Originally Posted by
Flytolive
You don't seem to be familiar with much of anything about this process, but your projection is mildly amusing.
Well said.
We are in the front of the pilot pattern bargaining for a change, have a unified pilot group and MEC, a relatively good contract, a growing, profitable airline and a good economy. It doesn't get much better than this. If we give an inch on scope shame on us.
Running the act cuts both ways. Kirby knows how to do it. He doesn't have any incentive to accelerate the pace and substance of negotiations.
When I look at that splatter sheet the union sent out I see lots of low hanging fruit that was negotiated and figured out last year. No meaningful progress as of late.
That means company content to kick the can. Company also content to let revenue go to competitors. They want long term labor cost advantage as opposed to short terms profits.
I would like to see ALPA re-frame their arguments and positions, continually engage and inform pilots, achieve more leverage, and negotiate from a position of strength.
I also think this is a mistake: Someone asks about the status of negotiations....Then you get this silly response.."call your reps." No, that's the wrong answer. The reps aren't at the table, and the reps don't need to take 400 phone calls a day. I would like to see a dedicated website stood up by ALPA negotiating committee, staffed by an ALPA communications person who is in charge of putting out a daily update. What was today's agenda, and what was accomplished. I think in today's day and age of technology sharing information in real time is pretty easy.