Originally Posted by
Nevets
Well, you were saying you have the right to organize. I was just saying JA doesn't want to integrate because that would trigger that right again. This is thee only reason why he doesn't want to.
The union choice (right) is ongoing. A vote is an action. We've executed our ongoing right on 3 occasions with action... via a vote.
We both agree that neither JA, the SkW board, nor most shareholders want a union. What you don't seem to fully acknowledge is that collectively, the pilots here don't want a union either. Our company and its employees are consistent on this issue.
Introducing a scenario that would most probably alter that would not be appreciated by any of the stake holders listed above.
As for "horror stories." I only hear the real bad ones like DD. It seems like only judges can make SKW do the right thing sometimes.
We all agree that Don was a bad deal. The former chief pilot who fired Don is now just a lowly pilot with the rest of us. A judge didn't force SkW to reassign him. Management did, for hopefully obvious reasons.
With the very rare exception of that former CP, the pilots feel that we have a largely good group running the show. Sounds like XJT pilots feel the same way.
Don's situation was an exception, and not the rule. And in the end, whether Don was at SkW or XJT, the process was similar. A third party adjudicated the end result. I predict you'll want to then point out that ALPA would have paid for his legal bills, but also point out that he didn't spend two decades paying dues either. And all his legal bills are covered as part of the judgment (to my knowledge, anyway).
Anyways, I guess you are right. As at-will employees you don't have many rights and since you don't have a contract, there is nothing for management to trample, disregard, and violate.
Tired old rhetoric. You're entitled to you opinion, and so are we.
But as an air traffic controller you would be willing to be bought out by the lowest bidder? Then you would be working for LM.
Lockheed treats their employees better than the FAA. My opinion. But I'm not a proponent of privatized government and user fees.
The biggest issue in the change over from government to private is the grotesque way employees are treated... yes, union employees. Guys with 24 years and 364 days of federal service... sorry Charlie, no retirement pension for you !
It should be law to offer a pro rata pension. Don't worry, if we get McSame in the White House, you will see LockMart, Boeing, or whoever sucking off the government teet for ATC services.
To bring this back to XJT guys coming to SkW, the union issue will be the single biggest issue for we SkW pilots. Not list integration... that would be easy. So, again, I predict that XJT (if bought) would be held separate, like ASA, or merged with ASA. You and I can disagree on the reasons why that might transpire.
As for what JA wants, it depends on what he could offer us in return. It could be a good deal in the long run for the XJT pilots.
This potentially brings value to SkW shareholders, with the associated risks. For line pilots at SkW, there's not much in it. Our pay isn't going up or down, and according to you, the only thing we have to look forward to is a union that 65% of us don't want.
While I don't foresee your outcome, I do see greater benefits for XJT pilots than SkW pilots.