Originally Posted by
Beechlover
I disagree. It's been proven time and time and time again.., that management in MANY airlines throught the history of comercial aviation does what it wants..., regardless of contract..., regardless of ethics..., most definately regardless of it's pilots opinion, wishes, or desires.., ie we have ZERO..., I'll say it again.., ZERO input as to what contracts, deals, or agreements our respective airline makes. Trust me when I say we, the RAH pilot group are no happier about the midwest deal thatn the midwest pilots. Did that change anything? nope, do you think if our vote actually counted in this, it would've happened at all? It sure didn't save me from getting furoughd so I'll squash that argument right now.
In fact I challenge anybody.., please come up with any example of how pilots at an airline participated in the management's decision making process with regard to contractual decisions. Not talking about greavances or injunctions or work actions.., I'm talking about actual vote counting decisions that it's pilots took part in while employed in a part 121 airline where a decision to enter into a contract involving future aircarrier operations. Short scope and CBA, I'd be willingto bet that that mechanism doesn't exist. We fly from point a to b and that folks is about ALL I can see we have control over. I could be way off base here with my "pilot's" soda straw perspective of the universe but I think I'm pretty close. Just something to consider when we vent misguided gripes at each other.
Now back to the Alaska and RAH discussion ; )
I think the pilots at XJT who torpedoed the acquisition by SkyWest would disagree with your statement. Once it became clear that we were being used as pawns for SkyWest to get their foot (back) in the door with CAL while they (CAL) squeezed everything out of us they could, leaving SkyWest free to dismantle our company as they saw fit, most of us couldn't wait for SkyWest to take a hike. Fortunately a mechanism existed for us to be able to tell SkyWest to pound sand. You exclude scope and CBAs from the discussion. I'm not sure why...maybe because that's the only way someone could refute your point? Your CBA is what determines how you and management interact. Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, having that scope clause in our CBA, which was VOTED on by the PILOTS the last time the contract was up for a vote, gave us the leverage to have some say in the merger. To put it another way, because the merger would have required us to vote on a substantial change to our contract, the pilots DID in fact have a DIRECT say on if the deal would be allowed to happen.
Now, you are correct in saying that management does not come to the pilots for a vote when making day to day decisions about the running of the airline...nor should they. Any company run in that manner would be the most inefficient and ineffective company in the market place. I am paid to fly, they are paid to manage...I knew that accepting the job. But there are ways for a pilot group to protect itself using contractual language and smart negotiations.
Sorry for the history lesson, I know it doesn't entirely apply to the topic. It just aggravates me when guys through up their hands and say "I just fly from A to B. I'm just a helpless pawn. I have no say." It is always worth raising a stink to protect your interests.