Originally Posted by
Sunvox
I would respectfully disagree and say that what was relevant at the time was United's provisions and Delta's payrates which we achieved plus a little. All contract negotiations are based on the history of older contracts. Delta did not band their 767-400s in the top pay group. I get the fact that Continental did hence their desire to keep it that way, but I think the "sand in the line" tactics were what folks found tough to swallow. Like I said, in the end I'm glad we got the banding the way it is, and I, for one, do not believe it resulted in a lower top tier pay rate. I think it merely increased the total number of top paid pilots, and that was a very good thing.
And where would the 787 be in a legacy united contract? Same as the 767-300? The 787 was already top tier banded in the CAL contract. I’ve talked to the rep who others accuse of holding the contract hostage ... it was NEVER an SLI ploy ... it was about getting the max number of positions into the highest band, end of story.
I’m pretty sick of the same storyline that if it isn’t or wasn’t done like the old United way, then it’s wrong ... I get the arguments both pro and con for all the banding schemes ... but the old banding scheme at pre merger United doesn’t mean that that is the best scheme just because it was done that way at the old United.