Thread: Next steps...
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Old 10-11-2018, 09:35 AM
  #16  
Carbonrider
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Joined APC: Sep 2015
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Originally Posted by DimpledBalls View Post
I will never say that I hold all the answers to solve the issues but, it is obvious to me and many others that not enough is being done.

First, communicate better with the pilot group whether that be rallies, meetings or more pub events. They are actively holding these events but the message needs to be more clear. The rhetoric that is provided is nothing shy of pathetic. Canned responses that fail to accurately represent the current “asks” and what it ultimately means for our future. Pay close attention during these events. You will operate under the next contract for 8 years, not the 5 years being mentioned by our NC. They claim that the early openers on the following contract will in effect, make this a 3-3.5 year contract. That is not reality. We had early openers on the contract that we are negotiating now and we have been working on this for the better part of 2.5 years.

It is my opinion that ALPA National is now applying a great deal of pressure to get a TA in front of our pilots. They just want this done because of the vast amount of resources that our negotiations are consuming. The pressure that is being applied ultimately shorts F9 pilots on some very important issues. Obviously, pay being the focus. If the pay rate gets into the ballpark of other 121 carriers, it will be enough to pass a contract. I say no, it is not enough. Pay is important but other areas are just as important. Areas such as health care, retirement and long term disability, et al are important too. When these areas of the contract are discussed at union meetings and pub events the answer from union reps will, without question put F9 last or second to last in all these categories compared to our peers. This is not “Bringing Frontier Pilots into the pattern”

Contracts take time. The NMB is never going to release this pilot group and if we want an industry contract, every pilot needs to fight for it. That fight begins with every pilot expressing their concerns to the MEC, NC, LEC.

Look at my previous post. I am not stating that I have lost confidence in my NC, rather my confidence is diminishing as this negotiation goes on and on. The NC understand the importance of getting a contract completed and I simply feel that key areas will be sacrificed vs. getting it right. If an industry standard contract takes an extra year that would be better than operating under a substandard one.
I vehemently disagree with this post. Communication from the MEC is excellent (when they have something to communicate.) This rhetoric you speak of, is truthful information from them. You may not like it, but to say it's rhetoric is pure stupidity. You're not aware with the current "ask" you say?? Pay attention and read the comms you've apparently missed. They've made this stuff easy to reference. Your own lack of knowledge on how to retrieve said information is not the fault of the MEC. Again, if you were paying attention, you'd also know that there is no final proposal regarding duration. The NC at the last pub event made it quite clear in the latest proposal that duration was TBD, and they also clearly stated that in the updated proposal communication.

I don't believe the NC or MEC will cave to anything. ALPA national doesn't decide jack squat, this pilot group does. You think the MEC and NC would allow themselves to be coerced by "ALPA" as you say to put out a $hit TA that gets voted down which requires more attention and more time and more money from ALPA to then get the second attempt ratified?? Your logic is just purely illogical. Everybody just wants the done, but that does not mean that any TA put out there will pass. Only the right deal will pass. ALPA, the MEC and the NC are keenly aware of this fact. No offense man, but the only thing pathetic around here was your post and your summation of where this process is going.

Let these guys do their jobs without being a freaking monday morning quarterback. You and I don't do their jobs and I'm smart enough to know that there's a lot that I don't know. You should consider adopting this mindset as well.
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