Originally Posted by
oldmako
This issue has everything to do with getting the company to properly account for our pay and to fix a myriad of pay issues affecting every UAL pilot. The company told the union to pound sand. What was the union's response supposed to be? "Please sir, may I have another?" We finally have a Chairman who knows how to get things done - much to the chagrin of the company. I applaud his efforts to improve all aspects of the contract. We now enjoy working for a cash cow. They can afford to fix this.
This topic has been beaten to death on this and the other forum. I think your melodramatic rant about the union is a bit overwrought and off the mark. I also think the FNG's deserve a more accurate accounting of why we do things the way we do. Personally, I think its a raw deal as well. But I trust Captain Insler's judgment and I applaud his efforts to improve our contract. Because of his record in Grievance, I am happy to extend him the benefit of the doubt on this issue.
Are you someone's troll?
Years ago the company bought a mess of 747-400's and told the pilot's to just go fly them, and that they'd fix the pay issue later. The union thought differently and the pay issue was fixed right away.
There is a Jethro Tull song that describes your lengthy rant pretty well.
But as a practical matter, for those staffed in a base that is over-staffed, bidding a "high" line doesn't consistently work, so those with vacation have no choice but to try and pick up time- for free now however. The alternative is to sell vacation back to the company..that's a loser.
You can try to hide behind the "union is great, individual bad" mantra, but that does not address this particular issue of pilots now unable to earn as much as they could have a year ago.
Contract negotiations are the time and place to fix issues like this, rather than leadership throwing members on their swords. Inslers income did not go down.