Originally Posted by
finis72
I might be senile and I think I understand what you are saying but my problem with such a broad statement is this: If we demand too big a slice and somehow succeed in arbitration/self help the results can also be bad, ie contract 2000 (it was great for a while but after 9/11 not economically feasible) or another scenario; fuel goes up or our pay is so high they can't buy enough fuel and we shut down a/c and furlough.
I think our negotiators will figure out how much the company can afford and then ask for more but settle as close to 100% as possible.In 30 plus years of this I know that when the company does well I do well but when the company stumbles I take serious gas (loss of pension,downgrades,pay cuts etc.). In short we need to get every dime available and absolutely no more scope givebacks, period !
I agree finis. It isn't possible to negotiate every contract when Jupiter lines up with Mars and the economy is booming. Snapshots are good for some things, but not negotiating our contract out 5 years. We must make some financial assumptions that we will be profitable and sucessful. When were aren't, the company has ways of making us give back stuff in the middle of a contract, and they aren't shy about asking. Of course it would have to be a good reason, or we'll just say,"Sorry, but a contract is a contract." P.S. Are you one of those 500 pre-72 guys that didn't take the money and run leaving us holding an empty bag of money? If you are, then I salute you, although I hope you are thinking about retiring now.
You must be one of those single digit guys. Ha Sorry, just envious. LOL I'm just junior AND old.
