Originally Posted by Reactivity

It doesn't matter who else signed contracts where. If they weren't ATSG companies, ATSG management doesn't care. I can't find it now, but I remember a statement from what I think was an earnings conference call after the ATI CBA was ratified in 2018 in which management said something to the effect of, "We know how much it costs to staff an airline, and we see no reason to pay any more than that."

ABX has a growth problem and a union problem they always bash our contract but now the all mighty teamsters got them to match our pay. The Teamsters also rep Atlas see the correlation there. Thankfully ALPA is already negotiating a new one for us but don’t worry the salty strikers over at Atlas that keep losing planes to ATI and the ABX guys that have never flown a wrapped 300 will stay say we surrendered. Get over it you **** in your own bed by striking the customer not your employer off of advisement from truckers so be a good piggy and wallow in that poop!

Your bargaining won't be hampered by ABX. Your bargaining will be hampered by ATI in 2018. ABX tried for two years to get more. Every attempt was flatly refused. We were told that any agreement had to fit within the cost structure of ATI's agreement, "not one dollar more". ABX was losing people left and right to the big 5 at the time. Management didn't care. The president even said point blank that nobody should make ABX a career destination - come for a few years, but don't stay. In the end, our pay scale is exactly ATI's pay scale, right down to the total guaranteed hours per year, with 2% annual increases for the duration of the agreement. Why? Because it's what they would agree to - "not one dollar more".



ABX doesn't have a staffing problem. ABX doesn't have a performance problem. Let me give you a quote from the Q2 2019 earnings conference call when we were still more than a year from an agreement:



So it's not question of performance. It's because Amazon holds a grudge, and ATI is the beneficiary of that and the major miscalculation of the strike.



It's not a question of rolling over. It's a question of how long you're willing to beat your head against a brick wall to get something that's not being offered. If you're able to get more than 2% per year, that's great. ABX will be able to get that, too (in five years). But I'll be amazed if you're able to do it. I'm fairly certain there is a reason why ATI and ABX are pay matched at the same rates and 780 hours per year, and I don't see them giving up any more just because someone asked nicely. The "they'll need pilots" argument has been tried. It didn't work.