Parker would rather get a vote and be able to make some sort of positive PR announcement. However, he will be just fine with arbitration and he is not in the least worried about how unhappy the employees are. Sure, it would be great if it didn't cost much. The $$$ amount, that employee happiness is worth to Parker is very low - not zero, but very low. APA can threaten and even follow though with the threats and in the end- somewhere down the road, Parker might regret what he is doing now. But that day is sometime well into the future. Parker has nothing to work with in his management repertoire other than this dance. Union buster Glass is here to be his choreographer. The best thing that we can do for ourselves is understand exactly what the MOU spells out. I hope that we get some good advice on this so that I can make a prudent decision this time when I vote.

 

I don't care what kind of negotiations we are in. We are in negotiations. DUI has $4B extra per year and he wants concessions and wants us to be smily and giddy.

Unbelievable.

We have 4day trips that pay less than 15 hours. ʍ ⊥ ɟ !!

 

I can understand your confusion. It's typical when one cannot differentiate between "burning the house" and expectations of a FAIR and reasonable offer given the present economic situation of the company, the competitive landscape and the past statements of Parker himself.

No one respects a bull****er, especially a Jekyll and Hyde one.

That seems to be the situation, except disagree on the outcome of arbitration. What's predictable is what Parker will build with arbitration and that is essentially nothing except almost certainly the same bad will of the past. But, alas, that may be just fine with him. The media is already on it with (not surprisingly) that anti-union hack Schnurmann already painting the new AA like the old AA (although that wasn't his intention).

It's A LOT more then just scope. Actually, what it REALLY is, is not just a buck here or an RJ there, but about trust and mutual cooperation and where this carrier will head competitively. The contract terms are really just symbols of those ideals and its up to Parker to decide what message he wants to send now and forever to the pilots.

Your perceptions sound exactly like what Parker and Glass are trying to do and that's make this about JUST these issues. That's error, both on their part and yours if you choose to buy into that.

You've pretty much parroted the message Parkers propaganda piece was designed to put out yesterday. You sure you really believe all this or.........are you trying to manage expectations here ?

No offense, but my "suspicion meter" redlined in reading this post. It's totally involuntary and it is independent of my normal brain function, but I have to acknowledge when it goes off.

 

Yes, I've heard this before. I can only assume you're legacy US Airways (East). I guess one of us will be correct and the other not.

 

Yes I am and I do very sincerely hope you are right. Parker spent more time and money arbitrating and fighting our grievances than it would have cost him to just make us the least bit happy. A tiny, smidgen of money and cooperation would have gone a long way. Remember he walked right over us to get this deal. This is his MO. I think he has fooled the APA once and although he might live to regret it- I won't be around to see the day. If he gives one sh*t about how we feel it will truly be a Christmas miracle.

 

That's some funny cheet man

 

It's troubling to hear people talk about fairness and how much the company is making when it comes to Parker. Parker will pay exactly what he is forced to pay in writing - plus a little to save him from the aggravation of so may ****ed off employees and a bit of good PR. I don't think arbitrators are going to look at what the company is making and how unfair it is to labor. I think that they will arbitrate what the parties agreed to in the MOU. If I am wrong about what happens in arbitration OR what is in the MOU, PLEASE correct me.

 

Personally, I think expecting large increases in this round is futile. You have to be able to look from the other side as well - if they don't like it, they can just say no and we get what we've already got.

If the APA fails to come to an agreement, would you be happy with the result? Because that is where we are heading.

Personally, I'd rather have the increases now, as long as scope is off the table.

Your issue, the work rules, are something that is most likely well outside of the discussions taking place now. That is for 2019. Unfortunately.

The APA contract has always been weak in the soft pay category, America West had good soft pay but bad overall pay, as did US, after the two bankruptcies. It's amazing to me that many commuters have better language than AA's contract. I could credit 150 hours at my old commuter without hardly trying.

Hopefully the company can take the money they are making and position us for a good long term future. Hopefully they don't blow it on things like stock buy backs and uniform parties (oh wait...).

 

I assure you they are taking the food from your table- yep, the one that you won't be sitting this Thanksgiving or Christmas, and putting it on their table. This is the corporate culture at this airline. They will come to you when they need something, but when times are good just consider yourself part of the red ink - nothing more. Less for you and your family- more for Parker and Glass. The sooner we understand this the better off we will be.

 

Forced to pay + a little ?

Agreed. Ultimately, that's what will occur. I think that those who think that all that's occurred since Thursday between the parties is APA's counter and the NC waiting for a response is naïve. ACTIVE interaction has occurred and that was the source of Parker's "far apart" statement and the "we're still talking" admission. I think Parker's willing to relax scope and grudgingly give some VERY minor additions, but APA is arguing at or very close to counter is the minimum. Parker's simply setting everyone up for an LBFO (and ONLY one LBFO in their minds).

The pilots have to be "prepped" just as the APA is and that was the point of the PPP (Parker's Propaganda Presentation) of yesterday.