Originally Posted by
DirkDiggler
7 August 2019
This is the second in a series of communications that will address common questions and misconceptions associated with Letter 2 negotiations. Many of these concerns were noted by volunteers at our Pilot Unity Building (PUB) events in CLE, IAH and ORD. If you have additional questions about Letter 2 negotiations and The Deal's Not Done campaign, email
The Company frequently touts how many pilots have been hired this year. Where are those pilots?
When the Company says it has "hired" someone, that means a conditional job has been offered. For example, if ExpressJet recruiters attend an event at an aviation university and give out 10 conditional job offers, they can say they've "hired" 10 pilots, even if those 10 pilots never intend to actually work at ExpressJet. From January 1 through the end of July, 274 new pilots started class, but only 52 have completed IOE so far. In addition, 303 pilots have left ExpressJet this year. This equates to 29 fewer pilots on property than at the beginning of the year, and 251 fewer pilots flying the line. The Association expects this trend to continue due to our Company's inability to compete in the ever-advancing fee-for-departure industry.
The lines and pairings just keep getting worse. They're trying to get us to leave!
There has been a gradual and continuous degradation in the quality of lines and pairings over recent months and years. Much of this has to do with the reduction in the "quality" of flying we are awarded by United. In addition, management has made deliberate decisions recently that have dramatically reduced the quality of our lines. For example, they recently forced the XJT Scheduling Committee to produce as few lines as possible for August, which resulted in fewer days off for lineholders (IAH saw just seven lines above minimum days off in August). As our contract requires lines to be built to "maximize days off," a group grievance was filed over this.
There are several items I'd like to see come out of Letter 2 negotiations. I'm going to post these ideas to social media so other pilots can add their ideas.
Your XJT Negotiating Committee (NC) has an extensive list of items they have collected from pilot polls, surveys and emails they've received from pilots over the years. These are all items they would like to discuss as part of Letter 2 negotiations in order to improve the quality of life of all ExpressJet pilots and to place the company in a position to succeed. When pilots begin discussing what they would like to see come out of negotiations, this information almost always makes it back to management and can severely reduce the leverage available to the NC. In recent meetings between the NC and management, management has referenced screenshots they have been sent from the private "ExpressJet Crew Lounge" Facebook page. Even private groups should be thought of as public, and pilots should understand the possible significant negative effects of negotiating in public. Pilots are encouraged to send their feedback and suggestions directly to the NC by emailing
Current conditions on the line are unacceptable, and management's unwillingness to negotiate is ridiculous! When are we going to strike?
The air carrier negotiations process is governed by the Railway Labor Act. As airlines provide an essential transportation service to the country, the Railway Labor Act is designed to avoid disruptions to commerce by providing dispute resolution and federal mediation opportunities (like the mediation our mechanics are currently seeking) prior to releasing an airline to strike. Said another way, it is very difficult for an airline to strike. In addition, any coordinated activity that disrupts an airline's operations, like a "sick out" or "slow down" is illegal. There are, however, several legal actions the Association can take to provide leverage for negotiations. A critical part of this is a unified, engaged pilot group. Help us show this unity by displaying your 'Deal's Not Done' lanyards, luggage tags and handle wraps.
Is XJT ALPA considering setting up preferential interviews with non-major carriers, like Frontier, Spirit, etc.?
XJT ALPA, in coordination with the ALPA Fee-for-Departure Committee, is currently exploring options for providing career advancement opportunities to our pilots outside of the CPP. These talks are still in the early stages and the likelihood of implementing programs like these is currently unknown.
Your additional questions will be addressed as we receive them. In the meantime, please display your 'Deal's Not Done' gear to help us send a loud, clear message to management that we expect them to finish the job they began. THE DEAL'S NOT DONE!