FDX Negotiation Update
05-14-2014, 05:56 AM
#111
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Posts: 355
Regardless, there is a finite cost for the crew force that is significant, but for a company that can execute a $3.2B stock buyback, pour $$ into golf tourney's, etc, the pilot cost center is less than other major flight operations costs (fuel, lease, MX, infrastructure, procurement, insurance, etc++) and they can surely afford contract improvements with the employees who helped create such wealth & brand value.
05-14-2014, 08:24 AM
#113
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Position: Bus driver
Posts: 322
Management labor negotiations, are like negotiating with terrorist. The only thing that motivates management to act is action that will hit them where it hurts. They have their own agenda, and timeline, and it is well thought out and scripted as their attorneys have estimated the pilots' position, and their inclination/odds that they'll to do anything to change the script/position.
History has shown that if the pilots stick together, and individually decide and act to not work on their days off, & not waive the contract -negotiations go a little more quickly. I was at UAL in 2000 when they got their big contract. It took a while, but everyone (11000 pilots) stopped working on their days off, and stopped waiving the contract. UA management operational plans had counted on x% of the crew force to pick up y% of open time, thus allowing staffing levels and BLG to be minimized. (reduced costs). When that stopped happening, revenue was jeopardized, (flight cnx for no crews), and the crew force had a signed contract within a couple months.
Years later, when UAL was negotiating for its post BK contract (late 2000-201xish), UA -ALPA, and several members were sued for work action - the union "telling" the crew force not to work on their days off. The case is on the fdx.alpa website.
So- there are certain things that the union just can't come out and say/direct. However, individual members can make their own decisions, and if individual members are "unified" in these decisions, things are much more likely to go our way, and more quickly as well.
Remember, every month the company can stretch this out they save $$. So they have no real incentive to "move". However, if individual pilots decide on their own volition to make decisions, and the crew force is unified in making these decisions, it may effect the bottom line- if so, the company has to decide a) interruption in revenue, or b) marginal increase in crew costs -close the contract and get back to ops normal. Anecdotally, I recall an alpa attorney stating that crew costs are notionally <3-5% of overall flight operations costs depending on airline (I'd guess were closer to 3 as we don't have F/A's.
History has shown that if the pilots stick together, and individually decide and act to not work on their days off, & not waive the contract -negotiations go a little more quickly. I was at UAL in 2000 when they got their big contract. It took a while, but everyone (11000 pilots) stopped working on their days off, and stopped waiving the contract. UA management operational plans had counted on x% of the crew force to pick up y% of open time, thus allowing staffing levels and BLG to be minimized. (reduced costs). When that stopped happening, revenue was jeopardized, (flight cnx for no crews), and the crew force had a signed contract within a couple months.
Years later, when UAL was negotiating for its post BK contract (late 2000-201xish), UA -ALPA, and several members were sued for work action - the union "telling" the crew force not to work on their days off. The case is on the fdx.alpa website.
So- there are certain things that the union just can't come out and say/direct. However, individual members can make their own decisions, and if individual members are "unified" in these decisions, things are much more likely to go our way, and more quickly as well.
Remember, every month the company can stretch this out they save $$. So they have no real incentive to "move". However, if individual pilots decide on their own volition to make decisions, and the crew force is unified in making these decisions, it may effect the bottom line- if so, the company has to decide a) interruption in revenue, or b) marginal increase in crew costs -close the contract and get back to ops normal. Anecdotally, I recall an alpa attorney stating that crew costs are notionally <3-5% of overall flight operations costs depending on airline (I'd guess were closer to 3 as we don't have F/A's.
05-14-2014, 08:44 AM
#114
Nice lookin' tree, there!
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: MD-11, old man
Posts: 2,199
Management labor negotiations, are like negotiating with terrorist. The only thing that motivates management to act is action that will hit them where it hurts. They have their own agenda, and timeline, and it is well thought out and scripted as their attorneys have estimated the pilots' position, and their inclination/odds that they'll to do anything to change the script/position.
History has shown that if the pilots stick together, and individually decide and act to not work on their days off, & not waive the contract -negotiations go a little more quickly. I was at UAL in 2000 when they got their big contract. It took a while, but everyone (11000 pilots) stopped working on their days off, and stopped waiving the contract. UA management operational plans had counted on x% of the crew force to pick up y% of open time, thus allowing staffing levels and BLG to be minimized. (reduced costs). When that stopped happening, revenue was jeopardized, (flight cnx for no crews), and the crew force had a signed contract within a couple months.
Years later, when UAL was negotiating for its post BK contract (late 2000-201xish), UA -ALPA, and several members were sued for work action - the union "telling" the crew force not to work on their days off. The case is on the fdx.alpa website.
So- there are certain things that the union just can't come out and say/direct. However, individual members can make their own decisions, and if individual members are "unified" in these decisions, things are much more likely to go our way, and more quickly as well.
Remember, every month the company can stretch this out they save $$. So they have no real incentive to "move". However, if individual pilots decide on their own volition to make decisions, and the crew force is unified in making these decisions, it may effect the bottom line- if so, the company has to decide a) interruption in revenue, or b) marginal increase in crew costs -close the contract and get back to ops normal. Anecdotally, I recall an alpa attorney stating that crew costs are notionally <3-5% of overall flight operations costs depending on airline (I'd guess were closer to 3 as we don't have F/A's.
History has shown that if the pilots stick together, and individually decide and act to not work on their days off, & not waive the contract -negotiations go a little more quickly. I was at UAL in 2000 when they got their big contract. It took a while, but everyone (11000 pilots) stopped working on their days off, and stopped waiving the contract. UA management operational plans had counted on x% of the crew force to pick up y% of open time, thus allowing staffing levels and BLG to be minimized. (reduced costs). When that stopped happening, revenue was jeopardized, (flight cnx for no crews), and the crew force had a signed contract within a couple months.
Years later, when UAL was negotiating for its post BK contract (late 2000-201xish), UA -ALPA, and several members were sued for work action - the union "telling" the crew force not to work on their days off. The case is on the fdx.alpa website.
So- there are certain things that the union just can't come out and say/direct. However, individual members can make their own decisions, and if individual members are "unified" in these decisions, things are much more likely to go our way, and more quickly as well.
Remember, every month the company can stretch this out they save $$. So they have no real incentive to "move". However, if individual pilots decide on their own volition to make decisions, and the crew force is unified in making these decisions, it may effect the bottom line- if so, the company has to decide a) interruption in revenue, or b) marginal increase in crew costs -close the contract and get back to ops normal. Anecdotally, I recall an alpa attorney stating that crew costs are notionally <3-5% of overall flight operations costs depending on airline (I'd guess were closer to 3 as we don't have F/A's.
Cheers,
fbh
05-14-2014, 09:14 AM
#115
Organizational Learning
Joined APC: Nov 2005
Position: Directly behind the combiner
Posts: 4,948
For the record, we were told "The Time is Now!" last November when the MEC Chairman ceremoniously donned his uniform hat.
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ca...ml#post1539710
Weeks later we were told PiBS is still on the table, but we were still able to discuss a lot.
.
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ca...ml#post1539710
Weeks later we were told PiBS is still on the table, but we were still able to discuss a lot.
.
05-14-2014, 09:56 AM
#116
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 2,756
So far I see:
Wear the new lanyards.
Don't fly extra. I don't see suggesting "fly your schedule" as a logical option (if anyone was going to suggest that), or you're unrealistically asking junior commuters to commute in six times a month to fly a day or two.
Show up to every union function that you can.
Can people make additions to this list?
05-14-2014, 10:19 AM
#117
Part Time Employee
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Dispersing Green House Gasses on a Global Basis
Posts: 1,918
05-14-2014, 11:37 AM
#118
trip trading freak
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Position: MD-11
Posts: 673
No beating around the bush...
Stay informed.
Summer is a great time to take your full vacation.
Call in sick when you don't feel well.
Fly a normal month.
Be vigilant and safe.
By regulation, all mx issues require a write-up with a certified mech sign-off.
Don't voluntarily extend.
Know your contractual requirements - i.e. reserve, sub, availability requirements, duty day requirements and stick to them.
They are short on multiple aircraft so the calls are going out for draft...
The above is what is normally expected of us. We just tend to lean way to far forward. Just don't lean. That's what I read.
how's that?
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