KnockKnock

Sure, I agree. I guess my point is to emphasize that this place will be what we make it. Every airline has had some pretty big skeletons in their closet. However, it didn’t stop pilots from applying and eventually, collectively, improving each contract. Most recently, JB, NK and F9. Before them, DAL, UAL and SW.

We’re most definitely behind the curve on many sections of our contract. I believe we can and will make big strides in the coming years as long as we don’t lose sight of the long term goals. We can’t jump for carrots and must remain united on meat and potato issues. ie. scope, scheduling and pay. This is all the more reason to continue to bring in new blood that will help lead this group in the right direction. After all, 2/3 of this group are pretty new to the AS world and it has already created change. The old way of thinking is being shown the door.

There’s talk of the company hinting at alter ego airlines on the Alyeska boards. Nooooooooooooo! We must put aside any little differences to fight against an abomination like that. Remember “freedom” and “go jet”? Both were used to circumnavigate union jobs. To quote the brain trust in the WH, “not good!”

Makes the whole, Boeing vs. Airbus, argument seem pretty petty when we have a gigantic fish like this to fry doesn’t it!? How about we just make sure that no matter the airframe, it’s AS pilots on the AS list flying them...

9mikemike

Great ideas....
A couple things to overcome.
1) Little to no unity, very little prior to the merger, even less after.
2) Complete lack of contractual awareness. Very little before the merger even less after.
The route to a better contract and a better job are both at the top of those very steep hills.....
We have the best MEC in 30 years, solid LEC’s, with a few exceptions our Committee chairs are motivated
and hard working.
None of which will change our outcome if we cant find unity and dont start enforcing our current CBA with an
iron fist. These are the same problems we have faced for 30 years and they are worse post merger than pre merger

KnockKnock

You’re right, we’ve got a lot to overcome. I don’t see why we can’t achieve just that though. The top 4 airlines pilot groups have all successfully navigated through the fog of gutted contracts, bankrupt companies, poor labor relations, merged seniority lists and pilot animosity brought about by those mergers. I think the number of “woke” pilots grows daily. I haven’t flown with one guy/gal in at least two years that thinks our contract is sufficient. Sure some are more militant than others but nobody thinks we’re getting what we’re worth.

I agree, we’ve got a great set of guys leading this group in the MEC, LEC’s and NC. Like you say, the best in 30 years. This Union leadership is made up of both L-VX and L-AS and is proof to me that things are changing for the better and we are overcoming some of the pitfalls associated with mergers.

I also believe that unity is increasing. We may not be sitting on the crew room floor in circles singing kumbaya but we are starting to direct our discontent toward management instead of each other. That’s a big first step. The petty infighting is starting to dampen down as far as I can tell.

ExperimentalAB

Yes, I think this pilot group has finally woken up...but please let us not call that “woke.” Please no haha

KnockKnock

It’s my best attempt at speaking millennese....

9mikemike

Yes it is true that we spoke via surveys and in direct contact with our LEC/ Committee members. The MEC is directing the negotiating
to that end. The very best support you can give those negotiators now is to know this current JCBA and enforce this current JCBA.
We all are going to live under it exactly as it is written for quite some time. A year or maybe two before we have a contract to vote on.

flysnoopy76

a year or two is quite optimistic.

snackysmores

Does management not have any incentive to move things along with Delta and UAL negotiating right now? If they knock it out of the park it won't help Brad and Ben out at all.

flysnoopy76

I see what you’re saying, but don’t they claim the major airlines are not in our peer group and as such can’t be used as comparison. It’s of course a ridiculous point of view given we operate at least some of the same equipment.

NotTellin

Brad and Ben made that same mistake during the merger negotiations. They dragged their feet and got burned by the higher cost of crews because of Americans pilot raise “just because” and B6 and others.