At the risk of sounding like a smart a$$ (or Bill Clinton), I guess it would depend on your definition of a communist.

Are you using the term to generalize the left? Only those on the left you strongly disagree with?

As I said above, I view it as purchasing access. Without access we will get steamrolled. It is repulsive, but it is the way the game is rigged.

I want to be clear though. I 100% understand where you are coming from and support your right to hold the line on your beliefs. I just happen to view it as more grey than black & white. I don't think its possible to get anything done in Washington unless one is willing to flex, at least a little bit, and work with those that we may disagree with - especially if they hold the hammer (and sickle ). IMO this is DC is so f-ed up. Everyone is too entrenched and views any opposition as the enemy. YMMV.


-LeineLodge, the Red

 

I'd prefer to be sitting in my pilot seat at work making my good coin, complaining about my politicians rather than sitting at home, out of work, earning nothing and happy with my politicians.

 

BS flag thrown. You just described an oxymoron. Can we live in the real world please?

 

They do indeed. Is your point that its good because they have it?

A couple of points

1. Its in the corporate by laws not their contract. They get it whether they like it or not. Current management holds it over their heads. To paraphrase one of my several "A" friends there: We demand a pay raise, management counters by implying profit sharing makes up for less in pay rates.

2. Its capped to IRS limits. I'll never make enough for this to matter but for many of them 9.8% (this year) puts a number of their A's into the cap and they get cutoff.

We're all about to get a very big check. The question we should be asking ourselves is why is it in managements interest to pay us a Valentines Day bonus and not a bi-monthly check??

 

You mean did the PAC give to Obama? I kid, I kid....

 

I guess it's blatantly obvious now that the company wants to change our sick policy back to what it was during the bankruptcy contracts.

 

We're still fighting commies?

 

Here is my 2c on sick leave. The company has put themselves in a staffing issue and again they want the pilots to bail them out and not call in sick. Maybe hiring a year earlier would of helped this out? I don't want to work next to a person who is sick but has the attitude I am taking one for the team. As I get sick because of them. Pilots are not in charge of staffing so why should we be concerned on who is going to cover the sick call. Most OTC drugs that would help us get through a day we are not allowed to take and fly so toughing it out like you can if you sit in an office is not the issue. What is the company doing to help the situation? Maybe providing a list of approved OTC medicines that you can take and fly with would help. Or maybe that list is so short that they would rather see us take the OTC drugs and just fly. The union if approached on this issue should take a stand and not move an inch.

 

Quit being such a drama queen. You need to compartmentalize this. DC sucks, but like it or not money talks. Donate to as many far left/right PACs as you choose, for whatever causes you are passionate about. Guns, gay marriage, immigration, abortion, etc. This is not about getting someone elected. If every pilot in the country joined the PAC it still wouldn't influence 99.99999% of who gets elected. We are small fry's. What it does do, is gets the ear of who is there and hopefully convinces them to vote the way that's best for OUR profession. The PAC is buying their votes only on pro-pilot legislation. Our guys are not up there using our money to influence votes on the other issues.

 

I think we all agree with you. Unfortunately, the company is attacking our sick leave, but our union is not responding. That makes me wonder if our union has any intention of protecting our current sick leave policy.