Dear Crewmember:
This e-mail will briefly address the issues surrounding a NO vote --and the new work rules.
The fear & uncertainty of a NO vote:
Q: What do we do next if we vote NO?
A: That's up to you/US. The world will not end.
Whoever is in charge will have to re-sculpture what they can without giving ground. They will need to draw from all groups within the IPA.
A NO vote can do this for us. Some TA language will remain unchanged, but the landmines and loopholes must be addressed. It is possible to accomplish these goals, all it takes is your vote AND your willingness to only give 100% to UPS; no more no less. The NO vote demands this from our leaders.
The fear of the unknown in regards to world events has always been with us and shall now remain with us forever. The war on terror has raised more concern lately, but now that we’ve been officially drawn in, it will never go away. Every business will be affected and a pseudo norm will follow (like in Israel, etc). It’s happening as we speak.
What is certain is that if we vote YES, we are stuck with these rules, loopholes and landmines until 2014 (Using UPS' historical negotiating lengths). In my opinion, a NO vote risk is worth the changes we need.
For those hired in the last 5-years, is the $40,000 worth the inability to become a captain for years longer than our FDX counterparts? How will you make up the $250,000 they will make compared to you (current base line salaries) during their time as captain? Again, is it worth it? In long term gains, I would say no.
THE NEW WORK RULES & LAND MINES:
Land Mine #1: We now have two levels of safety.
Reserve crewmembers and line-holders picking up open-time for just about ANY reason may be left with only FAR rules... the new rules may not apply to YOU.
Article 13A preamble on page 157 (PDF p.152): “(vii) The trip construction rules provided in this article shall only apply to construction of flying lines unless expressly stated to the contrary”
Simply, all the rules in Art 13 that are used to build trips do NOT apply to building or re-building trips after the lines are built (duty limits, rest minimums, etc). This could lead to FAR limits or UPS imposed limits. If that’s not what UPS intends, then why would UPS ask for it? We now have two levels of safety in this TA. Moreover, the IPA has claimed that at least 50% of our group has sat reserve these last few years at one time or another.
Land Mine #2: The Scheduling Matrix & Operational Matrix.
FDX management was slapped with a cease and desist order from the FAA. With that order from the FAA to FDX, a YES vote to this TA will have given up much of our captain’s authority. Click here to read this letter. It will also walk you through how the deadheading rules work at FDX; including emergencies.
There are other Land Mines to address, but these two are the easiest to explain, they affect the majority of the membership and affect the airline industry in whole. I now want to draw your attention to other issues.
WORK RULES OVERALL:
The new work rules in this TA are improvements in many cases to what can be done today... but the gains are really only on paper & NOT in the real world.
The best way to explain this is via an analogy.
Analogy:
You have a neighbor bully who comes over every day at 1pm and punches you in the face five times. After negotiating with the bully's parents, he shall now only come over once everyday before noon and punch you in the face four times.
The claimed 'wins'.... the "gains" are:
The time of the day the bully can come over has been restricted.
The number of times he can come over in the day has been reduced.
The number of punches to the face has been reduced by 20%.
Real world gains:
You get punched in the face one less time every day.
The negotiated terms are better, but you are still getting a meatball face in the end. These new rules are a gain on paper, but little to no true gains in the real world; just like the "gains" in this TA. The IPA can claim victory in many areas like this, but in the end you still get a bloody nose.
I've pasted examples below of what can legally be built in the future that point this reality out. The goal of the examples are to show the viewer that the claim of new "gains" & restrictions are false and really only on paper.
Some have asked:
Q: Franco, how do you know that these rules actually work they way they do?
A: I helped build them; thus, I know how they work and what makes them useless: the loopholes. I have not been in favor of the loopholes and have stayed silent until the TA was official. Now it's up to you/us if you think the loopholes & rules are worth the trade elsewhere.
The IPA has spent over a half a million dollars to "educate" us, but they have missed pointing out the loopholes in many cases. I think we need the whole picture to best weigh these "gains." These are the same loopholes UPS ALREADY knows about; you should know them too.
In the end, UPS will not hire as many as it should or could and these work rules do nothing significant to help IPA growth. Moreover, much of UPS' current & future expansion will not result in the same kind of growth for the IPA. That's because UPS will reduce international flying lines and seat positions in SDF. They will migrate that flying to ANC and ONT (MD11, Z and 747). Some of ONT and MIA domestic flying may be diverted into SDF. Some or most of EU flying from Z & A300 will probably go to MIA due to cheaper ticket costs & frequency of flights from Florida and/or Central & South America. Furthermore, be leery of the assumptions used with any new staffing numbers presented to us to show major staffing gains. Without a guarantee in writing, those claims cannot be relied upon. Assumptions are not things guaranteed by this TA. Either way, this slow growth in comparison to UPS expansion will affect both domestic and international pilots regardless their seniority via bidding options.
He who loses wealth loses much;
he who loses a friend loses more;
but he that loses his courage loses all.
~ Cervantes
Respectfully,
Franco
100 % IPA -- 100% UPS
p.s. Even if you don't think the examples below apply to you, please look at the text below it. It does apply to everyone.
To see how the rules can legally work, including loopholes, please visit:
http://IPAonTop.org