Traded an airplane a few trips back and both guys were in hats and blazers. Thought they were OAL guys trying to get on the jumpseat. Don’t see that too often.

I read the SWAPA negotiating/vision book they mailed out. Looks like all very good stuff to me. I guess the goal can be lost in the details once a TA emerges though. I thought the contract comparison booklet was very interesting. We have some very good language with scope, and the real big ticket keep your job stuff. Seems most of the lag is in pay rates, especially where I’m at in year 2-5 FO land, and disability benefits.

Overall, I’m a big fan of industry leading NB pay at the monthly guarantee, since the staffing is only getting me that. For the peripheral stuff, if I’m making good money, I’ll decide what to spend on where I park, what uniform I want to buy, what headset I want to use, etc.

I’d even say, if I’m the best paid NB pilot in America, I’ll decide whether I want to spend my money on disability insurance or not, life insurance or not, and so on. If the money is right, I’d rather guys got the choice of how to spend it, rather than be locked into a one size fits all company provided/administered program. Of course, having both would be the best outcome, and that seems to be what the union’s going in game plan is all about.

My first airline and first union, so I read all the union emails, SEP stuff, blogs, etc. Did some reading in the SWAPA forums, too, though those seem relatively dead other than some stuff about backdoor negotiations happening between a union officer and management in the last negotiation cycle. Seems we have pretty darn reasonable asks that benefit not just us, but the company as a whole.

Looking forward to what the negotiating team works out. The SEP process has been very educating and gives me some confidence in SWAPA.

Psycho