Originally Posted by baseball

passivists exist. They are out there.



So many problems/issues that factored in that resulted in this poo-poo sandwich.
1. MEC Chairman not in touch with membership. Has only flown 2500 hours in the totality of his career as a United pilot (CA and FO) combined
2. MEC Chairman far too isolated in the Instructor building over the course of his career makes him very apt to be see things from management's point of view and not from the line pilots POV.
3. MEC Representatives failed to design a properly dimensioned "sand box" in which they could direct and supervise the negotiating committee. The NC appears to be unsupervised and lacks both specific direction and as well as limitations as to which issues are on the table and how far they are empowered to negotiate away our hard fought contractual gains.
4. Lack of timely and active polling fails to capture new data brought in by the thousands of new hire pilots we have been hiring. Last formal data 2017.
5. MEC and NC were 'surprised" by AA's actions. Why? They aren't networking and keeping in contact with their colleagues and counterparts at other airline unions.
6. MEC has failed to launch any sort of contract support effort. Public, investor, and pilot group information campaigns have not taken place: Result: pilots don't understand their leverage and their net worth. Pilots willing to settle for substandard deal due to lack of industry information.
7. MEC brought in a contract that has too much "permissive language" that is favorable to the company and unfavorable to the pilot.
8. MEC brought in a contract that results in less take home pay to pilots when compared to current book due to number 7 above.
9. MEC willingly abrogates pilot shortage leverage that currently exists and assists company in reducing manpower requirements by allowing the company insane scheduling flexibility and reducing instructor jobs at TK.
10. MEC failed to remind the company that they must "put their money on the field", as in "MONEY BALL." The company chooses when, where, and how they invest their money. From Electrical aircraft to sonic boom - supersonic jets still in development, to purchasing flight schools. What about executive compensation? What about the overlapping and redundant jobs and positions in the airline? If we could get the New York Yankees to put soda in our vending machines wouldn't that be a great trick? That's exactly what management wants us to do. They want us to put the soda in our own vending machines, and then they want us to buy them at 300% mark up. I firmly believe that management should both invest in this pilot group and reward us. We've don so much. We've been there. How many concessionary contracts have you taken over your career? Do you really think you deserve another one? Do you really think management wants to invest in you? You are a human labor- economic widget. Your net worth to the company has a value. What is it? What's your career worth to you!!! For a 30 year career, my net worth is about 12 million dollars. What's your number? How does that work out every year, overlaid over an entire career? How about retirement? We don't get what we deserve, we get what we demand and negotiate. Management isn't just gonna give you the money. When approached after contract 97, Gordon Bethune was asked why he didn't give the pilots at Continental Airlines more money. His response: "you didn't ask for it." Larry Kellner said "30% of the value of the stock is in labor stability."

We're such good little minions. We come to work every day, do our jobs awesomely, and we rinse and repeat. Just a little robot-minion. Got our Core 4, buy into the corporate word of the day and give the company that "labor stability" they so richly deserve. No informational picketing, no other side shows or distractions. The company is careful not to directly provoke us, although their scheduling games and schemes come very close. The company knows they will get as much union as they deserve. So, they back off unless the issue is willful non compliance or a direct HR problem. They don't want to be perceived as taking a hostage, so they respect those boundaries.

Since we don't have a directly hostile and overtly hateful relationship with management that plays well with the public image they want to portray. A robbery is still a robbery. They can ask you nicely for your wallet, or they can stick a gun in your face. Either way, you should at least know when your being stolen from. The proposed TA is essentially "legalized thievery" from the pilots.

Please don't give in. It's not our job to solve their manpower problems, or the industry pilot shortage we see developing. Management teams across the country failed to develop the talent when they had a chance post 9-11. It's like a pro baseball team that doesn't manage their farm system. When Derek Jeter retires, who is his replacement? Many dropped out of aviation because of the horrible pay and work rules after 9-11. Again, not our fault or problem. Why did management keep ordering aircraft even though they knew they didn't have pilots to fly them? That seems irresponsible. Why should we finance their growth plan? When your neighbor wants to add on to his house, does he come over and ask you to help him fund it? No way.

Take a close look at Alaska, SWA, Delta, and AA. What do those pilot groups have in common?

Are we so different?

They all want immediate and tangible rewards for their sacrifices to keep their companies a float and for absorbing the pain that scheduling dishes out. They want to "take it back". Everything we gave up after 9-11 should be returned to us.

If you are a yes voter, not insulting you, but maybe you don't understand what we lost after 9-11. Maybe your 0-6 military retirement has you taken care of. Maybe you don't understand the contract, or collective bargaining, or the RLA.

Serious question: Will we ever get this much leverage again in which to take back our concessions? Or are you simply content to keep giving up and giving in every time management asks nicely.

Don't Give up the POOTY!