I don't know if such discouragement is warranted. It was not an economic bubble that got you hired, but it was an economic environment that brought us down, never mind the age 65 ruling that kept folks around the property. The age 65 was a one time event, the economy crash is hopefully only a one time at UPS event. However, Intl volume has marginal growth (ref: UPS Financial 2009 3rd Quarterly report), UPS finally going after more charter work (ref: DOD International Airlift Services FY2010 contract awards).
IPA has demonstrated, even though not the fabled 100% of helping out fellow IPA folks, the majority measure up. (ref: Dead crews families after CBA's ratified, MOU, MIA newhire F/O that got cancer and IPA folks ponied up funds for the family, first round of furlough letters years back brought OT pickup to a near perfect halt (except a few that ended up as supervisors and the usual 1%), jacket purchases, etc). However, just as I made left seat, lived as a F/O. Am displaced and am an F/O again. No problem, despite the right seat move, still contributed heavily for the MOU.
I wouldn't count out the IPA just yet, the Teamsters found out our resolve to stay out with them for two weeks, so would the mechanics, and lastly, if we do it for the Teamsters, am still very confident we would take care of our own and not forget.
But, WTFDIK

Charlie Murphy,
Ah, but second year pay came out pretty well and third...

 

Salty,
There are not enough of you at the IPA. I beleive that there will be a furlough in the spring. 100-200 for about 2 years. The only thing that will keep those guys on the property will be a contract concession, and that won't happen. Good luck to them, particuarly the civilians without a net. WTFDIK.

MBB

 

We tried, what can you say? Never heard many complaints about second year pay or the rest of the FO curve

 

Another gratefull recipent of my MOU generosity. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy about giving up some more

 

I was told during the ratification process, that UPS would absolutely NOT budge from their 1st year pay, and that getting $33k (or whatever it is) was tough.

 

Hey I gave up 14 months of full pay myself.....I offered 16 months...

Left a 6 figure salary living in a nice home by myself with palm trees and now I freeze and live with 9 other guys...

I am sure you will not feel to bad when you continue to work and I don't.....

 

Yup. you didn't have to give anything to hold onto your job. You did give so he could hold on to his job.

 

There were quite a few complaints about the FO curve, just not necessarily from the FO's.

I think it would have been more palatable to not have such a huge jump. Raise year 1 and lower year 2. But like 1800, I also heard UPS wouldn't budge, but I'm sure there were other things UPS wouldn't budge on as well.

But lets get back to our regularly scheduled programming. I regretted posting in the first place, because of flying with Salty and many other class acts. I just reported it as I saw it, but wtfdik.

 

Economy grows in 3Q, signals end of recession - Yahoo! News

Not sure how the retirement of the DC-8 affect you guys, but the opportunity to furlough folks for 2 years has probably ended. There should be a steady increase in flying next year.

From the article -

Businesses, meanwhile, reduced their stockpiles of goods less in the third quarter, after slashing them at a record pace in the second quarter. With inventories at rock-bottom levels, even the smallest increase in demand probably will prompt factories to boost production. This restocking of depleted inventories is expected to help sustain the recovery in the coming months, economists said.

 

Actually, we are still overstaffed. We have a couple of hundred guys from the 8 not working and getting paid. Block hours are going down and will still probably go down next year. The economy might be stablizing, but big brown has figured out how to run the system with fewer flights, thus fewer crews.