OK Slowplay, Pineapple Guy or whatever management/ALPA stooge you happen to be....

I will overlook everything that tells me this will screw my career and permanently damage the plight of most Delta/Major airline pilots. Now I'm voting YES. Yay.

Screw the profession.

Screw our health and family life.

Screw any advancement for another ten years while we continue to shrink (do more with less pilots).

Screw it all all. As long as I get a few more beans. Maybe I can grow a bean stock and find riches at the top. That's a good career plan I think. It makes as much sense as you do.

 

Jack;

Honest observation here:
This sort of post is not going to win any votes to your opinion. Argue the facts. Go though the ta and cite parts of the contract pilots can reference to make your case.

 

255 hard cap now.

Then we will increase hard cap to 325 after this TA passes.

And then in three years on the next TA as these RJs are rolling off the assembly line we'll get Delta to shrink the hard cap to... wait... what's the long term plan again on shrinking the large RJ fleet???


FTB
Willing to give up a $20k raise with questionable work rules now, to get a better TA.

 

The 70 seaters are not under long term contract. Many of the 70 seat leases are up in 2015. There really isn't anything to stop a 1:1 trade with 70 seaters to 76 seatsrs.

 

I am more than willing to call their bluff on future GTF 50 seaters. Even if someone invests the R&D on them, the capex for those POS's will still be through the roof relative to the amount of revenue they can generate. The fuel savings won't be that great either based on current economies of scale in the 10-15% (even 20%) range over existing technology. Those are very generous numbers anyway since the efficiency really only amortizes itself over larger economies of scale (larger AC). So even at 15-20% less fuel burn (which is a very, very generous estimate) far more expensive 50 seaters would be a really pee poor investment and I challenge them to repeat the same multibillion dollar hemorrhaging mistakes of the Fred Reid era bonus mongers. They won't do it. Hey batter batter batter batter, swing! Let's dare them to do it, even if it becomes a real plane, which it won't.

 

I'm a reserve international F/O living at the base. I'm not going to vote based on what other people think, but I'm open to being influenced by them. My own interests are this: The raise is appealing, the reserve enhancements are appealing. I'm not concerned if a scope issue delays my upgrade to captain, but I would be concerned if there is a credible threat to junior guys being furloughed. I think there is a potential to vote no and work for a better deal. I think it is equally likely that a no vote could result in a delayed, less attractive agreement if market conditions change. I think there is a hard to quantify value to good will. All in all, I think the agreement is as good as our union leadership thinks it could get and entails less risk, because it can be renegotiated in 3 years. I guess the only thing that's going to sway me is the credible threat to the jobs of junior delta pilots.

 

Um, the old DL limit was raised to incorporate the old NWA limit, notwithstanding the grievance settlement on the language that led to the current 255 cap. In fact, DL inherited the AS mess and the GW increase to accommodate CPZ's larger AC. It even went on to cover AC that weren't even being operated yet but were "on order".

If DL buys another airline with RJ feed, there is a 110% chance DALPA will settle for a higher limit at the very least prorated to the combined totals, unless another deal is reached to park 50's in exchange for even more 90's, which will be called the same victory this TA is being called WRT that.

It will be sold because of the "equity stake" and more small raises and maybe a few things here or there (back down to 6 sort calls?) followed by the promise to "get what we can now and "get em next time". We have got to start learning from history.

 

I have done that. Since DALPA is championing how great this is and ignoring the stagnation that I just pointed out in the post you didn't like. Lets look at a just few things Alaska airlines has in their contract that are ahead of what this new proposal even promises.

Minimum daily guarantee = 5 hours

You bid for Short Call or Long Call and...

Short Call (2 hour notification) gets paid 79 hours

Long Call (11 hour notification) gets paid 75 hours

Long Call can be converted to Short Call 4 times per month. The first time the pilot is paid an additional 2 hours. The next 3 times the pilot is paid an additional hour for each conversion. Permission must be granted by the pilot for any conversions greater than 4.

Pilot must be provided first class on deadhead any time first class seats are available on any flight.

Pilot must be provided first class on a deadhead on ANY flight over five hours. This also includes consecutive deadhead legs adding up to 5 hours (all those flights need to be first class).

Off Days of Reserve. A reserve pilot will receive at least two 2 day periods in a row, one row of 3 days, and one group of five days in a row off during the calendar month of reserve.

Any food available for purchase by passengers in the main cabin must be offered to deadheading pilots free of charge.

If onboard internet is available on any airplane it must be made available to deadheading pilots free of charge.

Crew meals are provided to the pilots (no flight time restrictions). These meals are chosen during quarterly meetings between the MEC and the company. (Pilots basically have a crew meal on every flight long or short).

Maximum hours for reserves is below what this contract proposes.

and so on and so forth....

 

Great points. We have over a month until TA voting closes. The reality is that you will need to constantly repeat yourself or save posts to use as responses for that month. The "yes" and "undecided" voters have an equal right to sell their position as a "no" vote does. Just argue the points.

You make good points, but many may stop reading if you get frustrated and mad. This is a fight of attrition.

 

I'm sure DALPA could fly the 76ers for cheaper than Comair; unfortunately you'll need to compare your rates to GoJetsss since that's where the DCI growth is.