Originally Posted by
B727DRVR
Hey... Sorry 15, you are right.
I think I vented in 3 different places in this forum regarding IBT 747.. Your posts are always intelligent, well thought, and you obviously
know people. It is also obvious that that you have volunteered your time over much of your career to serve other pilots, both through IBT and ALPA.
Bottom line is that we are both fighting the same battle. Any omissions were unintentional on my part. I think that there is also a thread in cargo.
Take care....
In Unity,
B727DRVR
P.S.- Do you think the influx of the Atlas pilots, with their experience in negotiations and strike preparedness, will help IBT 747 pull out of the dive? Or will they just wish that they were still ALPA? This is what happened when all the furloughed pilots went over to Netjets IBT and said, "Hey, we can do this better ourselves". One of them is a prominent former IBT 747 brother, Greg Roundtree, now up to his neck in NJASAP dutes. Take care...
72...
No problem. Kudo's to you as well for civilized discourse. This remains something that we're all in together, regardless of union affiliation. As far as I see it, the more we try to find common ground with other folks who work for a living, the better off we all are. Some of us forget that wearing white uniform shirt doesn't mean we're not blue collar workers. Management hasn't!
As to the Atlas guys? They're in Local 1224 with ABX. Bourne as you know, is the former MEC Chairman and from what I know from the Atlas guys, pretty well respected for the work ethic bulldogged representation he gave his pilots. I'd venture to say that the Polar group might disagree; but there are some good things happening there now that they have new leadership...at least they are all working well together and finally working on a contract.
The Atlas guys did a pretty damn good job of setting up strike ops in 2000 through 2002. Very well coordinated and some unique stuff ALPA had never heard of. A couple of thier ANC guys explained to me last year how one of them got a call from their Vice Chairman and in :45 minutes had shut down ANC in support of Polar. He said that obviously the Polar guys would dispute the "strike" issue, but anyway you cut it, :45 minutes is damn good. I'd suspect that if anyone from 747 wanted the help on strike and communications, a call to Bourne's office or to Ross/Brannan at 747 would do the trick. I'm sure they'd help if asked.
Do they wish they were still ALPA? I'm sure there are a few that might, that's human nature. What was interesting to hear was that they went in SPITE of Bourne, not BECAUSE. The drive was underground for months, started by their former Scheduling Chairman. They were fed up with Prater stonewalling the joint contract discussions. Apparently, they had been held up by ALPA National for almost three years past their ammendable date and were getting beaten up because of the loopholes in the CBA.
They have growing pains according to the ones I talk to, but do what all pilots do: ***** and grumble and work on solutions. It's how pilots work everywhere. But they're in negotiations, Bourne apparently was able to move the process on a huge issue for them; the closing of their London base and apparent release of the foreign nationals hired in 2000-2002 to break the union. So that means a bunch of impending furloughs may not happen.
They said Bourne had worked on it for years, the timing finally came to pass. Good on him. If he has that kind of work ethic at the International, good things should happen for all.
Like I said, I'm sure some Polar guys have a different take. And I'm sure this PCL_128, who's never worked there, according to his posts, will give us all the "official ALPA line." But they seem good with things and would no doubt be happy to help anyone who asked or needed input.