Actually, a 58% turnout for an issue that does not effect most FDX pilots was pretty darn good. You just don't get many people bothering to vote unless it is a personal issue. You will get a very big turnout for a T/A or a strike vote. Check how many people bother to vote for or against their local reps. The percentages are appallingly low. It's pretty much the same at all the carriers (or the whole USA for that matter). You just don't get a lot of participation. Look to the number of people who are showing up to picket or attend the rallies. That is a good indicator and the numbers are very high. I live in the Chicago area and when we picketed back in Sept about 17 people showed up. Not a lot until you consider that only about 40 pilots live in the combined ORD-MKE area. It was a great turnout! As for wearing hats at work? It would be news to me that there is an MEC directed effort to have us wear them. If you want to wear one, great. I'm happy to wear my hat when picketing or if it is an organized effort. Which it currently is not.:)

Are you taking posting lessons from SkyLow? How about we leave all personal, direct referrences to our families out of these discussions? No matter how contenious they get.

To Ranger
 

I was not making a personal attack. I was simply stating that many things have to be considered. If a wife knows nothing about airline labor negotiations, and is suddenly without her stipend, she will wonder what happened. I doubt that many pilots really inform their spouses about what is really going on with their jobs.

Eightmen out. Please tell me you are not a FedEx pilot...

I would hardly call stiffing the pilot group for two years plus negotiating. Negotiating involves two parties reaching an agreement through give and take and settling on a fair outcome for both. This is not happening. The companies are using the RLB to issue a defacto pay cut and will only negotiate when forced to, not through a sense of fair play.
The idea that wives are kept in the dark is amusing, most of them can read and speak the English language. News of headway in negotiations? There is none.

True, while he takes food from the mouths of the rest of our families. You have some screwed up notions of right and wrong. I would hate to be in a foxhole and have to rely on you to cover my back.

My wife is so tuned in to what I do; she is scared to tears about the possibilities of the first year at FedEx.
She has always been involved and I would say that is true for my pilot friends and their spouses.

To Fr8hauler
 

You got it right! I am a Fedex pilot. I will always speak what is on my mind.
I am also a loyal ALPA member.

To Paidtowait
 

For your wife's sake, don't tell here about some of the stuff you read here. We have a couple of supersized ego, Union hating Captains that are under the deluded thinking that their position is still relavent. They and their ilk are the exact reason they didn't get a raise for 10 years. Most people (97%) were able to learn we needed a Union here and now we've got a pretty level headed group trying to get us a new contract. We've got a solid group of guys supporting them. Negotiations are always trying. Getting emotional about it is a bad way to go. Being emotional for 2,3 or 4 years can really take a toll.

I can't believe I just wasted 30 seconds of my time doing this, but here's a quote (1 of many) from 8menout1:

No intern would have the knowlege I have about IPA. I will not tell you who I am, but I will tell you I was once a line pilot at UPS. Prior to that time, it is a secret. I went into management very early in the game


He's a management tool, but just not for Fedex.