Packrat

The other majors are hiring.

EskimoJoe

Sorry that reality is cringe-worthy in your mind but facts are facts. Again, I've voted NO on every contract that has come up. I did my part. Alaska Management are masters of maintaining control. They don't negotiate. They'll sit there and stare blankly at our negotiators for month after month. We are never going to be released to strike. Never. That is not an option and management has zero fears of that happening...nor should they. It won't happen.

What are your suggestions? I'd love to hear what the magic "bad ass" bullet is to for management to acquiesce to your demands.

KnockKnock

First off, thank you guys for you thought out responses and not resorting to mud slinging and name calling. I think that makes us look like school yard children who haven't a snowballs chance in hell of ever achieving a better contract in 2020. I envision BnB sitting at their desks, tapping their fingers like Mr. Burns and saying, "excellent", every time they see a low bar exchange like that. You have to understand that the top percent of the AS pilot group work for an entirely different company than the rest of us. They get their 17-20 days off a month flying day trips or a desirable mix of multi day trips. They get all the peak vacation days. They get the first pick of trip trades during our two trade windows. Etc. etc. Plus, many indeed have strong ties to the PNW and yes, driving to work in a huge factor in ones tolerance level of a contract. Isn't it conceivable that these guys thought their QOL was good enough to overlook less than desirable contract language in order to preserve that QOL? Like Wut said, "it depends on what you define as more". For those saying AS pilots were pushed over contract after contract and were spineless, I don't think the AS pilots who voted yes at the time saw it that way. I think they accepted marginal gains in the interest of preserving their perceived QOL. Just as you guys have said you did at VX. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right? Just as you can look at the current AS contract and say how could anyone vote yes to that? An outsider can look at the historical VX agreement and say why go there for less without ever really understanding what it offers you as an individual. I commuted for 10 years and it sucked the life out of me. It robbed me of days off and stole time from my family. Driving to work was a major factor in coming to AS. It has improved my QOL as far as time at home and ease of commute. Now don't mistake this as a willingness to roll over and show my belly to management. I'm 100% invested in fighting to improve our, (all of us), CBA. During the polling a yr n 1/2 ago, I said I wouldn't support anything less than a total renegotiation and that a 2-3 year band aid was not acceptable. Welp, we never got the chance to vote so here we sit. I think many of you are underestimating the drive and desire of many of the AS pilots to improve all sections of the current CBA. We've hired more than a third of the list since 2013, averaging around 200 a year 2014-16. That's a lot of new blood not willing to just roll over and die. Many have come to and stayed at AS because we believe this place has the potential to be a top tier airline. Much like you say you went to and stayed at VX. Since the arbitration award, I've only flown with one guy who seemed content with the contract. I'll give you one guys where he sits on the seniority list... If we're all pulling in the same direction, we can accomplish major gains come 2020. Not Tellin, I don't think any of us want to see your QOL go down one bit. I think most of the posts are warnings that AS management , as was stated earlier, loves to control everything. We fear that they would exploit every loop hole in the system and drive your and our QOL down even further. If they want PBS, they pay a dear price for it. That's why I'm anti saying yes to PBS on a public forum because I don't want them to think they have a single yes vote without paying the piper. I'm happy to read you guys are energized and ready to fight. I think the tide has shifted here at AS and the majority of us are ready and willing join in that fight. Yes, there is a group of pilots near the top who are not willing to rock the boat but rest assured there is a growing number of us that are ready to SHAKE THE EVER LIVING SH!T out of it!

SmoothLanderJ

Bravo, well said!

Snuffaluffagus

Make sure to answer the phone if it's a 603 area code. It's an ALPA survey conducted by Uni of New Hampshire. Not sure if it's both VX and AS but for sure VX side. Make your thoughts known! Took about 15 minutes.

waterboy

I'm not a bad ass. And there is no one magic bullet. It just takes all the pilots to be on the same page and committed to making this place better. Even if our negotiators just has to stare back at management at the table for a couple years.

Its my understanding that the Flight Attendants contract is very good at AS, relative to the industry. Another thread on here states they even get Holiday pay. Why that is, I couldn't answer intelligently because I dont fly a Boeing. But the company obviously has the ability to pay. Their union has found a way to get the most out of management. Why cant we as the pilots do the same?

I think we are on the same page of wanting a great contract in a couple years. I just ask the mindset be changed from "we cant win against this management" to "F these guys, lets get paid what we are worth" Even if it takes a few years.

waterboy

great post, knockknock. Thank you.

NotTellin

DillyDilly!

KnockKnock

I think the first big step toward our negotiators being able to pull weight at the bargaining table is ALPA's cold hard enforcement of our current contract. If management is allowed to continue to run roughshod all over our work rules, they will never be compelled to negotiate in good faith. No more "fly now, grieve later". The grievances have been allowed to pile up into the hundreds and no one is being held accountable. If ALPA tells us to "fly the contract and only the contract", they need to stand up to management and enforce the damn thing. The operation keeps ticking along because management has no fear that they will face any backlash from ALPA or the pilot group. Close the loopholes and color the gray areas in black and white. The negotiators will have a lot more leverage if the union is able to turn off all the pro bono work, from the pilots, management has become used to. Put some enforcement behind the phrase, "fly the contract", because right now it means absolutely nothing to management.

Just a Lurker

The negotiators can only negotiate within the confines of what the MEC allows, and the AS MEC is VERY restrictive. Grievances, contract enforcement, asks, holding firm during negotiations - it all starts and ends with the MEC. Sadly, there are too many entrenched bureaucrats who are comfortable with the status quo. The recent changes are good, and I have faith in Chewy until he proves me wrong, but having a lead negotiator who hasn’t actually flown the contract in over a decade isn’t inspiring. And I have no faith in some of the VX reps who have quickly assimilated the bad AS ways. IMO, wholesale change is needed.