Originally Posted by
dckozak
The A plan WAS the crown jewel of our contract in the past. Favorable governance at the federal level has allowed industries in general and Fedex in particular to decimate various safeguards, pay protections and other negotiated "good deals" of organized labor contracts. Fedex's beancounters have seen the annuity based retirement we (uniquely within Fedex) have and seen to it that if we won't negotiate it away, time and inflation will do their job for them. We thought (naively) that we could avoid an A scale, B scale retirement within our pilot force and instead of protecting the pilots on the property with an improvement in our current plan; we have settled for a withering A plan for all pilots, old and new at Fedex.
Yes we did it to ourselves, those of you in the 50% + who voted for it (and would bet many would not admit to it). We all love draft, VAC buytback and many other goodies that are a good deal for the individual, but hamstring the collective. We are our own worse enemies, and Fedex thanks you for it.
So true! The clock is working against us and the Company knows it.
So long as we don't make improving the A Plan the crown jewel of our CBA openers, it won't be restored to the crown jewel of our retirement package. Until the guys and gals that actually move the freight show their collective resolve on this, first by contacting our union reps and second by holding firm in negotiations, it makes it easier for the Company to say "No" and just let the clock run. This Variable Stability (pick your nom du jour) scheme is just distracting many in our ranks with glitter and promises....and the Company knows that too.