Why?
Because I love it when I get to trade a two day at straight time for a 3 day at premium?
Or
Because I live in base and can be flexible
Or
Because I take the best advantage I can of each contract

How do you think your buddies at Delta American United or Southwest make so much money 💰. Oh that’s right they are flying 72 hours at straight time. Do the math you moron, they are all taking advantage their contracts. My friends at southwest being some of the most creative.

 

We acknowledge that with seniority comes privileges. Nobody should begrudge you that. However, everyone on the seniority list also acknowledges that senior pilots flying premium figures SIGNIFICANTLY into their staffing model. And, everyone also acknowledges that, if the senior pilots who regularly help facilitate this model were to voluntarily cut back or stop doing so, it would be a significant point of pressure for contractual change. We also realize that apparently, those like yourselves were unwilling to leverage that pressure to help apply this pressure, and instead just point the finger at Kasher, BM, essential service to Alaska etc. And I get it. You’re there. At the top. Working the system. Making it rain. Why WOULD you leverage that to help a contract more equitable? Maybe you would because at the end of negotiations you could make the same working less. Maybe you would because you believe slope, scope and work rules should be equitable across the ENTIRE contract, for all the pilots.

For that to even be a remote possibility you’d have to believe in the power and unity of our union and it’s ability to deliver a powerful new contract, which, if you’re like most other seniors here, you prob don’t. And apparently, for historically good reason. Kasher neutered this union and y’all haven’t been the same since.

 

So you put this all in writing for Alaska legal? 😲 I am sure that this will help the union in 2020. You know premium pickups are almost equal across all seniority percentages. My seniority might surprise you and my age would most definitely shock you.
Your right I don’t care about slope, scope, or commutable trips. I wouldn’t give up a dollar an hour for all three. Our union sucks! Check back in three years we will have no slope no change to commutability of trips, maybe scope. This is a pretty good company and a great place to work!

 

Not an Alaska guy, but it did somewhat amuse me that you appealed for scope to one of the guys who still says it's not worth negotiating for at all.

 

Dude if you think one guy, not in union leadership, saying something obvious but in no way calling for a job action constitutes grounds for a lawsuit, you’re out of your mind. The UNION has to suggest a job action not just some random poster on a public message board.

But, the rest of your statement is perfectly clarifying. You clearly either don’t trust the union to have your back, (understandable given the past) OR, you’ve decided that it wouldn’t matter if they did, you’re unwilling to leverage your position for contract that would benefit anyone but you. I sincerely appreciate that level of candor. At least you’re honest about it.

FTR....I never said it’s not a pretty good company, or that that it wasn’t a great place to work. I agree with both statements. It could be better. Hopefully we’ll get there without ya. 😉

 

But there is a me.

But seriously, guys scream "Fly the contract!" but when a guy like OTZ legally uses the provisions in the contract, they give him Shiite.

Flying the contract means flying ALL the contract even if you personally don't like some of the provisions. We used to have F/Os in SEA who would time out with 1000 hours in November while doing everything strictly by the contract book. F/Os, not senior Capts.

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

 

Your pay would lead me to believe you are at the top of the seniority list, in the 55+ years old range. But your name calling and childish behavior has you pegged at 6, maybe 8 years old max.

And if you plan on replying, save your energy. Because I can hear "I know you are, but what am I" at my local playground.

 

I’m not givin him shiite about it. He’s well within his prerogative to make the most of the current contract. For the most junior the contract provides a narrow band of opportunity to maximize financial and QOL provisions. The mid range provides a wider range to do so. And the top provides an even wider margin to do so. As it is with all contracts.

If a great contract is to be won the tip of the spear is always the upper middle and senior most pilots willing to make temporal sacrifice on behalf of the junior pilots for the potential reward that ALL will come out ahead in the end. But it requires two key components: A. Trust in the wisdom, resolve and unity of the union leadership and negotiators. B. A willingness to leverage some of their personal contractual maximization (which they are indeed entitled to) for a short term to get a better contract for everybody. OTZ has made it clear that neither of those principles exist for him, and so he’s gonna operate accordingly.

Whether or not he would operate differently if he actually had faith in our union, I have no idea. But, with the history of union leadership/company cronieism at Alaska, its totally understandable why he’s like “F it!!! While y’all chase your tails “negotiating a better contract, I believe I’ll just maximize the current one.” It all begins with the leadership. The company has done an amazing job at exploiting that one. OTZ isn’t the problem. He’s a byproduct of the problem.

 

So by your logic the junior guys should offer to give away the pension plan because it doesn’t affect us?

Your right our union sucks b@lls and if you want know why go look in the mirror.

 

Early 40’s and 30 percentile