Originally Posted by
Flaps50MaxBrake
Gunter,
Respectfully, Good points but whoa man! Even the poll 20% for and mgmnt have a right to post. Who knows who flycast is but Capt. Irizarry, Block 10 Subic, hasn't even given his minority opinion yet.
IMHO this is solving all the worlds problems at the bar talk, which I'm up for any time by the way, until we at least read the dissenting voice, the majority opinion again and probably reread the LOA. I'll abmit I'm inclinded to vote No due to the first of your reasons, misinformation, and many others but shouldn't we all at least wait a day or two for the full scoop? Could there be anything the MEC won't or can't tell the rest of us about this LOA? Fedex has always had a plan b and c since the flight adv board, FPA and now Alpa. This is a rumor board and I sure haven't read many from the union house. If I get blasted here so be it.
Thanks for the respectful response. I tend to write in short, blunt bullets. I get wrapped up in my own thoughts but do occasionally poke my head out to listen to others.
I already predict we will ratify this LOA. I don't know how folks assume it will get rejected with a resounding NO. History, traditional apathy and fear of foreign pilots dictate otherwise. But I am doing my part to try and educate and sway others to vote NO. I am trying to sell everyone against the LOA, but I am trying to do it in a truthful manner.
The folks who were hired in the past had it tough, but it was a different kind of tough. They had SIBA but (mostly) lived in the states. The foreign or far away work, Subic and ANC, are desired by many a crewmember. ANC is commutable. They had wages less than the other majors but the primary stress was how fast would be the upgrade to FO and then how long until off reserve. Then how long to widebody or NB Captain. In the last few years, newhires had it easy. Quick upgrade to ANY FO position with many getting passover pay. Big bids and lots of hiring (postal contract).
This is not your Daddy's Fedex anymore. It is going back to the way it used to be, with a twist. Not just 80 crewmembers overseas in Subic, but 320 in Hong Kong and Paris. Maybe more in the future. Newhires will now be more behind the eightball due to no improvement in training pay, no hotel and now first into two of the most expensive cities in the world with little COLA, little housing allowance, no school money and an odd transportation penalty to mainland China.
The most junior guys on the property now WILL sit SO reserve for a loooong time or go overseas for years just for the chance to upgrade. Those not so junior WILL do SVT. Being assigned FDA was a small possibility with Subic, but is now a certainty and huge hit. Someone tell me how many have been "involuntarily" sent to Subic. Anyone?
The more I look at the LOA, most of the MEC and the Company want the bottom 4-5% (10% or more when you look at SVT possibilities) a few Captains without kids or single (who can afford a 3 year QOL hit with CA pay) and current poolies to eat a great big shiite sandwich when we ratify this concessionary LOA. The LOA is an embarrassment and sets a precedent that will be hard to recover from, if ever. But it won't affect those 5 years from retirement which means it is noise in the background for some.
This LOA is concessionary only for a select portion of the seniority list. The bottom feeders. So apparently it's just a "peripheral issue". This after scope payment and monthly deductions went into the VEBA account so we could "do the right thing". I even ate "retroactivity" as one man's (DW) opinion of doing the right thing.
Why is it "doing the right thing" only applies to older member issues and not younger member issues?