Unfortunately, as it has been past history with IPA pilots, they will look for their wallet gains and not the meat and potatoes that which is what is important in this contract. We will get screwed big time if this TA passes. I’m sorry for the guys who are looking at the “bonus” check and not at things like article 13. Please visit
www.ipaontop.org and
www.suttonhotline.com to get the other side of the story. I hope FEDEX pilots are intelligent enough not to fall in the same trap the UPS pilot group has fallen into.
Here’s what this gentleman wrote:
Subject: For your consideration
A Perspective
For those who don't know me, my name is GD, a 58 year old IPA
member hired in 1988. I am and have been since hired a DC-8 Captain so
excuse me in I don't "Scribe Eloquent".
Let me start by saying the retirement package in the current TA is sorely
lacking for our older members. Where is the industry standard A-Plan, (the
industry being overnight package delivery), healthcare after age 65,
prescription drug coverage, etc? Having stated this now allow me to say if
the retirement were to be changed a resounding NO vote on this TA is still
in order to protect younger and less senior members.
To our younger members who want to vote yes, shame on you for finally
getting closer to the pay percentages you deserve and leaving some of us
behind. To our more senior members shame on us for not recognizing the wants and needs of our younger members. To our yes leaning senior members who say if we don't pass the TA we will lose what we have, shame on you for not having faith in our young brothers to do the right thing.
Now on to the E-Board: Shame on you for presenting a TA without FULL
RETRO, but instead a SCHEME TO BUY VOTES. This is right out of union busting 101 and If this TA passes this scheme will be the single largest reason our association will remain ineffective for years to come. Throwing money at particular demographic groups is a management tactic to divide that should be rejected by negotiators. Endorsement by our leadership to pit one group against another is irresponsible. SHAME SHAME.
Briefly lets look at some reasons to reject this TA. Section 9, page 89,
Art. 13 Scheduling (prohibition of open time pickup) has no place in a union
contract. If as Counsel suggests it is illegal (which in some jurisdictions
it's not) then it doesn't need to be placed in the TA; Period. This is a
huge deal. Section I.1, page 84, Art. 13 Scheduling (24 hour check in). Many
of us have worked under a 24 hour check in and regardless of what our road
show people say it is in no way good for our pilot group. It is a huge deal.
Section 11, page 90, Art. 13 Scheduling("The Company may at its discretion,
open time) DEMOGRAPHICS, UNION BUSTING. This is a huge deal. "The Company shall have the right to" appears 15 times in this TA; 6 times in ART. 13 Scheduling. "The Company may" appears 75 times in this TA; 24 times in Art. 13 Scheduling. If the company "may" trust me when I say THE COMPANY WILL. Do an Adobe search and read about "Base Trip Lines" in Art. 13. I have one year left and great seniority. My schedules should be OK, not so for the bottom 50% of each seat. Spend some time with this TA; the reasons for
rejection go on and on.
I hear the argument that the open markets not profit drive our
negotiations; Partially true. Our negotiation points must be drawn up with
profits as part of the equation and it must be fair to both sides. If the
company makes 1 dollar and we want 95 cents of it, probably not fair, but if
we want 3 cents of that dollar, OK. The passenger industry, not the
overnight package industry, is in turmoil. Yes there are a lot of unemployed
pilots out there, but what percentage of business is management willing to
give up when, and we will if we reject this TA, go into a 30 day cooling
off. The business lost will be huge and it will be permanent. UPS management
is not stupid.
Our current E-Board members on an individual level are probably quite
altruistic, but on a collective level seem hell-bent on destroying this
association. They have negotiated this TA as a divided group, from weakness
instead of strength, with misstep after misstep in daily operations and
negotiations. If we reject by 50.1 % is that our doom, No. It will buy us
time, time for the current E-Board who have done the best they can to do the right thing and time for us to put the people in place who can take us
forward.
Young guys, nominate who you want, vote for who you think will take you
forward after some of us are gone, BUT make sure you elect someone who to
whom words mean something. For reassurance and a message that is and always has been knowledgeable and calming in times of turmoil I suggest you go to
www.suttonhotline.com Welcome back old friend, we've missed you.
GD