You must not have had the pleasure of operating at a dirtball airline in your past life. Substandard hotels and locations are a big issue. Do you want to spend 15 days of every month in a dump until you're 60 or 65?

Hey Pipe,
I've been gone from FDX since Nov07, but at that time our hotels were FAR superior to the DAL hotels I currently experience.........this quickly becomes a BIG item when you stay at many sub-par facilities.
Regards......

They're still good. But with the language in the TA, that can turn on a dime at the whims of the company. Next stop after that: spending negotiating capital in 2020 to get out of the airport Ramadan Inn.

Language needs to be tightened across the board. In my Wilson Center poll I wrote something about loose language and contract enforcement in every single comment space and I'll bet I'm not the only one that did.

PIPE

New Poll
 

New Wilson...er, University of NH poll out. Guess they want to see which way the vote will fall. Isn't that what the vote is for?

When the NC was asking for input (maybe a year ago?), I emailed my block rep. One of my suggestions was that we needed to tighten (include?) language that prevented management from downgrading our hotel accommodations. It seems like it would be a prime "cost savings" MBO bonus issue?

Pipe, I think you misunderstood my point. We are very much on the same sheet of music on this issue. And by the way, I've worked for a few sub-standard airlines in my day.

The section of the TA that brought out my high-lighter was 5.B.4.ii, page 4 in the printed TA. What I read there is the MEC can whine all he wants about unresolved concerns/problems. But in the end, the VP of Flt Ops shall advise the MEC of what actions, if any, the company shall take to address the presented concerns. Basically, to pack sand if this isn't cost neutral.

My use of the term "small stuff" was to draw a comparison between hotel and catering versus PAY, WORK RULES, SCHEDULING and RETIREMENT. If those issues are to be covered at a later date, how about ACCEPTED FARES, DEVIATION BANKS, NEW HIRE PAY, RESPECTABLE PAY RAISE TO RECOGNIZE THE INTEREST FREE LOAN WE GAVE DURING 4A2B? I concur, that money is likely gone but we should invest a little more than 6 months of our negotiating time to address the issue. All much bigger stuff in my opinion.

This TA touches on issues favorable to the company on issues small and GREAT. Yet we get FOQA, ASAP and a 3% cola adjustment. The HKG FDA improvements sound good, but I prefer to not spend ONE DIME on them. Those that are over there did so of their own discretion. Those enhancements are more for the company than they are for the rest of us.

We are all good here. Let's just hope it gets sent back.

No misunderstanding. I was just agreeing with you agreeing with me:).

I just thought it was an important enough point to re-emphasize for the other eighteen angry people.

PIPE

Check your emails. The majority/minority opinions are out.

How are enhancements/changes in our retirement system affected by the NPRM?????

Why are we waiting to hear their proposals on this?

This is clearly an issue the company wants to "negotiate" when they have the upperhand and a looooong time to drag their feet.

Thumbs up to retiring at 25 years without penalty! Totally goofy that after 25 years you pay a retirement penalty if you aren't "Old enough."

And on your note about pensions and B-Funds... 5 years ago at my welcome to ALPA meeting at the pub in Germantown, this was exactly what DW and BC said they were pursuing in all future contracts. They specifically referenced what happened at Delta's pensions, and said in 20 years they would like our pension to be at federally protected minimums, but a very robust B Fund we could all count on having to offset the reduced pension. They explained that all it would take is for the senior folks to give up a little bit each contract for the sake of the future B fund and the Junior members. :rolleyes: