Originally Posted by
Steve Crewdog
Anyone else done the Kool-aid class? When the instructor said the company was at a crossroads I snorted. The COMPANY is not at a crossroads: they have a map, navigator, and destination in sight. The UNION and PILOT GROUP are at a crossroads, with an out of touch union leadership and rebelling membership.
And anyone who thinks pilot labor is the biggest cost to getting us to #1 has never been in a Delta Lounge. Do yourself a favor and check one out, even their small ones (like in Denver) put our clubs to shame.
How much money has United thrown away on the Busted Boom? How about the Heart Aerospace electric commuter vaporware airplane?
The money is there. FUPM.
My reaction to the PPD class was the same and I agree with what you say. Kirby wants the big expansion, and the expansion would be good for us as well. The issue is how bad Kirby wants it and what he’s willing to pay. We can, and we should insist on the right contract. We have the ability to walk away from the table if the divide between what we need and what the company will spend is too great. They can walk away also. The cost of pilot labor is increasing industry wide. If we raise our cost to X, the others will pattern bargain off of us and we won’t be the most expensive game in town, we’ll the new normal. If he wants instructors and LCA’s to stick around, if he wants vacancies to be filled, and if he wants to make his plan a reality, Tumi 2 just isn’t going to cut it. He’s doing his job, and he’s doing it well. Now all we need to do is get our union to do theirs.