DALPA at its finest in achieving the "World's Greatest Contract." Now you're advocating taking anything offered just like C2012 which was done completely outside the Section 6 process?
Originally Posted by
Trip7
Time value of money. If the contract is indeed 3 years, mathematically its very difficult to not leave money on the table turning down a contract so short.
For pilots like yourself who've never seen a Section 6, you're forgetting about retroactive pay which is always a part of protracted negotiations. But this time, we have circumstance on our side with the need for labor peace and profit sharing which I highlighted above.
You have to decide what you want man. If you want a career of taking whatever management offers because of time value of money, we'll never restore our profession. Never. That's because when the hits come, nobody wants to discuss the time value of lost money. And when you self fund your gains with concessions in other areas, you literally continue to go backwards over time.
Think about this man. Newer pilots like you are the hope for our profession. Many of us older guys made hard choices to keep the profession strong. We didn't just roll over and accept anything. You may need to do the same for our profession. At the very least, don't take confrontation off the table with this time value of money argument. You may as well save your Union dues because you're making the case for no Union at all.
Sorry for the length of this.
Carl