PG, Happy New Year and aren't we testy. I was not complaining about my situation, I had a tough decision to make a few years back and because of DALPA's good work it ended up being good for the group that stayed. I was responding to the comment about selling scope out for a boost in retirement and the fact for Southies there is nothing to sell.

"tapes on,.......turn in.....fight's on"

Thanks! I've been stubbornly sticking with my BB but now I have a reason to upgrade!

DR

Carl;
I disagree. I do not know each and every rep and their ideals, but the ones that I do know would disagree adamantly with your assertion. Many like the idea of capping DCI at their current levels and going for a commitment from the company not to renew, modify, extend or write new DCI contracts. Give the reps a little credit. Most of the pilots representing you and I want the same things we do. The ones that do not agree with what their pilots want seem do be getting elected out of office.

Tim states that they are listening to the pilots. Well, tell them your opinion, and educate the guys you fly with as to why your opinion is correct. ALPA states they will take the majority position forward. I say make the majority position about "restoration" of "pay" and SCOPE, as well as every other item you can think of. If that becomes the will of the group it WILL be come the MEC's position.

Sam, after talking to many many pilots over the last few years, all want PAY and a great many are not willing to sell one ounce of Section One to get it. Guys it is that simple.

What the line pilots seems to be saying is, no one has been furloughed with the current scope line since last time, I need may pay back before I worry about bringing 76 seaters and below back. Good or bad that is the majority position.

For those of us that see that are short sighted, I suggest educating your fellow pilots, reps, and MEC as to why this is the incorrect priority. I can tell you that guys that lost pensions, and half of their pay really are not in the mood to leave dollars at the table in exchange for a jet that will not be around in ten years. The deal they present is get my pay, work rules, vacation, sick and disability leave, retirement, and QOL improvements back and then I will support your desire to recapture all the flying below 76 seats. That is what I hear from every A I fly with. (A few realize that to do the above you need to go after scope simultaneously, but most have lost the ability to care about anything except trying to restore what is left of their careers, and that restoration come in the form of Benjamin, lot of em)


Bar, I know what you are going to say, and my charge to you and others that see SJS as the linchpin to get a truly restorative contract, is to keep your reps informed on fact, constantly push the issue, and educate your fellow pilots. The reality is every pilot at Delta has been effected by section one in the last few years, most just do not get it.

Reality is that junior guys will be senior one day, but senior guys will not necessarily be junior. For a junior guy not to support pay rates and scope of large jets is extremely short sighted and will also effect their careers and progression.

That is why senior pilot issues always prevail. Junior guys need em too. EM the facts.

Like I have said, talk with every pilot you fly with. Arm yourself with facts, and have a frank discussion. Do not be afraid of setting a record straight. That is how over time you change the majority position of a pilot group.

From the Chairman's letter:

The word SCOPE may not have been used, but no where did I see the letter stating that we were ready to sell it either. I took the point of the letter to mean that pilots want restoration. Top of the restoration list is pay. I did not take it to say that scope was not important because if you want to get technical, scope reversals are part of restoration. Tim did not say restoration of C2K. He said restoration period. Pay was mentioned, but it did not say C2K because frankly that is not true restoration. 1982 rates plus inflation are.

I saw the letters as.
1) We hear you
2) You want to restore the profession and,
3) Pay is at the top of the list.

What I did NOT see it say, is that scope is not important. I took it to mean that guys want their buying power back not that they are willing to sell scope to get it.

Anyone that think that their reps will Ratify a TA that sells more small jets is out to lunch and or has not talked to their reps. If the Neg Committee came back with a TA that had that in it, I would want to be a fly on the wall in that closed session. Every reps from every base I talk to states that scope sales are unacceptable.

I saw this letter as going out to all delta pilots, but specifically targeting the guys that have grown sick of this or that and tuned out. As we all know pilots love money and the best way to get their attention if they stopped listening and giving input is with money. My opinion is that it targeted the "silent majority" that wants to see that DALPA hears them.

Every one I talk to mentions pay. They mention scope after a nice four day trip too! :D

[three minutes later...]

"This is PG on guard -- All of the lawn darts over the farms are dead...." :D

Carl;
I think that after the AF JV and the AS Code Share agreement, scope is in fact finally getting the attention of a lot of the pilots. The only ones that seem blind to it are those WB Captains! :D

Those are the guys that get an ear full on a LAYO. After a few hrs of laying it all out they seem to get it, and realize that scope is not a junior issue, and it is not just about small jets anymore. When you show them the JV's, code shares, and marketing agreements in place and the size of the jets under those agreements, they quickly realize that many of those jets are at their seniority level or above.

Like I have said, to get them to make this issue their issue, it needs to be spelled out for them. It takes time and repeating ones self often. :D Most want their pay back and with ten year or less they have become single issue pilots that are frankly way over this whole aviation thing. To a guy like me, it is disheartening.