Originally Posted by
matty
Dude...you cannot honestly say this is a "concessionary contract." Ask Delta, American, United, et al. what a concessionary contract is...Yup...very concessionary.
I think where the confusion lies is in the word "concession".
From Merriam Webster: Definition of CONCESSION
1
a : the act or an instance of conceding (as by granting something as a right, accepting something as true, or acknowledging defeat)
Delta, American, Northwest, America West, United, USAirways, did NOT vote in concessionary contracts. Those contracts were forced upon them through the Chapter 11 Bankruptcy code. Those pilots did not get to vote, it was FORCED on them. They did not CONCEDE, they just had to take it, or leave.
Now, FedEx ALPA pilots on the other hand, during 15+ years of record-breaking financial gains, would be conceding by voting in a TA that gives up earned work rules, work rules EARNED during previous negotiations. That would in fact be, the actual definition of a concessionary contract.
If our openers said to "keep the A-plan we have now - no improvements" - we would then not be conceding on that!
Also, since your list of positives includes just 'keeping what we have negotiated in the past', you can add many other things we get to 'keep' that we negotiated: coffee jugs, coolers, etc... (yes, we negotiated for these items - someone please correct me if I am wrong).