Coffee Biatch just biatches
 

CB,

First off, get rid of your air of superiority. You attack Fly2ski's arguments by asking him when he "unsuccessfully" interviewed at United. You then boast about your willingness to bear such burdens for your career, such as changing from a "major" to flying freight....(as if that is some sacrifice).

I know you'll do whatever it takes, even if it means slumming with those of us who aren't deserving of a successful career. We couldn't get hired at any place other than a cargo carrier that just happened to take off. Well, you'll just have to educate us won't you. Maybe, when we heard your pedigree, we should have asked the company for you to take the CP position, and while we're at it, you could be MEC Chair, Negotiating Chair, VP of Labor Relations, and offer Fred Smith an early retirement and take his job. Good thing FedEx hired you so you could fix everything.

You sanctimonious Son of a Coffee Biatch, you'd be surprised to know how many of us were hired by United and turned that job down to be at FedEx. PM me, I'll be glad to show you the very gracious letter they sent me congratulating me with my choice to go with FedEx and thanking me for having the good manners of letting them know and not stiffing them.

How new are you? Are you able to vote yet? Yes, just because someone is new, they have a say, but do you have any idea where this pilot group has come from? You act as though you are the all knowing veteran because you have been through 10 years at United and six contracts. Big Deal....talk to some of the other Captains at this airline, who have come from every single one of the "Majors". You think you are the first person to have to re-invent his career? You think you are the only vessel of knowlege of labor relations anywhere (not withstanding FedEx).

Your experience makes you an expert at working for a failing company, which by your own argument is not the case here.

You obviously lack the most critical component of "Negotiating a TA" which is knowing what our labor past was and where we came from. I take offense at the casual way you disregard the very significant efforts (and significant results) that our Union Leadership made. Were you here when the Unity Ticket was announced (when we were FPA)? It seems ages ago.

You cry "not enough" and poor mouth. I know what Dave, Wally, Bob and the boys have done for me. I know what I have done for them and my fellow pilots. I know what a good number of pilots have done for me. What I don't know is what you have done for me? I don't give a rip about what you did at United, because that is irrelevant to me. Again, when given the choice I came here first.

Finally, I already find your aviation career advice suspect. You tend to operate on pre-conceived notions, emotion and poor judgement. You asked how many of us would leave a "Major" and almost be a wide-body Captain to start over again. Well, Mr. Fount of Aviation Career Advice, you wouldn't have to start over again if you had come here in the first place....as a matter of fact, you'd be a wide-body captain, and your A-fund would be intact.

You and I each faced a dilemna years ago. I will stipulate (without any corroborating knowledge) that both of us were hired at both places. You chose United, I chose FedEx. I don't know what factored into your decision, but mine was all business. I looked at the financials, I looked at the business model, I looked at the growth, I looked at the retirements. Frankly, I didn't care what anyone else thought. I chose FedEx, you United.

This is why I am senior to you and have an intact A-Fund. So before you come here and tell me (and my peers) you find our judgement over the way we manage our careers circumspect, you have to know, that we find your judgment lacking. It took you ten years to figure out what we knew.

The proof is in the pudding...Maybe you should put your contempt for us lowly cargo guys aside (I know, in the natural order of things, a guy who flew for United should not have to be junior to us--if not for abberant market forces and an unforseeable confluence of events) quit trying to educate us and listen carefully...perhaps you might learn something.

By the way, I'm glad I didn't sponsor you. I'd be embarassed. What was that guy thinking?

Wow: I have only 2 words for that:

Woodshed!

Ok, so it was only one word.

FJ

Don't f*ck with a Spectre guy....

Pandora's Box has been opened !!!
 

Ok, my best guess is to answer/address all questions, body slams, and Biatch Slaps individually. But let me clarify a few things to all.

I am very lucky to be at FedEx. I support the pilot group, I have never sold a day of vacation back, and never picked up open time other than to restore BLG. I accept my seniority because I chose to start over, not because I am any lower than any other pilot on the property. I have never insinuated I am any better, any smarter, or deserve additional privilidges (sp?). I have responded to personal attacks and mis-guided blind character assasinations. As for my first choice, it was FedEx back in early 96 when I left the military. When asked by those lucky enough to be hired by FedEx, Delta, American, and United back in the late 90's......my suggestion to all was to go to FedEx (references supplied upon request). Why, born and raised right here in Memphis, educated at none other than Tiger High (the reason for low IQ) and the University of Tennessee. I watch FedEx flourish from the Falcon days to where we are today. My #1 choice.....only one problem. In January of 1996, one airline was accepting applications.....yep, as luck would have it UAL. FedEx closed their applications in the Fall of 95 and I could not get my application into the stack albeit attempts by several friends in house. One application, one interview and the rest is history. Now you will say, "why didnt you leave and come here when the apps opened up". My answer is that 2 years after being hired at UAL I returned to active duty (way prior to 9/11) to complete my 20. I knew I only had one shot at FedEx and if I applied then and couldnt interview, I may have lost any consideration later. Once retirement was close, I took my only shot and got extremely lucky.

I have been involved in questions to the LEC reps and even clarified my PBG&C experience in contrast to last years MEC "did you know" when we were told that the "US Air pilots are receiving 90% of what they would have got in retirement". I spent numerous hours communicating with Risch and Wally and clarifying common misconceptions concerning PC-3 and PC-4 money, Planned Termination Date, PBG&C limits, and lump sum restrictions. I was told that as a New Hire, I didnt understand the pilot group and "they did not want a Lump Sum". So before I address all, I will stop and start new posts individually.

I love my job at FedEx, the pilots I work with are the best and most professional I have flown with (besides the independant contractors), I value my position, gladly accept my seniority, and will volunteer my time to preserve our contract. I think we should have asked for more, pressured the Senso Unico Contractors more, and settled this contract 18 mos. prior. let me go to individual questions.

To Pinseeker
 

As stated in earlier posts I voted no for the reasons mentioned. I am about 50% in my seat and thats great for first year. Also, as mentioned in many posts, I am very happy to be at FedEx. I am disappointed in the TA for many reasons mentioned. Some at the low opener and some for the delayed start for most gains. But dont get me wrong. I love it here because of the people and our future.

To ptarmigan
 

Yes, I was hired in the mid 90's and I did think I would be a wide body capt before I retired. I was a 737 capt 2.5 years after getting hired and if I would have stayed at UAL I would be a widebody capt within the next 3-5 years easily. Of course that would be a 757/767 UAL Widebody. Even with all that figured in, the place was so bad I left and am much better off starting over here. And yes I did crunch the numbers. I would be glad to send you my excel spread sheet that takes an aggressive progression at UAL and a modest progression at FedEx, looks at both B-funds, and doesnt even factor in FedEx' A-fund.....the numbers will surprise you and the difference is obvious. I think I will make widebody capt here before I retire in 15-20 years depending on the over 60 stuff....is that a false assumption? Thanks for your reply

To Fedupbusdriver
 

Found this site back in April, made a few posts (I think one but not sure), and someone told me to take a look this week. I first found our opening position back this summer and was disappointed then. I called the reps and got clarification, I still think we started with the bar low given the financial state of the company and past promises. And to clarify, 2.5 years ago I was overseas getting my butt mortared and shot at. After 5 tours in Iraq, I Retired from active duty in Jan '05. Thank God for my retirement and Tricare.

Not an excuse. I too was in the desert, but they have computers there. If you sit around from Oct 05 to this past summer before even knowing what your union leadership is asking for, then you have no room to ***** about it now.

To Old Coastie
 

If you are who I think you are I am honored to have met you. You are a true american hero who deserved the MOH and it was a shame it took 30+ years to get your recognition. I am not trying to regain lost wages....mathmatecially it cannot happen. I am living with my late age and reduced seniority here at FedEx, that was 100% my choice and no *****es. I am better off here, trust me, every UAL guy here at FedEx knows it. But once again, I feel the openers were too low, the compensation falls short, and the timing of some of changes is just unsat. Come 2010 we should have a guaranteed pay raise of some sort so the company will have an incentive to settle. With all the independant contractors here, we have no leverage to settle on time and the company knows it. I think the TA came about after draft flyers decreased and the company felt a little pressure.....but I may be wrong on that like everything else. Thanks for your reply and I hope my ID of you was correct.

Clarification
 

If I could've voted (too new) I would've voted early and often a big fat YES. Thanks to the MEC and CNC. When I started here last year, I was concerned about what we were asking for. I was hoping it wasn't a big "screw you" contract that wasn't sustainable. Will I take more money? I'll take as much as someone wants to give me, but I don't want any contract that is going to get taken away two years later (or kill the company). After a little research and talking to the boys, I was completely satisfied that we were not going down that road. Again, great job to the CNC and MEC, I am impressed.

WOT