Originally Posted by
Neptune2004
Unfortunately pilot unity at NK lacks big time! I don’t know how it is at SWA. Voting this TA down and pushing it 1-2 years in hopes of getting a marginally better TA, would push back our amendable date back another 5 years plus an additional 2 years in negotiations (8-9 years total from today). All this in hopes of improving compensation $15-20/hr and whatever other small adjustments they’ll do the work rules is not worth it IMO. When you guys voted down your TA1 at SWA, you weren’t at the bottom of the industry in terms of pay, Ltd, scope etc., it’s much easier to be willing to wait for a better deal.
Actually, we were at the bottom of the industry among our peers. We didn't even have B-plan, and we were told over and over that we would NEVER have a B-plan at Southwest Airlines. TA1 only included 0.7% increase in 401k match. Our peers at Delta, United and American all had either 15 or 16% B-plan.
Well... 9-10 months later, after changing NC and our union leadership, we had industry-leading pay rates, until Delta and subsequently United with their me-too clause passed us, and we also got a B-plan.
It all boils down to what you're willing to accept. Pay comes and goes... PBS was a major concession of the last decade, and you're giving it away for bringing you closer to industry standard? I also think you should read a little more about LTD at other airlines and see how things work elsewhere since many of you seem to be excited about it. Hint, you can and should do FAR better.
As for unity... well, that's up to your leadership, how communicative they are, and how fired up they are. When we were in negotiations, we were getting something almost every day from the union. When over 1,000 pilots showed up for a picket in Dallas during blistering heat... you couldn't ignore it. Mind you, this is the biggest koolaid drinking pilot group in the industry. Strong leadership and defined goals. Do you have that?
I don't know what to say to you guys. I'd like to see you engage in a pattern-based bargaining fashion, or at least get very close, but you seem to be going against the very lanyard many of you wear and it's puzzling, to say the least.