Let's make this easy:

We negotiated a higher payrate in exchange for other concessions.

Nobody--exactly zero of us--got a dime of it.

The company reduced our pay instead via 4a2b.

Got it?

 

That sums it up nicely!

 

...Double shack!!

 

From what I understand, the company’s vision for the future is lots of 777s and 757s. Some of those 777s are going to be converted pax birds or BCFs (Boeing Converted Freighters). The max GW of those BCFs (basic -200, non-ER version) is going to be around 550,000 lb.

There’s no way, the negotiated A-380 (1.3 million lb. max GW) rate is going to be used for a 777F (~766K max GW), never mind its little brother the BCF. It might be possible to re-negotiate a 777F specific pay rate but the BCF is just another wide body and it would be hard to justify anything other than the WB pay we all get now.

But the bottom line for me is that I’ll probably never fly either of them or if I do end up in one, it won’t be while the contract we’re negotiating this year is in force. I’m tired of wasting negotiating capital on stuff that a large majority of us will never benefit from. I really don’t give a hoot if we ever get a 777 pay rate. The guys on it bid for it knowing that all they were going to get was WB pay. They squandered a huge opportunity – no one bids it (alah, Delta Airlines and their 777 intro) until an acceptable rate is established. So now, they can live w/ it as far as I’m concerned. I don’t care if they bid it for the type rating, to prolong a training delay or just because they love helping out.
They’ve got it now and I think most of us want QOL improvements in this next contract that have NOTHING to do w/ wasting another piece of our “pie” on the second pay rate in our contract few of us will ever see. Rant Over.

 

"The guys on it bid for it knowing that all they were going to get was WB pay. They squandered a huge opportunity – no one bids it (alah, Delta Airlines and their 777 intro) until an acceptable rate is established. So now, they can live w/ it as far as I’m concerned. I don’t care if they bid it for the type rating, to prolong a training delay or just because they love helping out."


Increase payrates across the board. Then we offer to delay only the 777 raise for about 2 years in exchange for widebody rates for the 757 immediately.

 

For the record.....I'm not giving up scooby snacks either

They are going to have to throw a lot any contract before I vote for one that has a little black line drawn thru every mention of A-380 and replaced with 777. They may think they negotiated for ULR rules......like we thought we negotiated ULR payrates..... I think we're back to square one and they'll have to give more if they want to adjust the wording that's in the contract pertaining to the A-380, in order to fly the 777 the way they want to..

Quite frankly, I am happy the way the contract reads now. Let them spend all the money they want to buy 777f's to replace whatever airplane they want. They just have to fly them under non-ULR's until the contract is amended. I for one would be happy to see the contract we have last forever.

For those that think I'm shortsighted.....(and yes I did vocally support the contract we have now). I am flying for $0.87 an hour less now, then before the last TA was ratified. In addition, I am flying less hours. I did make a little money in the meantime.......

I am not willing to give up a damn thing in order to be cost-neutralized by the company. So....I say, we keep the same contract ad-infinitum. We keep exploiting our vacation, we keep allowing guys to retire at 60 with no penalty, they provide the healthcare (which is pretty good) we keep everything we have to date. We fly the 777 just like the MD-11, the 757 just like the 727 and everyone is happy. No ULR, no nothing.....status quo.

If they want to 4a2b us forever, (assuming we lose completely under arbitration), great!..... at least we know now and can get a second job, or pursue some other lifelong dream while working a part-time job at FedEx while maintaining the most expensive benefits in the world for part-timers.

Keep the exact same contract......If they want something......like they say in contracting.....”Kill 'em on the change order.” Trade something they want for exorbitant pay rates.