Originally Posted by
GoodJet
The union did the best they could to negotiate with a very shrewd management team. A lot of the pilot group was motivated by economic fear and did not understand the market value of the pilot profession. Or the pilot supply/hiring dynamic for the next 10 years. Between the pilot group and management everyone failed to understand that peak retirements do not arrive until 2029. I'm at a loss for sources but I've read in more than one place that the hiring dynamic will return to normal in 2032.
We likely will not vote on another contract until 2027-28 which leaves us with one or two more windows to regain some of what was lost to the pilot profession during the lost decade. ALPA is doing well industry wide. With overall a pattern of success. Sadly the Alaska Airlines pilot group will need to show a strong resolve to have a successful outcome during the next round of RLA negotiations.
We need to be capable of sending an AIP back as UA and AA did.
You make some very good points.
If you ask me, the big difference between UA, and AA being able to send back their AIPs, versus AS pilots voting YES on ours, was that we really were sick and tired of the deteriorated, and deteriorating QOL that the great majority of us were experiencing or starting to experience.
Applying pain to that pressure point is arguably one of the shrewdest things management did, but going forward, with the significant QOL gains we achieved, I think we will be in a much better position to "die on whichever hill" becomes the focus of our attention