Originally Posted by
Plane Ramrod
Nothing pilots can do at this point will make a difference in the company's actions. Billboards? Passengers don't care (they think you're overpaid already). The only thing that matters right now is making a favorable impression on the mediator, and the only reason THAT is important is for her to agree to get out of the way. Nothing about your statement above would be received well by the mediator and would be counter productive.
Big assumptions. Any legal behavior will not effect an impartial judge. Just like the company is bound to the law and contract yet still robustly pushes for better outcomes, so should we.
I don't see the company dancing around in fear of a mediator. Why is the union?
I can't wrap my head around an argument that says "it probably won't work so we should do nothing". That's not a very pilot like attitude. People do care. Passengers perceive us as cheap. Cheap fares cheap planes cheap employees. And in aviation cheap equals unsafe. If the public gets a whiff we are disgruntled they will directly impact the bottom line. Which is all management cares about.
Juice- How about we try? If we asked ALPA legal and they call my suggestion a "job action" I'll shut up. But let's not argue against ourselves. If they said it wasn't illegal would you join me in calling for the union to be more assertive?
As far as I know we haven't even tried to be more forceful. We are still very much in the let's play nice mode.