This thread has helped hundreds of pilots get hired at Atlas (including myself), and has educated hundreds more in this tumultuous career. As with any Internet forum, one must read every post and not put too much belief in any one poster, but rather get an overall feel from multiple posts to find your answer. In light of recent developments within the Atlas business model and the potential (probably very likely) acquisition of Southern Air, there have been some changes that might affect a pilot’s decision. There have been some posts in this forum, as well as the Cargo forum, that portray a “sky is falling” mentality. There is nearly the same amount of posts that suggest ignoring the recent Atlas negatives and to pick a job based on what type of flying you’d like to do. None of us can predict the future, and if we could we probably wouldn’t be working for a w2… Here are some facts from recent events that you can mull over and add to your research in order to make an informed decision yourself.
Atlas management chose to tell the Union about the Southern Air acquisition 10 minutes before the public announcement. This is and has been the amount of respect shown to the Union at nearly every turn. If you don’t think this is that big of a deal, the respect middle management (daily operations) shows to the pilots comes from the top down. It’s odd because it’s not a daily basis type of beat down. It’s like the frog in the pot of warm water that slowly comes to a boil without it noticing. Before long you’re cooked, fried, just beat down, and you wonder how it happened so subtly. We have an “epic fail” union message that’s brilliant, true, and sad. We also have many pilots who portray the “battered wife” syndrome resulting from years of this type of management. Wait until you fly with one of these guys, its unreal.
In the meetings following the announcement between Atlas and the Union, the Atlas management team showed their hand in a surprisingly arrogant move. They chose this time to finally follow the Atlas contract (more specifically section 1) and Atlas/Southern will amalgamate their CBA’s if they get their way. I don’t know if they’ll get their way, but do you think they have a strong case??? They’re just following what both parties (Atlas and Teamsters) agreed upon in the current CBA.
In response to these meetings, the Atlas EXCO Chairman said in our recent conference call, “THIS IS CAREER DEVASTATING! This was an honest reaction to management’s plans because it’s the absolute truth. If you follow the roadmap management has planned out in the meetings, it leads right to our Chairman’s quote.
Another interesting thing the Chairman said that relates to his first quote is, “THERE IS A SCENARIO IN AMALGAMATION IN WHICH THE ATLAS CBA COULD COME DOWN TO THE SOUTHERN CBA.” The Southern CBA is a bankruptcy CBA, and is nearly the worst in the industry (no fault of their pilots, of course). Atlas already has a substandard CBA and in desperate need of improvement. This can actually happen folks, and the Unions hands will be tied in front an Arbitrator. You might be working MORE THAN 17 days for LESS MONEY in the near future. At the very least, the fighting will have us working under the substandard CBA for years to come. Management is beginning to execute a terrible plan wonderfully and our careers will be the victims.
Management has told our Union that they will be trying to hire pilots who don’t want to, or cant leave to the Legacy carriers. ***? I honestly put myself in this category, and this is so offensive to me. I know many of you are in this camp as well, so what do you think about this attitude? Do you deserve to be paid and treated like the professional that you are? A resounding YES!
I’ve read that some of you are trying to leave less than desirable operators (I came from one myself) and it seems like many posters have good pt. 121 airline and Union experience. For those of you who are from the Regionals, remember what your management/union relationship was like, and how hard you fought everyday for years to get a few more dollars per hour. The Atlas fight is about to be much worse. Think about it: A company like Atlas making massive profits but still arrogantly and publicly displaying their intent to beat us down. We were about to negotiate much deserved improvements in our CBA, not have to fight for the crap we already have! Can you imagine getting your resume ready as a 55 year old -400 Captain? That’s happening now. The morale of the Atlas pilots is plummeting because of what’s coming down the pipe. Poor morale at Mesa, Republic, or PSA? Ask yourself if the morale at Atlas will be better than your garbage regional when we’re fighting in the trenches with the rich and powerful AAWH. Are you familiar with Ford and Harrison? Yeah, Atlas retains F&H and they are extremely effective.
Some of you are coming from other ACMI carriers, so you know what this could be like. I imagine our amalgamated contract looking like the Kalitta CBA, or possibly worse. What do you think? They’ve laid out their cards and their execution will be flawless. History proves that they are very successful in getting what they want.
This could all be quite the shock when you read the Atlas CBA, research routes, schedules, talk with your Family, and decide to apply and get hired. In short order, the CBA you came here for that you didn’t think would be that bad is amalgamated, morale plummets, you’re gone away from home more, and your career has stagnated. You’ll eventually wake up, dust off the old resume and say to yourself, “what just happened?!?!
Now the flip side is that your airplane will be neato frito and you’ll get to see the world. Big F’ing deal. What you will give up to do that is not worth it to any self respecting person. It’s my opinion that we have one chance. AAWH only understands money, and their airplanes piloted by us make a freaking ton of it. In order for us to force them to see the light we will have to take precise, brutal, and unified actions. This is going to be the biggest and most savage fight the industry has ever seen because it’s the only possible way. If you chose to come to Atlas, you will be required to fight every day, from the very first day, including while on probation. There will be no honeymoon and you will be forced to sacrifice many things. Fasten your seatbelts, because the only way this could work is through severe turbulence and structural integrity is not guaranteed.