Originally Posted by
minibus
Concessionary in a variety of ways. In my humble opinion you are giving away PBS and scope too cheap. Some scheduling changes as well such as being told to stay at the airport at the end of a duty day..Other little things. In any case, Jblue will probably have a contract fairly soon. They will probably end up with higher pay rates. AA opens section 6 next year and UAL shortly thereafter if memory serves. It's entirely possible You could end up at the bottom of the pile again on pay.
I remember distinctly our 97 contract. APA said they were done, its a good deal and there is nothing more to be had. " Pilots Defending the Profession" sprung up ( pre widespread internet) and lobbied hard for the agreement to be defeated which it was. This led to the embarrassing 20 sec strike. Both parties went back to the table and gains were made on a variety of issues notably length of service for guys furloughed in the early eighties and nineties. This after APA legal advised every member to vote for the first TA...
Granted. ALPA is not APA, arguably the most inept " union" in the history of labor. You have nothing to lose by voting NO. Zero.
“Arguable” so here it is. SWAPA is the most inept pilot union in the history of labor, not APA.
With the financials of SWA we should have far and away the best of everything for narrow body pilots. Instead we constantly trail. Just got a defined contribution, the booby prize of lost pensions at ALPA carriers. We don’t have paid parking. We have never even been able to pretend we are ready for self-help. Strike vote? Your joking right? We have signed 10 year contacts with pay freezes.
It’s true OAL pilots shouldn’t tell you guys how to vote but I’ll chime in on my observations. Looking back to 2009, I’m proud of you guys period...if this deal passes or not.
You have come a long way in 9 years and fought the good fight. Make no mistake, a union like SWAPA would not have taken you that far this quick. ( If ever considering the financials involved)
I realize some of those QOL things are very hard to reverse so I don’t blame you “no” voters either.
Here’s something you have over there that basically nobody has at SWA does and may not ever. And it’s not because of our management. Because of our union, even “improved” as it is recently, we still have ZERO hope of EVER having a industry leading contract. With the best spreadsheet in the biz, a SWA pilot still has ZERO hope of that.
Between your demonstrated unity and willingness to fight combined with not having to be faced with merging or decertifying your inept independent pilot union, you guys and gals DO have that hope.
I respect your pilot group and your union.