Scope payments at FedEx
 

I heard last night in the hub that the company had made the second scope payment to the union, larger than the last. The money on the table is in the neighborhood of 4 million now, and another payment, even bigger, will soon put it in the area of 6 million.

They still want to use this as some sort of seed money for a retiree health care fund. Something that not all members favor, I can tell you.

The person I talked to asked a union guy why this was not made public to the membership. He said it had. My question is where?

This should be discussed and disclosed in the message line. Anything less, and it appears that the union is trying to hide our own money from us.

When the first payment came, the union said it was "small change". I assure you, this is no longer small change to this member.

When the union starts hiding stuff from its membership, it puts its own credibility on the line. The union needs to come clean on this now. This is not the time to lose the faith of the membership.

First it sounds like you get your information 2nd or 3rd hand!
Secondly I am not overly thrilled either, but it has been advertised to the membership. It is not like the MEC leadership have been trying to hide it.The communications started approx 6 months ago with negotiation updates, both on the message line and emailed to me. So before you start the ALPA is trying to Hide stuff from us "Black Helicopter" scenario get your sources straight........
It was discussed a Hub turn Meetings both in MEM and IND which I was fortunate enough to be at both as well as LEC meetings in MEM, LAX ANC and SFS.

There are pros and cons in my opinion to using this money to benefit all of us.
Getting retiree healthcare (for all of us) is a big issue and an important one.

Questions to you.
1.Do you get emails from the MEC and your LEC? (If not you should sign up for them on the www.alpa.org
2. When was the last time you attended an LEC meeting? I went to mine in MEM and attended one in ANC as a guest. It was discussed a both meetings openly and candidly.

Hope this clears up any conspiracy theory.

Redeye,

I do get the message line from the MEC and LEC. If you have a copy that discusses the SECOND scope payment, I would like to see it. I have not seen anything discussing the SECOND scope payment. Have you?

I commute, so have not attended an LEC meeting, but I was there at the Peabody, and I am there at every hub turn meeting.

No, it doesn't. My source is reliable, I am confident in that.

Trust, but verify.

Hopefully you will be in the Hub tonight and ask the question directly to your leadership....................relying on "People in the know" or a guy who is "Well connected" doesn't always get you factual info. Often it gets you the partial truth, which is how bad rumors start.

Ask your elected reps in person if you can............email your LEC and ask the tough questions.
If they don't answer you.................then you can start the Black helicopter stuff..............

And BTW, I do not have a copy handy............as I am on the road for a while.

I understand that we all want our money, and though or scope clause in the contract sucks, it has forced the company to pay us through the union. The union has said we will get our money, whether in the form of a check or other benefit. Trust our leadership.

6 million divided by 4500 pilots is only 1300 bucks before taxes. It's really not that much to drive a nail through our members. Can you imagine if we had a better scope clause though??? Money is fine, but to me scope is the most important of our 4 cornerstones.

I am not thrilled about using the money for retiree health care either. If it were going to the retirees who were members maybe. However, a rather large percentage of our recently departed are non-members. Why should they see a dime of this money?

If you want something to get upset about, related to Scope, take a look at this website:

http://caribbeantrans.com/

Scope payments have been discussed - - no hiding. I think it's great to talk about these things and swap ideas, but we need to be very slow to start casting arrows at our own. The Company would love nothing better than to see us fight amongst ourselves.


Oh, and after you've browsed that website, try this one: (you may have recognized the livery of the airplane on the Carribean Transportation site - - yepp, it's Tradewinds Airlines.)

http://www.tradewinds-airlines.com/

Take a look at their schedule, and then look at an ANC bidpack...

One of those things that makes ya go hmmmmm....





- The truth only hurts if it should -

A good reminder for those compalining why the MOAB wasn't what they were expecting...................

Imagine the upward movement if the FedEx pilots got to actually fly all of the FedEx freight.

Yes.it makes you go HMMMMMMM:eek:

I've heard about three scope payments now for a while. The first was discussed a lot and those discussions included the fact that there were two more coming, both bigger than the first. This should not be a surprise to anyone.

I'm actually for the scope money being used to seed retiree health care. I'd rather have that lasting benefit (and a much better scope clause) than a quick thousand bucks. And no, I'm not that close to retirement.

I'll take the quick thousand bucks thank you! Good luck if you ever see a penny of it in the future if you don't grab it. I do not care about retiree health care since I along with about 30% of the crew force are military and won't need it. So we need to find something a little more equitable for all of us ie. give us the money. Plus, why should I fund any non-members health care?

I get tired when I see a bunch of fat guys in the AOC talk about healthcare. Im not at all for a healthcare policy that penalizes the healthy for the unhealthy. Now cut my check while you pig out.

Hauler, you need to look up the meaning of the word "union". And you might also want to read "Flying The Line". You too, Jack. So, since you and 30% of our pilots are ex-military (retired I assume) you want to flip the rest of us the middle finger salute? Wow. With friends like you...........

Let's assume for the sake of argument that your statistic is correct.


Did you read what you wrote?!?!?





You are in a minority that does not need a particular benefit, so you're opposed to providing that benefit for all pilots?


How would that be more equitable?





I encourage everyone to take the focus off of "me" and concentrate on "us." That's the only way that we can survive this process with our dignities intact.





- The truth only hurts if it should -

Glad to see I wasn't the only one to see the, "I got mine, FU" in this post!! :mad:

Pretty short sighted thinking........And what are you planning to do.........if (When) the Government trims Military Retiree benefits?? It is an entitlement that will most likely be cut...........just like Medicare.........Social Security..............

This isn't about Pilots that are already retired it is about medical retirment benefits for ALL of US!..............

And as Tony C said.............what about the other 70% ?

BTW I am retired from the reserves.........so don't Lump me with your 30%

For those of you asking where it was posted that all scope payments would be withheld until the MEC decided on the best use of them, please refer to:

Vice Chairman’s Message – January 31, 2006. Go to the alpa site, choose FDX MEC, choose Stay Informed, select Vice Chairmans messages, and there it is.

I get tired seeing our older guys going through Chemo. How about you.
because of increased rates of Colon, Kidney, prostate and liver cancers..........not to mention Breast and ovarian.

Ever wonder what the long term effects of carrying Nasty HAZ has on your Body? Why don't you ask the crew of the 727 that carried the improperly stowed radioactive material down to New Orleans a few years back..............................

Should they get retiree healthcare benefits??............I suppose you think so but Only if they aren't ....FAT.

Look at the BIG picture Junior

I want to make one point. To me a very important point. We, all of us, can ***** and complain at each other all we want. Just as long as it stays in environments such as this. KEEP IT AMONG THE TROOPS. Do not go to an AOC meeting and begin voicing your displeasure about scope payments, retiree health care or anything else with management standing 20 feet away. If you really have a problem with it call your rep and ream him a new one. Politely. Then let the democratic process take it's course. And when it's all said and done and the decision has been made (democratically), salute smartly and continue to march.

Again, it's a UNION.

Fr8........unfortunately you (WE) already fund everything for Non-members!
They get Book payrates, B-plan deposits, Sick Bank Deposits, They get medical.........etc. Heck, believe it or not they even get Union protection if they get themselves in trouble............(contractual).................. .....

That is the law, I wish it weren't but it is a fact...............................so don't use that for an excuse.

Also this deal is for all pilots retiring, NOW but more importantly for those in the future.....

If every member starts "one issuing" things concerning ongoing negoitiations
we would never get a deal. Any TA needs to be ratified by a majority. I would prefer if the Future TA passed with a 90% + vote................however MGT would prefer the 50% +1 vote.

How much do you think pilots with 5 or less years to retirement care about SCOPE?
How much do you think pilots with 3 or less years to retirement care about a B-Plan Bump?
How much do Flex inst and other "Pay Only" care about Work rules?
How much do ordinary Line Guys care about FLEX/LCA's section 11 language?
What do most care about pay rates for years 1-5?
Would Junior Pilots ( pilots with > 15 years to go) rather see a BIG B-plan?
Would the group as a whole be willing to sacrfice pay and work rules for AGENCY SHOP?
Does the Older Aged new hire (Retired Miltary Colonel for example) care about any retiree benefits? or does he only care about PAY as long as he gets to move up?

You get the drift.......it all depends on where you sit. Any deal that is negotiated must have something for everyone across the board. You need to look at the final document as a whole.........not cherry pick at issues that are only important to YOU!

MGT will seek any contentious issue and exploit it to create doubt and mistrust in the membership and they will attempt to discredit the negotiating committee and MEC leadership.

I don't know if you were around here for the last SCOPE refund, but many of us sent the check back to the UNION to support the UNION War chest and to a support couple fired Pilots as well . It was a worthwhile effort. Now we have a potential chance to use SCOPE payments to ensure badly need medical benefits for FedEx pilots after they retire............... it is not for Pilots already retired, but I would hope they could be included...........unlikely but I hope.

Great point. I'll send back the next one if it comes.

Former or present, military or civilian-if you are counting on money or benefits in the future from uncle sugar or your company then you haven't been paying attention during the last decade. Never accept a vague promise for future payment in lieu of known current payments into your account(not accepting what has turned out to be a mythical A plan, union health benefits or failing social security would have saved us all a lot of pain).
This concept of defering pay for an unsecured promise of benefits later has not proven itself a winning strategy.

Just so ya know, ANC flying has nothing to do with CTS. The ANC flying is contract work for Asiana

I don't think that was the Point Tony C was trying to make...................

The Point was high lighting how much "FedEx Freight" that is not flown by "FedEx Pilots".

I wasnt sure ...so I put my $.02 worth in anyway

No problem............I am always curiousto find out who else is flying all our Freight. :eek:

FYI, there is talk in Congress about raising the TRICARE premiums and copays in the future. Although "TRY-TO-GET-CARE" is still the best value (so far), retiree benefits are not cast in stone.