Originally Posted by
FlyinRabbit88
How would accepting a pay raise be used against us later? How would not accepting a pay raise help us later during mediation?
If you use say 2nd year and 3rd year FO pay rates, if say we do get a contract after 2 years, if you vote NO you are turning down close to $10,000. Again how is voting NO send a message to the company?
I know you won't change your mind, I'm just trying to understand, maybe I am missing something...
I went thru this in RAH and saw ALL the tactics used in a negotiation. This is one of them. They give a small, meaningless raise to endear themselves to some of the more junior pilots who are less financially secure. This does 2 things: it makes the union look anemic and it fools many pilots into thinking "at least the company is doing something for me and not taking 1.9%".
When we go into mediation, which is where this is going, the company can use our acceptance of their "raise" as an asset when dealing with the NMB. It makes it harder to be released to strike, if needed. Then when we try to embarrass jetblue by picketing, they send a press release illustrating their "goodwill" and the fact that even after accepting a pay raise, the pilots remain greedy for more.
Its a gameplan started before the union was even voted down years ago. These are professional UNION BUSTERS that they have hired. The company is using the playbook and has all the advantages.