- Yesterday I watched (in its entirety) the DVD that the MEC/NC mailed out. Overall, very good background. However, the bit about "this 3% raise helps you out
now" didn't impress me much. In fact, it sounded like a JG Wentworth television commercial with the people yelling "It's my settlement, and I want it NOW!" I know that there were a
lot more important things on my own contract wish list than a very minor pay raise. And yes, I know all about the time value of money, thank you. A pay raise is
not the most pressing concern I have. I don't want to be "made whole" from 4a2b; "they" won, several of "us" won, but a lot more of "us" lost--big time. We got bigger fish to fry, IMHO.
- Second thing. If I heard him right, I do believe JG said that after the company invoked NPRM delays as a reason for not negotiating much else, he brought up the FDA improvement notion to the company, not the other way around. Which would explain why they were thrilled to get that whole enchilada, for only 3% for the rest of the crew force. "Sure, we'll even (finally) do the right thing, and make the housing allowances mo bettah, and pay for some schooling." When FDA rumors gained traction last fall, I was opposed to a new stand-alone "super FDA LOA," and I haven't changed my mind. Yep, there are some other nice safety programs in there, but I see this TA as that previously-rumored stand-alone LOA with some other chaff thrown in to muddy the radar picture.
- Reading the hard copy of the TA today, I also noted the following:
Section 3--Why is A-380 still listed? Talk about rubbing salt in the wound...
Section 3--Can we finally delete the S/O column from our wide-body table? If not now, then when?
Section 5--Per diem improvements of a nickle and $0.20? Why did we spend time and negotiating capital on that, instead of getting real-time trip-trading or accepted fares fixed?
Section 18--The NC wants the option (like the MEC currently has) to forego flying currency? Didn't hear that one mentioned in the TA. Truthfully though, if TA v2.0 (whenever we get it) is significantly better than this one, I will consider your time on terra firma well-spent.
LOA on FDAs in EMEA and HKG--Spain could be a future FDA. Reserve callout is 2 hours in CGN--better live very close. Good money for housing and schooling.
MOU on ASAP (Safety Program)-- Call me crazy, but that picture of 3 people
smiling on the Threshold Investigation slide of the "Just Culture Algorithm" is just bizarre. Wonder what they're thinking? "Man, can you
believe this knucklehead's story?" Check it out--it's near the back of the hard copy. Somebody with some common sense (on the management side) should have screened out this one. Or are they sending a message? Hmmmm.
Anyway, to summarize, count me as a very informed, but very committed "No" vote. In a prior life at a different company, the pilots had the sad duty to vote down (over 85% against) a true stinker of a TA. But it was done. The MEC was fired, the NC was fired, and eventually (6 months later) a much better TA was approved (over 70% in favor). We do not need to go that route.
I appreciate the current MEC, and the NC. I think overall they are doing a good job, and I greatly appreciate the improvements in communication. But I do not support this TA. I think if it is voted down, this same NC can go back after new rest rules are out and get a TA v2.0 that we can (hopefully) all support. I'll be happy to wait for that 3% and the safety programs.