there were 10 open line items from 5 sections in front of the mediator. The entire deal was negotiated and the final supposal was part of that negotiation. You don’t have to like it, but the mere fact you got to vote on it shows it was not arbitration.


the deal was not arbitrated. If you want to see actual arbitration go check out atlas and their last deal. Company got exactly what they wanted in all sections. it was forced down their throats with no membership vote or input. That is the result of arbitration.

 

Ted...always enjoy reading your posts. But I will respectfully disagree with your insinuation that JB's "mean lady" basically arbitrated our current PWA.

First off, very minor point but we negotiate under the auspices of the NMB because we are subject to the Railway Labor Act (RLA) rather than the much more labor-friendly (legislatively directed, even) National Labor Relations Board. Think UAW who was permitted to and actually did strike this year.

I know what you are trying to say with regard to arbitration but having actually been involved in the process before, this wasn't even close to a collective bargaining agreement arbitration decision - ask Alaska Airlines pilots how their arbitration went in 2005. Arbitration is basically a non-jury civil trial where the arbitrator acts as a judge and jury and both sides present their proposals on a limited number of "stalemated" issues (usually pay stuff) through written "briefs" (ironically, not so brief) and oral argument. The arbitrator takes the two sides' arguments and decides which side wins (no middle ground in final binding arbitration) and then crafts a written decision explaining why he/she/they picked one side over the other. That's it...that's your new agreement on those issues (again, ask Alaska pilots how that binding decision went in 2005). Once the decision is handed down, it is extremely difficult to successfully appeal the decision of an arbitrator. JB's scary lady was a scary couples' counselor who likely favored the positions of one spouse over the other, but she was no judge and jury.

 

While it certainly is easier to strike under the NLRA, I would strongly disagree that it is more labor friendly overall than the RLA.

The sole reason why airlines continue to be unionized while all other previously unionized industries have had their union membership crater in the last 60 year is the difference between the RLA and NLRA. When a property tries to unionize under the NLRA they do it on a location by location basis. Reference the handful of Starbucks or Walmarts that have attempted to or successfully unionized recently. All the company would have to do in order to shut that union down is open a new location across the street.

When a group under the RLA unionizes, they do it on a craft and class basis (e.g. airline pilots, train engineers, signalmen, etc.). If a company with a represented group were to open a new location that location would automatically be represented by the existing union.

If we were under the NLRA, delta could open the long awaited MCO or BOS base and then hire new pilots under whatever working conditions they wanted. And alpa couldn’t do a thing about it. This is exactly how union membership has been destroyed in all other industries. Shut down the plant because it’s too expensive and move to a location with cheaper labor, and hopefully “right to work” laws so that any future attempts to organize will be futile.

Theres plenty not to like about the RLA, but we owe all of our current success to the fact that it has covered our bargaining.

 

Well no actually I didn't opt out, but thanks for playing. I generally like to know how my money is invested, but I do the enjoy the freedom from the alpa tax and .gov tax. At least it won't pay out less than what I put into it, so there is that.

 

evidently.... and no what you wrote doesn't explain anything. Where is the money? Frankly, I am not sure this is legal, but I was watching American Greed on my commuter flight home last night, so perhaps I am springloaded to looking for scams.

I think this thing is a pretty decent deal all in all, but, I don't like the fact that I got a lot of hemmin' and hawin' and no real explanation as to where/how the money is invested.. and that was from the Fidelity people.

​​​​​​​I'm actually somewhat amazed that so many are so accepting of the fact that their money is held somewhere... by somebody.. and you have no clue as to any of the particulars.

 

That is simply untrue. Your entire post is nothing but flamebait.

 

It actually could if the market is down and Delta goes out of business there'd be no one to "plus up" the funds. I'm sure they'd try to plus you up with funds from junior pilots not actively withdrawing their money, but we all know how pyramid schemes fail.

 

In a world where delta goes out of business in the next 24 months I think we have bigger issues.

 

The truth hurts sometimes.

 

More personal attacks (TOS violation). Call me names all you want but I'm not going to be silenced just because you don't like what I have to say. I told you this last week when you tried to get the mods to boot me... again.

Have a nice day. Stay out of the CPO.