Management has 1 goal in mind.. Shareholder confidence and continued profitability for wall Street mega investors.. This is their resolve.. Our needs are just a stumbling block in that plan.. It will be a substandard offer with no additional increases to offset the loss in profit-sharing bonus.. The question is how much resolve do we have as a union.. Each one of us each vote is about families.. Retirement.. Futures.. Solidarity
This industry has paid the worst of all labor practices and sub standard pay since 911
And this airline.. Usair has been beat down more than any other Union.. The reply from management was when we make delta profits delta pay and bennies will come.. Well we past that..

 

....let's also remember that in arbitration, the door is slammed in Parker's face regarding scope. If anything, AAG's initial proposal tipped his hand that scope is something he really feels he needs to compete in the future.

Now, in a perfect world (if this was section 6), I'd accept nothing less in exchange for industry scope then taking Delta's CBA lock, stock and flap handle and just taping "AGREEMENT between AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC and THE AIRLINE PILOTS in the service of AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC......", etc. over Delta's Title. But we all know we don't have that leverage (well we do, but that's a different argument). If we're going to allow anything CLOSE to industry scope in this situation, they will HAVE to better then that initial proposal and the principle comparator is Delta pay (present AND future !) with a more accurate compensator for profit-sharing if he is adamantly opposed to that. In arbitration we still get the lions share of pay parity in 13 months or so, but Parker's apparent sacred cow remains in its pasture safe from the slaughterhouse.

I think they lose as much, if not more then us in arbitration.

 

There's very little uncertainly in this arbitration and even less to fear from a management or Wall Street perspective. In fact, as far as Wall Street is concerned, the arbitration represents no uncertainty. The costs are already known. What else do they care about?

And, if you think Parker is at all concerned about "the wheels coming off the operation", you just don't know him. He's like the honey badger as far as that's concerned. There's no way this group (or any group) can be more hissed off than the US Airways group was a few years ago...and how'd that work out for them. Honey Badger don't care!!

 

Kingairip,

No, the costs are not really known per se. All they really know is that we will get an average of Delta/united, and even that's up in the air depending on what they sign next year.

There's that uncertainty, for starters.

Then there's the uncertainty of what the arbitrator will hand out for the rest of the cost neutral stuff. Some might be cost neutral, some might not. Nobody knows for sure.

All of that uncertainty will do wonders for the operation, catch my drift? That right there will make Wall Street nervous, and that does not bode well for management in many, many ways.

Now you take that and compare it to a contract where EVERYTHING is known, for a fixed amount of time?

To me the choice is obvious.

And furthermore... Parker has no clue as to what "the wheels coming off the operation" means. He has not experienced it at USAir/America west. The injunction against USAPA was a mere fraction of what happened here. If he wanted a taste, he should have been here in September 2012... and that will be a picnic compared to what will happen absent an ILC coming soon.

 

If I recall correctly, I THINK Parker just said "Delta RATES" but no mention of specifically anything else. But we all know (or should know) now what Parker's about. One goal (if it really was an honest goal) of his has already died and that's the concept of establishing "trust". The addition of union-buster Glass was a shot to the chest and the initial offer was a coup de grace between the eyes. That's DEAD.

All that's left now is salvaging something palatable that will barely suffice. He'll get that, but if loyalty and trust was something he really wanted, that's been blown. Again, you only get one chance to make a first impression and he had his chance. Personally, regardless of the outcome, I'll hold my nose going forward and I think a majority of the line pilots will feel the same way. I certainly hope the time never comes when he really needs goodwill from the pilots, because IMO he'll be talking to the hand.

 

Maybe Honey Badger no care, but hopefully Honey Badger no care about scope, because Honey Badger get no scope...............EVER !

Honey Badger just get OLD AA.

 

Past the holidays? Yes, but did you mean the holidays in 2014 or 2015?

 

Personally, what I find most surprising is that anyone is really surprised by all this. There are A LOT of pilots at the "New AA" that have way overestimated Parkers desire for labor harmony and/or fear of arbitration. IF this goes to arbitration, the company will almost certainly come out on top. They"ll feel no pain until the 2016 parity, and thats only if Delta strikes a deal by then. If not, they already have a good idea of what the costs will be. They did a year ago when they put out the MOU.

Thay being said, I believe they would prefer a deal out of arbitration. Just don't over estimate what Parker is willing to pay for it. From an operational and financial standpoint, this management team knows how to run a great airline with miserable employees. They did it at US Air and they'll will continue to do so at the new AA, if need be. Anderson had it right when he said we will never catch Delta because this management will not invest in their people. I disagree that we will never catch Delta, but I agree with the rest of the statement. He's never had to before. Perhaps he'll change is whole management strategy just in time for the holidays. It'll be a Christmas miracle. Until some kid with a gimp leg shows up at my door with a Christmas goose and a love note from Parker, Im not holding my breath.

 

honey badger do care about stock prices and no amount of reassuring Wall St on us part will be effective if arbitration and the specter of labor unrest prevail.
That said, maybe now it is evident to all that the monthlies with Parker were strategic to softening up and getting a read on the pilots until Glass was summoned to sew things up. Boycott in order???

 

2015 ?

That would be past the MOU duration. Technically without another extension to the JCBA timeline, AAG is required to proffer arbitration and APA is required to accept. Since negotiating DURING the arbitration process is possible, that WOULD be the way to kick the can past the holiday's though. Personally, if Glass plays that scam, I think APA should then reward that by a resolution that any agreement outside of the arbiters ruling must be as good or better then APA's counter proposal. The point would be to slam the door on strategic can kicking tactics by that character and make it pointless.