Originally Posted by
Captainbfv
Don't go out on a limb bc you might fall in the same place as before. So, let me add the context as to how I came to hear this. I was reached out by a fellow pilot who mentioned to me that he had spoken to a specific invidual from the NC, and that this individual mentioned "release" being here soon bc of the company's BS, and yada yada yada.
Now... Just like you Tom, I myself didn't really believe it, and figured there was something being misunderstood or frankly being "over sold". Nonetheless, a few hours later I followed up with my buddy and asked him again.... "What exactly did XXXX say to you?" This time, he was more precise with his answer and basically clarified that there would a push for release. Literally later that day I get a call from yet ANOTHER pilot claiming he heard that another NC member was telling other pilots something similar.
At this point this nonesense really caught my attention so I called a few other pilots that are usually "in the know" of things and inquired if they had heard this, and wanted to know they're thoughts on this. One of them told me that he heard something similiar with the month of MARCH; from a steward. So you can see where I'm going here right? Basically, yes, it did happen, and although I think something MIGHT have gotten lost in translation, NO I don't think this is some wild misunderstanding.
Someone's trying to "over sell" something or too much hype, and no... it's not coming from management. But yeah, just like you Tom I too find it hard to believe that anyone to buy or sell that we could get released anytime soon with the current state of things. Especially since we haven't negotiated/passed all sections. But hey, people have surprised me before.
To have passed all sections are not a requirement to be released. To be released the NMB just has to agree that further Mediated talks are not likely to move the two parties together. It is also not an requirement for the union to present sections based on what the company wants to do. They are only required to be prepared and present the sections that the Mediator has on the schedule for the session. Getting Iced is usually assotiated with proposals that are well above a resonable ask in relation to industry norms. I have not heard of any rumors of the Neg Com asking for anything up and beyond industry norms for any of the sections they have presented. The Union would not get Iced for standing their ground on any section that the companies current offer does not even get close to the bottom of the Industry standard. Per the company comparison email, every single current company offer is well below the lowest current industry normal for those section. The only one that was even close is retirement where the company says their current offer was 15% direct and that the unions counter offer was 15% with an increase to 16% over time. That even puts the counter offer below current industy norms and seems to subjest the the union is willing to come the companies way when the offers are within reach of at least the bottom of the industy. So it is interesting that this naritave of the union getting put on ice keeps coming up when nothing has appered that they are asking for anything unreasonable above what everyone esle gets doing the same job with the same aircraft. In fact most of the stated company starting offers do not hold up to Rejional airline contracts let alone current contracts that fly same aircraft. The claim the company has made on scheduling (the sections they are suppose to be working on per the current nmb schedule) that the union asked for word for word what alaska has and G4 can not operate within those restricts. Well just saying that does not make is so. They need to take the specific sections that are unbarable and so data that G4 can not continue to operate under those rules. Other wise it is all just smoke and mirrors to give the impression that the ask is unreasonable. If the company will not move towards a reasonable set of scheduling rules and further Med neg will not change that possition then we are at an impass and should be released. If thats the stance more neg under mediation is a waste of everyones time.