The only place regulated age is mentioned is in reference to crew position, not retirement. It is even defined in section 2.

Retirement age is specified in the PBB (which is a part of the CBA) as age 60.

 

More likely that you company would want to eliminate the A fund and keep the b fund. It is cheaper for them and gets them out of future obligations, putting the burden for retirement savings on you and not them. It is the way that corporate america has gone for the past decade or so.

 

That was true until the age 65 thing. Now we fly till we die and the company never pays out any A fund money. A fund is the cheapest retirement plan around for the company. Of course they want us to give up the B fund, that's money out of the company every month. The A fund is merely a promise. And if you fly to 65 and die at 65.1, the company would be very happy. The only way to make the A fund better would be a 100% lump sum payout at retirement. AA still has that in their contract (for now).

 

Praise in public, NEGOTIATE in private.

Announcing to the world what you are willing to give up to get X on these forums is a ticket to an ass-whipping in negotiations. I plan to give up nothing--in fact I have some very high expectations based on the fact that we continue to be profitable, have invested in more fuel efficient aircraft and have committed to fuel sense and flag operations, have effectively chased one of our two main competitiors out of North America, and have grown intenationally exploiting the advantages of working in mulitple currencies.

Here's what I want. Really. Keep the A-plan. Up the B-plan to significantly allow a guy stagnating as an FO to put more away for retirement. (Senior captains will already be at IRS limits anyway) Give me a solid pay raise that puts me ahead of the inflation curve. Lower my health care premiums. Eliminate some onerous work rules and provide more money to commuters by using real airfares vice your fake "accepted" fares. And I'm just getting started... I've got a bunch more stuff I want too....

I'm willing to walk to get those. I mean it.

Now I'll shut up and let my NC and R&I committee take it from here. Thank you. Move along. Nothing else to see here...

 

You missed your calling, we need this kind of mindset on the NC AND we need it from the Comm committee; to try to dispell all the negativity around here and the thought that we need to waive the "white flag" when it comes to contract 2010.

 

Albie,

Thanks for putting that out here, it's good to hear it from official sources. I tried fighting that battle a long time and got hammered on it, so I gave up.

 

Keep the A-plan. Up the B-plan to significantly allow a guy stagnating as an FO to put more away for retirement. (Senior captains will already be at IRS limits anyway)

Albie, I think American's union is looking into making the FO pay close to around 80% of captain's pay (vs. the more standard 60-70%). Would you support that?

 

Praise in public, negotiate in private....

But I want better mini-snacks...and I want them on EVERY flight...

 

This is one of those on paper genius, in practice look out. Want proof lets take a look at 90 day invol STV:

Company: we want to open up some FDAs.

Union: Great, but it will cost you.

Company: In case manning is a little slow we want to have STVs to make sure we can move the freight.

Union: Great but it will cost, what u say, OHHH BOYYY 90 day vacations in paris. Our trophy wives will love us.

Company: Just in case, can we make sure that we can inverse seniority into it, you know just in case.

Union: OHHH BOYYYY Wife number 3 is going to be so ****ed when I take wife 4. Uhhh, OK but lets change the rules so that the bottom half of the list are the only dudes that can be hit. After all it will go senior (hehehehe)

Company: (Hehehehehe).

Union: Men we got a great deal for you.

The moral of the story: Trophy wives are expensive or sometimes the view is better outside the "loop".