Originally Posted by
cgflier
Does anyone even know how many pilots we have on retirement? I asked all three of my union reps that are pushing this plan and none of them knew. Are you kidding me? How can we expect to talk to the company without knowing this? According to Blitzstein's video we are close to 1-1 in workers and retirees! So we have over 4000 pilots on retirement? I may not know the number, but I know it ain't close to that, he's lying to us out the gate. This is a bill of goods and it's bad.
We currently have the best of both worlds; a steady income base in the A fund and a flexible plan in the B fund which allows us to accept as much risk/reward as we want depending on which funds we choose to invest in.
Just say NO!
I was told by a former member of the MEC (who appears extremely knowledgeable with regards to our retirement program) that we have roughly 1600 pilots on retirement (not sure if that includes survivor beneficiaries) at any one time. This amounts to roughly 1/3 of the crew force. The company knows the exact number and I suspect the union does also. The company clearly also knows the exact age of the death of all of our retirees and can tell you to a penny what they pay out each year. You don't think the union knows this also?
Without getting educated and fully understanding of the current retirement plan that we are under, it is impossible for the crew force to make an educated decision regarding alternate choices. There is so much misinformations and misunderstanding out there it's not even funny. Ask questions and do not blindly fall for the union's sales job!!!! Have we not learned anything in the last negotiations?? Our union gave up so much just so that we can retain our A-fund and now two years later they are trying to **** that away. Who is the rocket scientist that got this train moving?
Think of our retirement package as a chair with several legs. Don't chop away one of the existing legs. Add another leg to the chair to put to on a stronger footing!! If we give up our A-fund we will be the laughing stock of the entire airline industry.