Originally Posted by
FreightFlyer91
Ya and we had unity to back it up with a 99% strike authorization vote. Then our negotiating committee decided to throw in the towel in the 7th round of a 12 round fight because the mediator wouldn't be available for a month or two. The MEC and NC are the ones that completely bungled this entire process and they all need to go. A TA that at best had a small chance of passing with a 51% majority with a hard sell and misleading "facts" from the union should have never made it to the members for a ratification vote. The company should be shooting for a 51% approval, not our union leadership that is representing us.
Plenty of misleading facts...but not just from the 13 "Yes" proponents. Tony C is a great guy, and I respect him. He took me out to lunch when I was a new hire S/O on the 727 and I wasn't even on his crew. Once again, really great guy.
Excerpt from Tony's last block letter:
"...and an increase since the last CBA pay rate increase of 17.2%.
Now, I realize I haven’t presented a bar graph or even a table, but anyone can check my work by using the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator at
Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator.
I don’t think anybody needs a calculator or a website to see that our 14% initial hourly rate increase is less than the inflation number provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics."
The problem with that set of facts is Tony neglects to include the notes and FAQ's from the BLS site. 17.2464% is in fact the CPI from November of 2020 until June 2023. But if you read the methodology notes, that represents an increase in the Market Basket of Goods and Services of approximately $12,277. I'm certain that the lowest pay raise from the TA provided quite a bit more than that. CPI is a government tool based on "Average" consumers (those with a 2021 median income of $70,784/household) and doesn't reflect inflation for those of us in the upper 2-3%.
I would personally like to see Tony as the new MEC chair. He is a fighter. That doesn't mean I blindly believe everything he says and, even on points where he is demonstrably correct, I may not agree with his view point. I will continue to support the new NC (whoever they may be) and I WILL continue to show up for the picketing events.