NMB + Excess bid + Vacation cancellation = ??
 

If you are not connecting the dots on how the company feels we are valued, then I feel sorry for you.... Keep your blinders on and fly as much extra as you can while it lasts. Good luck!

New union/company "professional" relationship
 

Unfortunately, I'm afraid you have a point.

I wonder if someone in management had a side bet: "Hey, what could you do to screw up peak the most?" They certainly appear to be trying to make sure pilots don't lift a finger to help.

Apparently there were 5-6 unfilled captain slots on the board in the AOC tonight. It was senior recognition night for one of my daughters tonight, so I passed on 2 draft calls (as a commuter) in 12 hours….

What's with all the brand new posters about FedEx issues? Hmmm.

Yo Albie --- if it wasn't senior recognition night, I'd really hope you'd pass on any draft calls anyway

???

Nobody needs an external reason --- the company has given us plenty over the past few months

As you adeptly pointed out, PCs just upped the ante!!

Enjoy the Holidays!

VR,

DLax

If we come down with a fever, would it be smart to quarintine ourselves for 21 days just in case? Never know where our planes have been. Ebola is a dangerous and contageous disease. I'd hate to get another pilot sick because I flew sick. Would that be the safest choice?

anyone who flies through AFW, DFW, EWR, PWM, BGR and any other areas of known or suspected Ebola patients should quarantine themselves for 21 days, just in case.

I noticed that, too!:)
fbh

Well, I don't know. Yes, some could be management or trolls, they seem obvious. Then again, some could be people who have been lurking that have just decided to start posting because an issue grabs their attention. Sometimes that's why people start posting, because something in particular ****es them off. Those who are just starting threads....I dunno.

I haven't been through MEM in awhile. I thought you were talking about posters in the AOC. :o :)

DLax,

I enjoying talking the schedulers. They are nice folks doing a tough job. They have called me about 10 times this fall. Amazingly enough, each time they call I have a business commitment, a family event, or another very important event that doesn't allow me to accept the draft assignment. That doesn't mean that I don't enjoy a conversation, however, where I thank them for their efforts and let them know I know how tough their jobs are when flight management is dragging their feet. I always encourage them to call me next time and to keep me on their call list. I just cannot seem to find a trip, however, that helps them out without messing up some previously laid plans, so I am 100% on having to decline…:)

Sorry, I didn't realize it was an exclusive club....

I would hope some guys are becoming more involved with the latest attention getting developments. It should lead to some percentage shift in guys that are engaged with the process. It gets harder to keep burying your head in the sand when you hit bedrock. It just depends on how hard your head is.

Condescending and sarcastic, you're going to fit right in.

Happy to be here (since 2008 on the board, 2001 with the co), proud to serve! :)

Albie -

First, Copy all --- you know I'm a big Albie fan --- sent many guys your way.

...and I'm always polite, transparent and truthful with the schedulers --- unfortunately, I haven't found that to be true in many instances...but I digress

My main point is, there doesn't need to be an external reason/excuse --- some business matter, family event etc

The message can be: "Yes, my schedule is completely wide open, I'm choosing not to fly extra"

There's no reason to soft peddle your response to the scheduler --- in fact, right now, I think it hurts us.

Strong Clear communication is what's needed

It's needed to the schedulers

It's needed to management

It's needed to our peers

Rest assured, when the deal is done they will still call you and there will be plenty of time to get chummy again

In the end --- it's just business.

But, we need to take control of our business now!

VR...In Unity,

DLax

Don't just ignore the Vacation buyback, go to the solicitation search and answer no to the question. I realize that not responding to the buyback effectively means a no answer, but communicating clearly is always the best option.

DLax,

Have you ever heard the phrase "time is money?" That's what Albie is doing by being polite and chatty with the schedulers. He's helping management realize that guys are starting to fight back against their lousy management style. Nothing better during this time of year than to have the crew schedulers spend 3 or 4 whole minutes, on the phone, before you tell them that (for whatever reason, or no reason at all) "Thanks, but NO Thanks, I don't want the draft trip." Encouraging them to call again is also a stroke of genius as well. Waste some more time, please. Maybe if more guys did that, instead of just saying "NO", and hanging up, management might get the message a little clearer. Anyway, that's just my take on his post. I could be totally wrong.

Just be prudent about your posts, everybody! The FDX Management Lurkers/Trolls are looking for something to take our MEC/ALPA hostage.

Every post on APC and every comment on jet flyer is printed and in a stack. Saw a non Union pilot with them in his hand.

That is not very green. Can I get a BZ for recommending they track our comments digitally?

I met a former ACP for lunch a few months ago ... his "recurring comment" was, "somebody told you said XYZ on APC."

:confused:

Where is that like button....


I often have trouble understanding the marching orders that come down from senior management. The thousands who DON'T fly for a living have been managed for in a different way from us for a long time. The ground managers tell the flight ops managers what to do and want to run everything that way now. The army of ground managers who successfully treat the majority of the company poorly are using what they think works as they tirelessly try to increase margin. (We are constantly derided in their circle for our "unwillingness" to understand the imperative)

I can understand them now, even though I don't agree with the assumptions and marketing they are putting out. I don't think it's smart to treat us, or most of the company, this way but it's all they have in their skill set. The upward trajectory of profits and the stock price not only encourages this behavior, it has made these policies unassailable.

Until the BOD, Wallstreet, and ultimately investors see a decline in the business because of it, this will continue. I don't think it will stop until new management saves the company from the decline this slash and burn style ultimately leads to.

I haven't bought the stock before so I've missed out. I definitely won't be buying it now.

So now that we are in mediation, when the company comes after our A Plan, should we screech FU FU FU or should we listen politely to what the company has to offer and then say no thanks?

We're not in mediation unless the NMB says we're in mediation. The Company just requested it -- that doesn't mean the NMB has to do it.






.

Good point want to bet on whether we enter mediation or not (in say the next 3 months)? But good subject change.

Well, to your question, nothing has changed with regard to both parties' requirement to negotiate in good faith. It's not a one-way street. Each party has an obligation to consider, in good faith, the proposals of the other, made in good faith. The first step in that process is the proposal in good faith.

We could propose raising pay rates by 2000%, doubling the "A"-fund cap, tripling the "B"-fund, and quadrupling vacation. That would be an adsurd proposal, not made in good faith that it could ever form an agreement, and it would not obligate the other party to dedicate time and resources to consider it in good faith.

Likewise, PBS will never be supported and ratified by the membership. It was not a good faith proposal and does not deserve a good faith response.

Further, any Company proposal which is concessionary in this time of growth and rising profits is not made in good faith. Such proposals are only made to stall. We should not contribute to the delay by expending even more time and resources to carefully examining and considering and conducting MEC votes on proposals which are on their face concessionary.

If The Company really wants to conclude negotiations in a timely fashion, they just need to get realistic, that is, negotiate in good faith. We can respond in kind, and get serious about finding a deal.






.

Hmmm ... I'll sign that!


:D

A lot of words to say it dont hurt to listen and sometimes it helps.

The company petitioning the NMB has always been part of the plan. Delay, delay, delay = cost savings. The bean counters took over years ago. We (the pilots) spent our careers building the reputation of absolutely positively overnight. The reputation is there and the bean counters know they can put the screws to us for many many years before it's reflected in the reputation. The bean counters will all have been paid substantially for their hard work and long gone before the FedEx reputation has been destroyed. It's just business, get used to it. I'll be long gone too, good luck.

I'm definitely losing my touch - I meant exactly the opposite. :rolleyes:

Listening to outrageous proposals made in good faith is not required, and it's a collosal waste of time. That only helps the party that has to pay.






.

..........+1

And once again, straight from PC's latest update:

"...This step in the process is not only common, it also has no tangible effect on day-to-day operations..."

Their goal is to delay, delay, delay

Uggh. Let me try that again.

Listening to outrageous proposals made in bad faith is not required, and it's a colossal waste of time.








.

What's your prediction? Pain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSPNQ82Sq4E