Originally Posted by
phoenix 23684
Not to be cynical, but in general what leverage does a US pilot group really have at any US airline? The LRA and seniority system have for the most made us into an indenture service group. Unlike most professions, we can't simply go to airline B if management is not co-operating nor can we strike. I would argue that no pilot group has any real leverage regardless how unified they are. Sure, we can do things to be unproductive to an extent and hold signs, but that does not really have that much of an effect.
I admire the Europeans, remember when Lufthansa went on a strike to send a clear message?, European carriers don't seem to mess around.
Don't get me wrong, ultimately it's in our best interest as well as management to come to a resolution when it comes to contract negotiations. I would hope that we have a good contract negation and that our rates come up to at least industry standards in a short period, but I also know this management team has a history of not being as cooperating.
I believe right now the Delta group has some decent leverage as their contract sets out the profit sharing used for their union (hence the rest of the company matches it), and if this year plays out as forecast and next stays on track, their could be some very serious profit sharing to pay out in the next couple of years. Some think that wall street will not be too happy to see the employees earn upwards of 2.5 months of pay as a year end bonus each so there is some leverage to get that moderated prior to the release of the end of the year results so that at least mgmt can go to wall street and say at least this a fix is in the works.