It's the only news around UPS right now, that's why. It's not scare mongering, it's facing reality. Most pilots are way behind when it comes to predicting the economy, this company's decisions, displacements, etc.. Myself included. I'm just voicing my concern that a furlough might happen, and if it does pilots will be acting like it's beyond pale that big brown would do 'such a thing.'

Thanks, but I'll enjoy my line flying any day over working 20 days a month as a virtual slave to scheduling with no union protection--well, at least not yet ;)

As someone that does pick up open time and needs the money currently because the wife's job has pretty much gone away, there is no way in hell I will touch open time or JA if there are furloughs announced.

Second Day system is seeing a very noticable drop off, of course the stuff could have been upgraded into empty space on the next day system.

Not to but in on a UPS thread but when the ship springs a major leak it will bring out the true rats heading for the life boats.....trust me! This unity crap goes out the window. At ABX alot of guys are trying but the rest of the rats (and you know who you are and so do I) dont care about anybody but themselves. I hope UPS can can be a model for unity. As for as the 60 thing...whats done is done....we might as well buck up, nothing we can do about. Its all bout juniority and we have it!

I get the chair in Jan.....dead man walking!

Ultradrvr,
True enough, however the "buddy is a half a word"
folks always exists. Unfortunately, in your circumstance, the water rolled in so fast it turned everyone into a desperate situation. The present scenario at UPS is vastly different. It is potential inconvenience for some to save some from furlough. I give you as evidence the strength and leadership of Naven above. Even our over 60 folks have demonstrated this generosity and strength in our IPA history when it counted.
I truly wish you the best!
SD

I wish this discussion could occur on the Bar and Grill the problem is that place has been hijacked by the same 10-15 people forcing their political views down everyones throats. The sad thing is it is not even IPA politics it's national politics which is just stupid. :rolleyes:

I'm glad the union negotiated the official open time and JA ban into this contract. While I think UPS would love an open time ban (because it would save them money), it is the JA ban that will hurt them. When boxes stop moving because no one will take the JA whatever furlough announcement is out there will be rescinded.

I think an OT ban might save them money now -- they could probably cover open trips with reserves (lots of CA reserve on the -400 now) and JA the rest, for a net savings. But if they put 200-300 guys out, there goes the reserves and then an OT ban would hurt -- they couldn't possibly cover everything with reserves and whatever they save in sending the cheapest labor on unpaid vacation would be lost in paying the expensive guys time and a half (assuming worst case and NOBODY observed a JA ban -- which obviously wouldn't happen). The result would be a lot of dropped trips...

I personally am hoping that UPS looks at it from a long-term perspective of customer loyalty (or complacency) and brand. If they reduce service and customers jump ship to say, FEDEX, just to save a few bucks in the short term, it's highly unlikely the customers will come running back once UPS increases service again. So, saving money in the short term could permanently cost them customer base and brand value. I guess a lot depends on how much business we do during peak.

Another thing in our favor (to a degree) is that the new CEO was the CFO. He has expanded our judicious use of debt for example while the previous leadership avoided pretty much any debt (even when useful) out of reflex. While the older generation of boxheads not only thought short term, at least they also acted out of spite, treating the airline like Ross Perot's "crazy aunt in the basement" who needed to get slapped around from time to time.

They do occasionally think long term, as in Europe for example. When Fed Ex retreated, UPS stayed in the game, and profited from the strategy. While it is fashionable lately here to predict the dismantling of the airline, I for one maintain that it won't happen. And I'm not normally an optimist. ;)

Keep an eye on the Boeing strike. The Boeing Engineers are about two weeks away from a strike also. Our 767's could be at least 6 months late:mad: