Casualinterest

Sadly the ps commuting hinges on Delta agreeing to extend it with dalpa. And I would be unbelievably shocked if they agreed to it outside of section 6. They are very opposed to side letters. This will only be resolved once Delta decides to finish the contract

gohomedaybingo

This is an interesting difference between our MECs. We really love using LOAs and precedence to maintain our contract at 9E. I guess if we were closer to (or way past…) negotiations for a new contract, we might be a little more reluctant to keep adding them on.

Ziggy

This is what I really like about our MEC; however, it does require more forethought and strategic planning. This really allows things to be implemented quicker. I’m surprised more MEC’s have not adopted this method.

Myfingershurt

Usually when management come to the MEC with an LOA it’s because they need something from you that’s worth more than what they’re willing to give you. DALPA refuses to play this game and will instead hold the entire section 6 negotiations hostage to get a good comprehensive contract. LOA tend to be better for the company in the long run than the pilots. They usually get some kind of permanent efficiency for a temporary fix to pilot problems.

blindfayth

Sure, except at Endeavor, we've been getting permanent fixes to our pilot problems, for temporary (and very minor) efficiency improvements for the company through our LOAs.

theUpsideDown

Delta pilots don't want side letters for a few reasons but the pilot groups visceral reaction to side letters come from a lot of past, non-transparent agreements. Delta pilots would find out in post the union traded away some langauge for nothing months after it happened. There was blame to go around, but the rank and file blame the union and there is zero trust. Since the TA1 abomination was shot down years ago the pilots keep the MEC and their reps on a VERY short leash. Itll take a decade to build trust back, and the pilots to feel like their message is crystal clear to the volunteers. That message: "you work for us, no slick **** enrichening yourselves at our expense".

Ziggy

With any contract BOTH sides need to agree to it. LOA’s on one hand allow the membership to see what is being requested and what is being given. This allows you to see if the value for one is equal to the other. Instead in a lengthy contract where you have lists if gains and gives, it takes a lot longer to extrapolate out the value especially when applied over long durations.

Also LOA’s can prevent negotiation fatigue where with lengthy contracts half way through one or both sides may start feeling that too much has been given or requested. Thereby, stalling the completion process.

Ziggy

DALPHA is certainly not the only member in that club. And absolutely you need leadership/committee members you can trust. Regardless of which process you prefer.

PilotBases

Negotiations in a regional world where you’re competing over pilots allows you to play the LOA game. It’s different at a legacy when by and large recruitment isn’t as much leverage. There’s merits to both, but one has to remember the relative sizes. Delta has more 737s than Edv has total planes, there’s way more to cover than patchwork LOAs would fix.

edv2021

Yeah, to me it’s just a function of different types of leverage. Regional pilots rarely hold much leverage of their own in a traditional way (using the strike provision of the RLA) because in normal times the mainline carrier can just dump that regional and replace it if the pilots overplay their cards. The leverage we do get comes from when management wants something, and is willing to give concessions to get it. I think our MEC has done a very good job helping the company solve their problems (which keeps endeavor in deltas good graces) while also gaining permanent gains for the pilot group.

Pilots at majors tend to find most of their leverage in the full RLA process, primarily with the threat of a potential strike if an agreement isn’t met. So that’s probably why we don’t see as many LOAs. The threat of a strike at a regional just doesn’t give pilots the same leverage as it does at a mainline.