I'm new to the company and union/company politics and I voted in favor of the LOA. I considered both the union and company points of view and spent a lot of time thinking about my vote. I talked to many of my captains and they too were leaning toward voting yes. I was on the fence for quite some time, but I voted yes because of the strong union backing and I trusted their informed opinions. After all I give them almost 2% of my pay to do the research and negociations so I don't have to.

In hindsight, I should have voted no. We did not have accurate and realistic information on the cost of housing and other living expenses in the FDAs. This is basic stuff that we should assume our union is doing. If we don't have the expertise within our ranks then we should contract to research out to an outside firm. In my opinion the union should have spent the time and money to get us this vital information before the measure was introduced to the pilot force. That is what we pay them for.

At least I have learned a good lesson about the union, company and negociations and will make a more informed vote next time. Kind of like the lesson I learned in PVG about tea with the locals who want to practice English!

 

Sung to the tune of the Wizard of OZ where Dorthy, Scarecrow, and the Tin Man meet up with the Lion.

Company: Captains, Co-pilots, Bears oh my
How do we open these bases oh my
What are gonna do oh my
Do I still get my bonus money oh my, oh my

Union: RRRRRUUUUFFFF If I were king of the forest.

 

pfc.com says that bid info will be out tuesday afternoon.

 

Info that the bid has been postponed.

 

I agree that more information on the FDAs should have been disseminated well before the LOA was voted on, much less the bid. However this, in my opinion, is a company responsibility. They provide expat information for others with "special skills" within the company (bean counter) and there is abundant expat information available from other airlines and companies.

 

Ok, I'll bite...what's the lesson you learned in PVG?

 

The bid isn't delayed, they are just crunching the results and the training letter and will release the results tomorrow.

No big whoop.

 

Why does anyone think the company can't or wont' open the FDAs just the way they want?

For the next 24 months after opening it...they can fill ALL the vacancies with STVs. Yeah...I know AFTER the fact when it appeared they might just do that suddenly a message line says "we didn't mean for it to be used like that..." but who cares--that is what the LOA says. So--they can do this for 24 months...then hire guys into the FDAs. That means the bean counters get a 2 year pass on new hire expenses and we get more "experience" guys in the FDAs. I see no reason for the company to do anything BUT enforce the LOA we approved. What incentive do they have to do anything else?

By the way...I bought a 100 shares a few weeks back of FDX on a "dip" down to 105 bucks. So far, I'm down 11 plus bucks...think anyone else is feeling "pinched" to help the stock price right now? I think we will hire more folks...but when we do is up to the company. And it won't be after a 20% drop in the stock price in two months...

I know this sounds strange, but one I really feel sorry for is the A300 ACP. If the company decides to start involuntarily sending guys for one bid period to China, how many sob stories do you think he's going to have to listen to? How many drilling reservists will not be able to go, creating more tension and angst for the military affairs guys? How would you like to be King Solomon saying YOU have to go even though your aunt is sick but YOU don't because you have a special needs kid? How much will he have to hear "but HE didn't have to go so why do I have to go?...."

Glad it ain't me. Anybody seen my bose X? I got an old jet to go fly....

 

He got stuck with the wildy inflated bill for the tea party.

 

You talk about it as if there were actually two different points of view