I was giving this some thought while sitting here in China.

Is it really a good idea for us FedEx pilots to be info picketing when UPS pilots are about to gear their major picket ops up?

My thinking is that one side's bargaining will only be enhanced when the public thinks one carrier has the possibility of going on strike, while the other doesn't. I think we're undercutting the IPA's legs on this one, quite possibly. They're nearing the end of their negotiations, Why not allow them to put their pilots out on the picket lines and get the media attention, bringing UPS ONLY to the media's attention? If we're both screaming for their coverage, I think both unions' messages are muddied.

 

I think the message is only aimed at the company from the respective pilot groups. You'll never, ever get the public sympathy for your contract, or lack thereof. Picketing does announce to customers that there is a potential for service disruption and that is a benefit of media coverage. I think the potential for massive media coverage is there if FedEx and UPS pilots are about to strike. Consumers go to DHL and that might get the attention of the UPS and FedEx boards. In this day in age, who knows what it takes to get a company into the negotiating mood?

Good Luck

 

Some good points, Hammer. I did forget about our yellow competitors- DHL.

I disagree about not getting sympathy from the public. Hold a sign that says NO to outsourcing my job to China and you'll definitely get sympathy from the general public

 

Ask the guy who fixes your brakes next week if he knows anything about the current situation at both UPS and FedEx and you'll get a blank stare. Even the doc who did my Class I last week had no idea that FedEx is in negotiations. My point is that the situation (in both places) hasn't gotten to the point where the general public gives a rat's pahtoot.

My fondest dream is that someday both pilot groups figure out that the synergy involved with joining together would be almost unstoppable.

 

Then come and join us!

 

You gotta be kidding?? The way you guy squabble with each other

 

We squabble all right, but we're talking managers versus pilots and not the type of in-fighting that you all at FedEx do

We don't have as many KoolAid drinkers here as you at FedEx seem to. Plus, our contract openers for 12 year captain pay were $265 an hour--- not an anemic figure of under $225 that your bold negotiating girly-men dreamed up.

 

So, ya wanna trade work rules? And vacation rules? And deadhead rules?

My point is that a contract is a PACKAGE. It's not just pay. You guys have made more per hour than we have for quite a while now. But I'd still take my end of the year W-4 to a comparable captain at your place. And no, I don't do very much overtime flying.

 

That's precisely the reaction the UPS Management negotiators would like to see. They cherry pick one single item out of another company's package, and get you to lose focus. Your focus should be on UPS, not FedEx.

As has already been intimated, it is farcical to pick one detail from amongst an array of details and make a side-by-side comparison. Pay rates standing alone are meaningless. Did they mention anything about duty rigs, trip rigs, critical duty periods, overrides, paring construction, disruption pay, or sleep facilities when they picked that number? Did they discuss vacation, training, or retirement? We could go on and on. The point is, if you allow them to distract you with an otherwise meaningless number (meaningless when divorced from its context), they win.


Focus man, focus.


We're on the same side.


- TonyC

The truth only hurts if it should.

 

Tony-I agree the whole package needs to be looked at. But I'm still scratching my head wondering why we went in so low on our openers? It really ****es me off. And I feel the Fred smith Falcon 20 suck ups are still controlling our union. Why the hell are we asking 50 dollars less than UPS? And this is our openers!! And I also feel ALPA cut the legs out from our brothers up in SDF. Wasn't ALPA and the IPA talking, or was ALPA just a bunch of pricks towards the IPA? I can't wait for another 10 years to past so we can rid ourselves of the Fred smith suck ups.