The "under the table" deal (from what I heard on the outside) was a few years back a bunch of 727 flex IPs were NOT going to be paid POPA or whatever the extra pay was called. About 25 of 30 (or so...) signed a resignation letter and asked to return to the line. Shortly thereafter they got their POPA, and the company did not want to try to replace that much IP experience in a short time.

It was a classic example of self help. Those guys did the math, and were willing to return to the line if flying the box wasn't worth the extra pay to the company. Since the crew force has NO REQUIREMENT to man the training shop, I think the same thing could easily happen again.

One thing to keep in mind--it appears the only losers in the TA were the FLEX guys. The LCAs got a well deserved increase in override. So--MGT 101 is divide labor, and I think the FLEX guys lost and the LCAs won in this arrangment. That ought to keep whatever dysfunction exisits between training and standards going for a while.

One simple fact is people tend to be envious when they think someone else has a "good deal" that they don't get. Because FLEX/LCAs get picked by management and not by seniority, there will always be points of friction between the "chosen few" and the line crew. I think some FLEXs believe they've been singled out to take hits out of jealousy of some of the crew force. Those guys do tend to do well on the W-2, but then again most work a lot too. I know some of the stuff is VLT/DRF, but as a Flex if you aren't a "team player" you need to remember your job is "at will". If you want the gig, you have to be willing to work by their rules. I tend to be a pretty upbeat, optimistic guy by nature, and I think the union didn't burn green stamps on the Chapter 11 because there were convinced the FLEX guys can use their OWN leverage and negotiate a better deal, not out of malice. I just find is ironic that the company went so hard after one of the most "loyal" and "company oriented" groups... What I find REALLY ironic is that some of the FLEX guys are mad at the union instead of the company about that... There has to be a bad guy, but who "sold them out..." in their mind is up to debate.

Again--got no dog in this fight. I've been a school house IP for the last 8 years, and I cannot imagine a worse hell than teaching someone how to recognize an L Trip or a slow system A hydraulic leak. However, lots of great guys I know work as FLEX guys, and some of our 727 LCAs are my favorite captains (and not just because you get bumped sometimes...) I hope the FLEX guys can move on, stick together, and get whatever irks them about the TA'd chapter 11 fixed to their liking. If they cannot--the (in my opinion) best job in the world is still waiting for them on the line. And no...there is no sarcasm implied in the last line...