Originally Posted by
dogtired
Any lawyers in the crowd? I'm wondering, if a pilot group with a current union contract holds a representation vote and votes to change bargaining agents, ie, change unions, does that require a full section 6 contract negotiation to begin? I assume you would continue to operate under the "status quo," but would you open negotiations right away, or would you have to wait for the amendable date of the old contract? I've gone online and tried to find the answer in both the Railway Labor Act and the National Labor Relations Act, but it's not real clear.
I'm not an RLA lawyer but, We've done that.............I imagine your current contract has a successorship clause (maybe in the scope sction?)that has a blurb about if you merge with another carrier....ya da da id da. This is usually where you will find the language.
The bottom line is if you change unions (not completley decertify ) your current contract will be ok, the new UNION will become the Administator.
Both parties (MGT and Labor) are free to open up or engage in section 6 negotiations early, but both parties must agree, otherwise you are stuck with what you have until the amendable date.
Just food for thought. We were had a National Union (but with no contract).
ALPA 1 tried for a couple years to get a contract but remember we were previously non union.
we had a lot of "Kool Aid" Drinkers and because of many things (we eventually decertified ALPA and voted in an Independent FPA). We struggled under them for approx 4+ years and did finally get a ratified contract.........very similiar to the one our First ALPA negotiatedt but was turned down. Half way through the first contract we realized that we would be better served with the alliance to a National UNION. We woke up as a group and re-voted ALPA back in and they admisinstered our FPA contract until it became amended last week.
Quite frankly I believe we are better off now under ALPA. But the 8 year span of voting in and voting out and back in again wasted a lot of time effort on the real problems........Unity and MGT. In other words it took our Pilot group years of wasted efforts re iventing the wheel, but maybe that was necessary growing pains.
Do what you gotta to do, but if you ALPA currently and not happy........change your leadership not your UNION. Just my 2 cents.