Originally Posted by
Popeye
Yo ABC,
Were you inversed into HKG? Or did you bid it thinking this was your big chance to fly some heavy metal and make some bigger bucks? Perhaps your circumstances didn't require more secure ground transportation provisions, or schooling for your children, or an adequate housing allowance or the move package provisions. It must have looked good to you regardless how it may have looked to the rest of the membership. I had no intention of going to HKG, but I voted no because I did not think it was good enough for any of us. Forgive me, it was apparently good enough for you.
If you are wishing for a better FDA package now, I guess the 32% of us were right. I doesn't surprise me that you might be in favor of this deal, if the 777 pilots got a little sugar they'd be voting for it also.
Full disclosure, the 727 pilots took a big hit under 4a2b. When you get your FDA enhancements, the domestic pilots will indeed get hammered again. My agenda has been and remains in favor of real contract enhancements for the majority, not for the small minority that made their own bed but is now afraid to sleep in it.
We have opposing views on the subject, clearly. But not because I am out to get some random demographic. If that isn't clear enough, we will just have to agree to disagree.
Was not inversed, nor did I look at it as "MY BIG CHANCE TO FLY HEAVY METAL AND MAKE BIG BUCKS" I was already a HEAVY METAL/BIG BUCKS KIND OF GUY, if that is how you look your fellow pilots flying in the same uniform as you, just a different A/C. I happened to be an excessed HEAVY METAL/BIG BUCKS kind of guy. When 90 Captains needed to be excessed (FROM SAID HEAVY METAL GROUP), and some 180 Bid to relieve that excess, a bunch of senior FO's who choose to by pass their chance at becoming HEAVY METAL/BIG BUCKS GUYS in the previous years, used this as their opportunity to bid up. SO, even though I too voted no on the original FDA agreement, I choose to make the best of my excess situation and make the jump overseas. SO PLEASE FORGIVE THE @#$% OUT OF ME for voting no and still going.
And, as one who was part of the 32% who you consider right, and again, PLEASE FORGIVE THE $#&*$% OUT OF ME, it bothers me just a little when anyone who did vote yes on the FDA agreement now feels we should use the FDA's as any kind of leverage against the company.
As for your FULL DISCLOSURE under 4a2b, my last month as a MEM Airbus Capt, my RLG was 52 hours and my W2 was down probably more than yours.
So I am sleeping in a bed where i fully participated in 4a2b, fully participated in being excessed because by pass FO's choose to use that opportunity to upgrade, fully participated in an FDA agreement I voted against, and am fully prepared to participate if this TA is voted down, especially by my bretheren who want to use FDA's as leverage and not spend one dime to make the FDAs better. When you say you want a TA for the majority, you are probably the guy who would also vote to axe the A plan for new hires in order to keep his.
Tell you what, I never mentioned, or even hinted how I would vote on the TA. I was just making a comment on your "not spend one dime" philosophy. You have no idea whether our ideas are opposing.
As a side note to all my fellow 727 Capts, my comment towards you guys was not sincere, just a way of making a point to LIGHT METAL/LITTLE PAY POPEYE.