The same way a handful of people committing insurance fraud sway the numbers for the overall covered pool.

I think that is a good question. Here are the important questions I think need to be asked--both to mgmt and our reps, but especially of mgmt.

1. Our sick leave policy is significantly different than the rest of the industry. We get a whole lot more hours each year, but none of the unused portions carry over. That is both good and bad, depending on circumstance, but why has DAL always wanted that sort of system?

2. How do we compare to other airlines in sick leave usage and "abuse?" What is the data? How does mgmt get the numbers from other airlines in the first place (surely that must be proprietary) and how trustworthy are those numbers?

3. Will mgmt (and our reps) acknowledge that at least some of the increase in sick use is that guys are no longer flying questionably sick? I myself have been guilty of that in the past. "I'll tough it out." "I can't call in sick on short notice, I'm hosing a SC reserve at 0500." (I actually did that once when I woke at 0300 for an early show, coughed and knew I felt like crap. I should have sicked out that second, but did not. I ended up sicking out mid-trip and no doubt got the captain sick as well. I did no one--including Delta Air Lines--any favors. That doesn't happen any more).

4. How much of the mgmt push for a change to sick leave policy is due to actual harm, and how much just because our current SVP is philosophically consumed with the issue? (in one of his first weekly messages years ago he sang the praises of a couple of guys who had gone an entire career without ever calling in sick; he was as consumed with the "real men don't call in sick" philosophy then as he is now).

5. What is the actual reduced profit numbers associated with the spike in sick leave use? I've never heard any. Only "sick use in on the rise." Ok, if true, how much did that cost the company, and in what ways?

Have I rambled long enough?

 

We are left with trying to understand the Company's problem. We don't have complete information because they didn't provide and DALPA didn't ask for historic data. By historic, I mean more than 10 years.

What do we know? We know the current SL program was addressed to the Company's satisfaction in the previous contract. We also know the Company has a management desire to wrestle every bit of productivity they can find out of the pilot work group.

We have been told in the roadshows is there is some sort of issue with calling in well and green slipping during the footprint of long trips. The simple solution would be to not allow GS or WS during this foot print. But, this doesn't address the Company's desire to drive even greater productivity.

Add the disclosure changes, pre-certification loss, third party administration possibilities, and loss of privacy protections you have a refusal of the rank and file.

Where do we find ourselves? It's called an impasse. How badly does the Company want to push? How hard will we defend our privacy? That's where the rubber meets the road.

IMO, this is one worth fighting over. 65% agreed.

 

I don't think it's about money or productivity.

I think it's about controlling us and further emasculating the "union."

RA wants desperately to say to the other employee groups, "look, the pilots have a union and they keep giving stuff up. You don't have a union, and we keep increasing your compensation. Why bother with a union at all?"

 

So is it a HUGE spike or a HUGE problem? A huge spike caused by a few rouge pilots is not a HUGE problem. Productivity is a HUGE problem. Solution: Gold slips paying triple time. You see the point.

 

That is certainly a large part of every Pilot Contract negotiations. They are not just negotiating with the Pilots, but with all the other employees by proxy.

 

Good points but we are still trying to fix managements perceived problems. What about our problems, like bankruptcy pay abuse. The pay levels have not returned to pre-bancruptcy levels 7+ years out of bankruptcy when the other employees have. There is a huge spike in inequality of recovery which can only be interpreted as abuse. There was a huge spike in management compensation as well.

End bankruptcy pay rate abuse! Its a must have deal breaker.

Ya see what I did there?

 

Again, don't go after the entire pilot group for the actions of a few. Plus, I think using the term "huge" was a huge overstatement.

Denny

 

I still believe the entire Sick Leave Abuse thing is a red herring! The company has NO PROBLEMS, and they are MAKING BILLIONS PER QUARTER. They needed to create some kind of 'leverage' to use in negotiations, lest we demand to be restored, pay and retirement wise. So what do they come up with??

I know, let's appeal to the Military Mindset of Duty, Honor, Country, and have them chase their tails trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist, while completely forgetting that they are still being paid 18% less than 10 years ago, while we buy back $6 Billion in stock!!

Just look at all the time and energy our NC has wasted trying to solve this non-issue, while completely forgetting about the Stock Buybacks and Billions in earnings!!

They completely lost focus on solving OUR problems, while running around in circles worried about sick leave abuse! Show me the math on how much money the company -LOST- by guys calling in sick! Now show me how much money the pilots LOST since 2004!! Now show me how much money the company is making every quarter!

 

I know we'll never see any post mordum reports, but I wonder how many issues were single issue no votes and how that will drive a strategy to achieve 51-49ish%.

For example, I wasn't happy with much of anything but it was the sick leave stuff that made me a hardover no. I can tell the FOs were LCA pull outs, etc.

I've lost faith in the company that they will try to achieve much better than 51-49%. Sad really......

The things I ponder on a quit Saturday morning at Starbucks

 

For me it was the nickel increase in per diem. Total slap in the face. I couldn't find one good thing in the entire TA to vote Yes for, but that nickel thing really p'd me off.

Oh, and Florida State is about to get beaten by South Florida!