Now that we have overwhelmingly voted down this TA, it's probably a good time to start presenting ideas as to what will lead to a new and acceptable TA.

We have things we want and the company has things they want. The reason the TA failed so miserably is because the company got everything they wanted, and we got very little of what we wanted.

Our wants are easy to see, so no real explanation is necessary:

1.) More money.
Any way we can get it.

2.) More time off (at least more flexibility).
Can a brotha move a day off once in a while?

3.) More job security (scope).
We are tired of seeing our JV partners flying 787's, 747's and A380's, while we get flight ops memos informing us of displacements off our 747-400's.

4.) Better retirement.
We remember that we used to have a pension.

5.) Better work rules.
The quality of life for many of us has deteriorated since the passing of C2012 and FAR 117.



What does the company want? If you read between the lines of the old TA, you will see that the company needs help with a lot of issues THAT ARE NOT OUR FALUT.

1.) General staffing issues:
If you don't believe it, take a look at the daily trip coverage for 767 FO's. Or, ask any 767 FO who has a request in for an out of base green slip/green slip in how many times a day his phone rings.

2.) Captain issues:
The junior captain on the property is below 10,000 SSN and we have a lot more airplanes to be delivered (737's, 717's, A321's, A330's, A350's).

3.) Wall Street issues:
From what I understand, Wall St. doesn't like it when employees get big profit sharing checks and if you believe the forecasts, we are due to get some big ones in the next few years.



I don't think any of us mind helping, but we should get value in exchange. Pay us, make our jobs more easier and secure, and give us more money for retirement.

And whatever we do, we should not agree to anything that substantially effects, or alters seniority. That includes OE flying trip pulls and future hiring.

I'm sure we've got some ideas. We should post them in one place and bounce them around to see if they stick.





* Oh. We need new union leadership. The old guys have to go.

 

The best thing to do, would be to get a third party set of professional negotiators in there, but with ALPA national, that would be impossible.

 

Again (!) there is NO ONE better at negotiating pilot contracts than the pros at National. Your MEC just needs to listen to them. If they don't, you're screwed.

 

Can we hire the company's negotiators away from them? They obviously are very good.

 

No.

We need pilots, Delta pilots, in charge of the process. Which Delta pilots is the question now.

 

Their negotiators are apparently not the problem....

 

Question about number 4. What can we do to get a better retirement? If we get more into our DC plan, all that means is that we hit the 401(c) limit quicker and it is then paid out as regular income. I am a TVM kinda guy, and filling that up quickly is a good thing, but is there something better that we could do in this arena? I'll hang up and listen.

 

I would say the company is way better.

 

How about a sick bank or PPT bank that pays out after retirement. You know, kinda like an IRA.

 

Third party people work with oversight of the pilot group, the difference is management doesn't have leverage over them.