Originally Posted by
Lewbronski
Not at all.
In the very recent past, both Frontier and Spirit pilots voted 100% for a strike authorization. This sent a very strong signal to their respective managements making the possibility of a strike ever occurring that much more miniscule. The goal is to attain your goals WITHOUT having to strike by sending a message that you are willing to strike if you absolutely have to. Again, peace through strength.
Note that Spirit pilots also struck in 2010 reinforcing the message that they are willing to take it all the way. Spirit pilots just approved a contract giving them an average of approximately a 40% pay raise. That is not too shabby.
In 2015, UPS pilots voted 99.9% to authorize a strike. They ended up with a 40% increase to their pension plan.
All of the above unions have done at least some things right. I would argue, though, that collectively as a profession, we could increase our own fortunes by playing the mediation game impeccably and pressing the federal courts for release (after 2 to 2.5 years) if the NMB is applying a patently arbitrary and unreasonable rationale to their case for not releasing us (that, by the way, is the legal test the federal courts have created for us if the NMB is not releasing us).
And, you do know that when a mediator says they will "put you on ice forever", they are lying? You do know mediators use lying as a way to spur on negotiations, right?
So which one of those groups was released? And there is much debate about the Spirit contract about whether it was a good deal or not. I'm not a Spirit pilot so I'm not going to judge it, but I overheard one today talking about work rules changes.
At the time of their vote, Pinnacle had the higher strike authorization vote in ALPA history. They also had the longest ongoing contract negotiation afterwards too.
I'm not decrying giving a good showing for the strike authorization vote, just saying that doesn't prove anything with regards to "they have to release you."