If you haven't listened to the Engage podcasts on the DALPA website I highly recommend them. Scheduling issues and fatigue are discussed and explained on episodes E4-6. I believe you can access them thru the dashboard, but I went to the scheduling committee section then did a search for "Engage". Good info and well put together.

 

You can listen to them anywhere you can get podcasts.

 

+1,000,000. The first one is geared to a new hire, but the 2nd & 3rd give a very good picture of negotiations. Plus the fatigue stuff mentioned my 3green.

They should be required listening for everyone on the SL.

 

Good series so far. I appreciate ALPA's effort.

 

After listening to this series it is no surprise that our lead negotiator quit. His frustration with the company is palpable. He says that sections that should be very easily closed are stonewalled by the company. They are going to drag this out as long as possible and wait for the pilots of our union to accept a crappy TA. It’s the exact same playbook that was used during TA1 and 2.

But remember, you are the best pilots in the world and we appreciate everything that you do.

 

Its the opposite of the strategy of TA1. In that contract, they utilized the good will and folksy-ness of Richard to get everyone all hot and bothered with an early deal and then slid in a whole bunch of garbage hoping no one would realize it. This group torpedoed it and any real good will with it.

The mood between alpa and the company has been drastically worse in my opinion since the huge failure of TA1.


In any negotiation you need to ask, “what do both sides need”? We obviously need pay, QOL improvements, JV improvements, etc.

What does the company need? Nothing really as far as I can tell. The airplanes are moving, there are lines of RJ and LCC pilots out the door waiting to get in. If I’m management I’d be going through the motions as long as possible and waiting this out. No rush.

 

Legitimate question (from ignorance):

If the company is so obviously dragging this out, what is the mediator even doing there? Shouldn’t the mediator be calling this kind of stuff out?

 

Eh. More than that. The FAR 117 LOA that had continuous duty overnights raised the alarm for everyone. By the time TA 1 rolled around, everyone was tuned in and paying attention.

 

Te precedent has been set long ago that companies get 3-5 years to drag things out at a minimum. Sometimes even more.

 

Well, in my experience thats something they bring up separately, away from us. We did get feedback pre-covid and they told us what they felt the company may be misunderstanding about the process. Also, the company wanted things to move faster which is why they brought in the mediator- the fact its reversed seems strange. The company would love to negotiate this right now, before we start making money quarter after quarter.

We took record losses last year. We are starting to make money (profit) now supposedly. There isnt a payraise coming unless we are making a healthy profit quarter after quarter. Im not sure what the rush is, but im not a negotiator. Fat profits=raises. Banging hands on the table does not equal pay raises. I would caution the union to have patience, stay consistent, and find areas we can make gains on the company undervalues.