whalesurfer

Great points! Let's remember though that many IPAers came from legacies and have negative feelings toward ALPA in general (ie, age 65, twa alpa selling out their own, the seemingly very generous compensation of ALPA's top leadership, etc.). The fact they wouldn't join us in our lawsuit certainly didn't help.

Having said that, it'd be better for us all if we focused on the positives instead and tried to work together. Both unions want to repeal the cargo exemption. They have different approaches to that goal and it'd be good for everybody if our unions cooperated more.

As far as message boards, I think FDX guys/gals should focus on their dirty laundry and likewise UPS guys/gals should do the same. We need to respect each other while working together; we have the same goal.

I have a feeling some of the comments here might've come from management stooges who're trying to stir things up.
(Not you DZ, I agree with your post).

aviatorhi

Bunch of whiny little pukes with nothing better to do.

Jetjok

Waiter, check please.

flyphisher

True story from OAK one evening:

OAK ground UPS taxi with xx (atis)

UPS to runway xx

A minute or so later


OAK ground FedEx taxi with xx
Roger, follow UPS taxi to runway xx

FedEx didn't like that apparently. Their response:

FedEx will NEVER follow UPS.

A now flummoxed ground controller says er um.....FedEx just taxi to runway xx. UPS give way to fedex.

Nice. Elitist? Yup. Uncalled for? Obviously.

I agree with Sideshow. FedEx pilots in my personal experience do have a Delta-esq way about them.

So that's the bad. Sorry. It's real. I've seen it so many many times on layovers.

But here's IMHO why this exists. FedEx changed ....... singlehandedly ..... how freight pilots are looked at. For decades and decades and decades, freight dogs were looked down on. The reject castoffs that didn't make it to the majors. Sure....the top paid pilots in the world in the 70's were Flying Tigers. But who wanted to be away 25 days a month? They made 250k plus in the 70's but were still looked down on.

So here comes FedEx. They started surging HUGE in the 80's. And now all of a sudden ...... now pilots are CHOOSING to go to a freight outfit over the majors. Now called legacy carriers.

FedEx gave us all some respectability. And that's a good thing.

And as luck would have it times change in this fluid industry. And the love fest at FedEx might be over. I hope not because we are all in this together. Like it or not what one does the other has a hard leg to stand on to do much different wrt pilot contracts. Did the IPA pilots get their legs swept out from under them on hourly pay by FedEx? As I understood it yes. That's me talking directly to three members of the negotiating team sitting at the table on that day. We went from 320/hour to the rates we have today. Now....were they lying? Well....that's a pretty big statement. One negotiator in particular is a personal friend. He exudes integrity. Another I know just in passing. And the other is a friend, now retired, that is a finance guru.

All said the same thing. It was agreed to and FedEx announced their pay rates and that was the end of that. I really would not label any of the guys as liars. Maybe they are.....but I just don't see it.

Honestly? Really? I don't care. I really don't. $hyt happens.

The take away is that we are hopefully working together. Because it's a new world. The 80's are thirty years ago now. Anyone working for either airline would be very fortunate. I am still more bullish on FedEx and UPS than I am the pax carriers; believing that both companies have a better chance of being around in 30 years. None of us will know for sure until we retire.

FedEx pilots are welcome with a big smile on my jumpseat. Glad to reciprocate. We are all in this together.