Me too......

 

Three.



Filler

 

How about an "auto +1%" as in if UAL or DAL get a raise, we automatically get a raise to make sure we meet theirs plus 1%.

 

In other words, we really don't get industry leading pay as it comes with an offsetting price. For them, it's essentially a "cost-neutral" position which if rejected will keep them looking like the generous good guys and the pilots unreasonable. He's certainly NOT offering an industry leading "package" (comparable to Delta), but ONE industry leading aspect cancelled out by a concession.

The question then is, does the APA leadership's more senior majority rationalize giving up scope issues that really won't touch them for more $$$ ?

If Parker and Kirby are going to make good on their commitment to the pilots, they need to do so without any fine print, asterisks or trade-offs. This is simply the same old game of taking advantage of labor with dubious, veiled tactics to obtain advantages at their expense. Of course, since all we can do is ask (they said no ), little chance is there of matching Delta.

 

321's are group II and as the 757/767's leave, more pilots will be taking pay cuts to the lower pay category. As far as scope, expect increased seating and gross weight to possibly reach the E-190, but certainly the higher gross E-175 new variants anticipated. Scope is a slippery slope and once you're there, it's difficult not to slide further.

 

I've mentioned before that 321s should pay as Group III since they are essentially slightly smaller 757s without the power. As for the scope, I agree. We've already demonstrated we can fly the E190 just fine at the mainline level. If they want to put 81-85 people on an E175, then bring them to the mainline and the Group I guys can fly them (oh, and let's make Group I pay more competitive too while we're at it).

 

Can scope be diminished if it goes to arbitration?

 

There's MANY of us junior with only 10-15 years left and would be hit hard by such a move too, but yes, that's been the past conduct. So once again, junior mainline pilotds find themselves standing on this street nervously eyeing who is behind us and if any buses come into view.

My advice is if a senior union leader walks up behind you at the same time a bus is barreling down the street to drop to the ground.

 

I believe so. The APA has stated they plan to persue all flying in E-175 aircraft and so I suppose if APA opens the door on that, management is free to persue relaxed scope, although APA/USAPA proposed no changes to scope in their initial proposal to management, so we'll have to wait and see what, if any changes management wants. Parker claimed one of his primary goals was to return AA back to its prominent position in part due to a positive employee/management relationship and this is his chance to demonstrate that or show his card that it was all bunk. I think it more likely then not, AA will ultimately return to its horrid pilot/management relationship and Parker and Kirby will just shrug their shoulders on the way to the bank. I hope I'm wrong, but the vibe isn't good based on what I've heard.

 

I think management often doesn't really think long-term when it comes to staffing, and while we all understand things might get ugly at the regional level, management is willing to look the other way for a while and pretend it doesn't exist. Given that, I think at this point, it might be worth pushing for the DAL rates +3% (what APA proposed) with no scope changes. In 2018-2019 as the staffing problems become worse at the regional level and all the majors are competing for a shrinking pool of pilots, I think we'd have more leverage at that point to push to get the E175 flying in house and get a truly "industry-leading" contract. I know that's not what everyone wants now, but you gotta understand how management thinks and how they are willing to negotiate. The current DAL +3% is actually cheaper in the long run than waiting for 2016 pay parity.