Pilotpip

If you guys can go into it, what's the Menlo debacle? I know that their containers now say "UPS Cartage Solutions" or something like that. I deal with the two companies (and every other 121 cargo carrier) on a daily basis.

L'il J.Seinfeld

UPS went public a few years and now its managers sole objective is to increase shareholder's value. They have been doing this by acquiring other companies to build upon the UPS network. Menlo was one of the companies acquired along with the flying that Menlo contracted out. The IPA has in its contract with UPS that we will do the flying in such a scenario. UPS recognizes this contractual responsibility and says they plan on owning up to it. They had a contractual deadline of Dec 2005 and last Oct they came out and admitted that they would not be able to integrate the Menlo flying until next summer. Meanwhile the contract carriers are still flying the menlo freight. The Menlo flying will add an additional 100-150 pilot positions to the IPA according to UPS. The IPA folks think it will be more like 200-300. In any event UPS has admitted to breaching the contract and will probably pay every crewmember a lump sum. The amount of that sum is anyone's guess.

BoynamedSue

Soy or anywho else who have questions or concerns, I would suggest you contact an EB member of the IPA or IPA Legal to have your questions/concerns addressed properly.

It is my quess that some are more interested in speculation, theory, guessing and perhaps lies.

If I were to give you my opinion- it would be just that-an opinion. Take the effort and go right to the source.

EIGHTMENOUT1

I have it from some very reliable sources that the UPS/IPA negotiators will meet one more time in the very near future and if they cannot come to an agreement, the mediator will declare an impasse to start the 30 day cooling off period.

Many people are getting very testy on both sides of the fence. These are the "bad actors", in the IPA and Management, who will begin to rear their "ugly heads", like last time. Nobody wants that to happen.

Deuce130

I'm a newhire at FDX and, as such, a newbie ALPA member. In my former life, AD AF, I didn't give one rats a** about unions or labor. I now pay attention and I learn more every day, though I admit that I don't know nearly enough. BUT, how can you say ALPA and IPA are at the opposite ends effectiveness, integrity, and goals? I know ALPA takes alot of shots and lots of folks hate them passionately, but as far as I know, FDX ALPA and the IPA have very similar goals (scope, retirement, pay), integrity (similar type people get hired at both companies), and effectiveness (neither company has a contract yet). I'd have to say that we should let the results speak for themselves, which, so far, have been nil. We can debate the effectiveness of the two AFTER we're both sitting on fat new contracts.

Pilotpip

Hey Seinfeld, thanks! I work part time as a fueler and we do both you and Menlo. We were wondering what's up with this because we lost quite a bit of our revenue when DHL bought ABX and changed our schedule from three daily ABX flights and two Astar through flights, one of which went to ONT. We now only have two 727s to ILN. The two daily flights from CAT, Kalitta, KHA or whoever manages to draw the short straw adds quite a bit of revenue for us.

Soyathink

Do you really consider yourself a professional pilot? Really?

BIGBROWNDC8

Deuce,
I cant speak directly to FedEx ALPA and what their goals are, nor do I know how effective they are in getting your pilot group what you all want, I will tell you this, The FedEx ALPA opening table positions, which is the most that you guys at FedEx ALPA are hoping for from FedEx company has caused the IPA ALOT of problems.

Verbal agreements in place between UPS and the IPA (specifically Pay) are now being re-visited and second guessed by the company, because you all under shot us by quite a bit of money. Im not throwing stones here, we are all in support of each other at each airline, but this part I have been told by our Exec Board is true.

A little disappointing from our perspective.

Soyathink, Did you say something???

BBDC8

Deuce130

I had heard that. I rode a crew bus in ORF with a UPS crew and they came out firing as soon as we got on the bus. Unfortunately, I'm not privy to what our opening offers are or were. I'm not sure that the vast majority of the membership at FDX knows exactly what our opening offers are. That's a problem and I'm not really sure what to do or think about that. Our union officers have held negotiation meetings with the membership but I'm pretty sure that most guys have a difficult time making those meetings. Needless to say, I'm hoping that you guys get everything you ask for. I would hope that our negotiating committee would talk to the IPA negotiators as I'm sure that MGT is talking to each other! Wish I had an answer for you. Or for myself for that matter.

TonyC

I think you should give the IPA Negotiating Committee a little more credit than that. Surely they did not fall for an attempt by UPS to "cherry pick" one item from the FedEx ALPA proposal and turn negotiations on their head.

Taken alone, an hourly pay rate is meaningless. Never mind apples and oranges, we don't even know if we're comparing fruits until we start looking at work rules and other context issues that affect the bottom line total compensation. Duty rigs, trip rigs, minimum pay per day, disruption compensation, VACATION system, training, sick pay -- all these and more combine to give a more accurate picture of what is meant by $285 per credit hour.

The scenario that your rumor would have you believe would be like FedEx suddenly showing up at the table one day suggesting that they've looked at the IPA/UPS situation and decided that they can no longer afford to provide free sleep facilities. No, their new proposal now requires pilots pay $10/hr for sleep rooms, and $3/hr for recliners.

Sound ridiculous? I agree. So does the comparison of hourly rates.







Don't let them blur your focus.




The truth only hurts if it should.