Originally Posted by
hockeypilot44
I will say that it seems the days of full retro pay are over. The new thing is for management to delay a new contract as long as possible, then offer a signing bonus which is usually fractions of what retro pay would be. It seems management is getting better at exploiting the railway labor act and self help is almost impossible without breaking or bending some laws. ALPA is not willing to do that thus our leverage is almost non-existant.
Excellent post and (unfortunately) spot on.
As someone who went to ever Rally and Picketing event.. I will (probably) never do that again.
Why... because I saw first hand how my union didn't want to ruffle feathers and do anything that would be perceived as "illegal" or over the line.
Our hands are somewhat tied and for whatever reason, at the National Level they don't want to do anything that might lead to lawsuits and legal action.
I would have loved to have been arrested (and there were others in the crowd who said the same thing) when we were told that if we get together for a group photo during informational picketing at EWR [Continental Contract Talks] that we would be violating some sort of Port Authority Law.
Instead, we marched between the two terminals (at the employee bus stops! kid you not) and did nothing to advance our cause.
The system is against us. Didn't you guys get some court order for NOT picking up open time years ago?!
It is truly amazing that in this Free country of ours, you can be punished for not picking up volunteer flying.
Or for saying "Fly The Contract"
There has to be a reason why your management wants a new PWA so quickly. No reason to rush it from where I sit.. but then again, I'm not a Delta Pilot.
Stand Strong guys..
Motch