I have no dog in this fight, just always liked American Airlines. Thought I would read this thread to see what people thought. Some good ideas from most.....except you. You need help man. You shouldn't even be in an aircraft let alone in the cockpit. You have serious anger issues.

 

So what REALLY brings you here?

I DO have a "dog" in this fight, because I AM a line Captain.

What "good" ideas? Like how the union needs to perform job actions for the MOU they AGREED to? How bad Parker and Kirby treat their pilots? You mean like how the pilots on these forum threads REALLY know much about unionism anyway? Hell they can't even name the founders of the APA or ALPA, nor do they care.

So I need help yet YOU don't have a "dog" in this fight?

Really? REALLY?

I treat my fellow crew members with the highest respect and courtesy every flight and I have NEVER had a complaint....NONE.

I've NEVER busted a checkride. NEVER.

I've followed SOP to the best of my abilities since I got hired and so far have not had to report to the Chief Pilot for any violation of Company policy. In short, I do what I'm paid to do and what the contract allows for.

I really like flying for a major airline.

Hell, I even LIKE the new uniform.

However, I think there ARE constructive ideas that the UNION needs to address... yet they (APA and ALPA) continue to use systemic flaws of business operations that went out the door with deregulation, 9/11, the great recession, fuel prices just to name a few.

Are they spoken about HERE on the FORUM? Only if you view unionism the old way like the majority of the pos(t)ers here do.

In fact, the APA is twisting in the wind NOW for the MOU that came into effect less than a year ago and the Pilots are whining about how little money they make because of a deal that I SAID COULD BE IMPROVED (yet got voted in by the majority of LUS pilots)!!

But no, I'm not anti-union. I'm anti-stupidity for simply saying that there is a better way but you have to take the TIME to prepare for the future. Hopefully you're preparing for your future in a reasonable manner.

Here, want to learn SOMETHING about American Airlines since you always liked them get this: they've offered them MORE than the contract allows to bring up pay more in line (though NOT Delta) with industry rates. Yet the pilots here at APA (former East USAPA pilots) make the incredulous EXCUSE to cover for the APA:

"It's also important to understand that before USAPA's involvement, CEO Parker met with the APA board and "promised" them that should the company capture the synergies, revenues and profits earlier than anticipated, he would bring the pilots' pay up earlier than the negotiated three-year mid-contract adjustment. Specifically, Doug Parker told APA: "When we make Delta profits, I'll pay you Delta wages."He also told the APA board that because this Delta pay issue may be problematic with the unsecured creditors, he couldn't make it a part of the written contract, but he assured APA this would occur. The problem is that in the company's recent "take it or leave it" proposal, we would be paid "Delta wages" for only the first year of the contract; we would then trail them for many years beyond. Their proposal, of course, also didn't include profit-sharing, which last year equated to an additional 15% for Delta pilots and was conditional on accepting several work rule concessions."

So here you can learn SOMETHING if you are an "aspiring" Airman for a major airline: "you'll ONLY get paid for what you negotiate and GET IT IN WRITING" because "promises" from management are just that. If it's not in writing, YOU WON'T GET IT! Yet of ALL the unions in the world the APA of all of them should know better yet they keep doing the same ole same ole.

And if you DO get it in writing do not expect any promises to give you more until the next contract is PLANNED FOR and completed.

So, is PLANNING a BAD IDEA???

 

So let me ask you a serious question since you brought it up.

What exactly IS a "longevity" problem???

 

From delusion to delusions of grandeur.

The illness seems to be intensifying.

 

I'll honor this rare moment of lucidity (although I suspect it's simply trolling for a new springboard for attack ). It's predominantly 18-year scale captains (hundreds of them). They've been trying to run senior pilots off the property for almost a decade to bring costs down.

 

Good. I'm glad you'll oblige me. (No, really! I mean it.)

I accept your premise that they are trying to run "senior pilots off the property for most a decade to bring costs down."

So unions, any union....biggest problem is justifying more pay for more longevity.

Now you KNOW that the company has said many times they DON'T care about seniority, correct? So if that is true (and it IS true because they have said it in MANY court briefs of which I will spare you if you just take my word for it).

They DON'T care about seniority because as of right now they can offer higher paying jobs to junior pilots who are willing to fly Captain at LOWER longevity rates of pay.

Put another way, why pay a Captain at 18-year scale when they can pay 1-2 year F/Os at 2 year Captain rates? Following the latest 15-01 thread, why do new hire/junior pilots bid off the F/O 190 seat for Airbus/Boeing right seat or even Captain 190 seats. Is it the prestige...is it geography....is it principle (or lack thereof in some peoples view) or could it be.....MONEY?

Why should the Company pay an 18-year guy 18-year longevity PAY when the guy with 1-2 years and Captain "qualified" (ATP, 1st class medical and type rating on the aircraft) will make more than 2 year F/O pay but not as much as the 18-year guy for DOING THE SAME JOB?

I'm just asking the question in a civil manner. Thank you for the courtesy of answering me.

 

Also, to add, if NOBODY "bids" the position yet the new(ly) hired pilot bids the position and gets more pay doing the same job for less money than the persons already on the aircraft is he/she undercutting the more senior person who makes MORE?

 

Actually, the union is demanding management live up to their promises for a change (silly, I know ). Apparently their bankruptcy agreed to contract no longer suits the needs of the new management here after only 18 months and more concessions are needed because 2.5 billion in 2 quarters still isn't enough. Not that it would matter because management violates the present contract on a daily basis as it is, so it's tough to see the point of cooperating with those who are ethically bankrupt.

Must be those piles of stock option, bonus and profit-sharing $$$ that distract them from living up to the agreements they supposedly agree to. Pilots are silly fools.........

 

Wait a minute. I have been here for quite sometime, with EXTENSIVE union involvement in the past and I have NEVER heard of believing management with a "handshake" promise. NEVER. With any company I have ever worked for before it was the same. The APA/ALPA has been around longer than I was even born yet....after ALL the APA has gone through with Crandall, Arpey and Horton they STILL somehow drop their guard and think Parker and Kirby are the second coming of Christ and Saint Paul? Really?

The Company isn't going to GIVE US MORE MONEY without something in exchange, even though they JUST SAID THAT in the crew news (not that I'm naive to believe it) that they were conceding giving the pilots more money with little in return.

As far as contract violations are concerned why aren't they being enforced by being grieved????

 

I also KNOW that the BK contract YOU refer to certainly DOESN'T favor US!!

And you said it. Pilots are silly fools. So if I'm to believe you you just called yourself a fool, as well. (I wasn't calling you one I was just pointing it out.)