Miso

Where did I say that?...

This pilot group has a tendency to step over dollars to pick up dimes. How many times have I heard: "They're making us go to FAR duty limits, but hey we're getting catered." We as a group will do almost anything for a sandwich...When in fact we have a tremendous amount of leverage but don't utilize it.

Would the scheduling modifications from the last contract have been implemented on schedule if we'd set up a penalty if it didn't occur by the dates specified? A true negotiator might have thought to add some teeth to that section if it wasn't accomplished on time.

Does anyone believe that our next contract will be signed and sent to the pilot force for a vote by the amendable date four years from now?...Every person I have spoken to about this shakes their head and says: "No, it will be at least two more years after that."

Why is that? They have FOUR years to renegotiate and we still expect an additional two?...Would you accept that from any other type of contract in any other part of your life? It's a normalization of deviance, and we blindly accept it because we've been trained to.

Perhaps someone who would not accept it without negotiating a significant penalty to the Company might be beneficial to us all.
Is that person a "professional retirement analyst?" I don't know.
However I would like to know how much we're paying him.

Fdxlag2

Didn't say you did simply pointing out that the Union went out of house to purchase some A Plan expertise and the overwhelming sense is "they are going to screw us".

PeterGriffin

I think the point is, maybe we should try hiring professional negotiators before we go getting ourselves wrapped up in running our own retirement...so many questions...what if insurance company that we use fails? What if market has another major meltdown? Right now, it's on the company to deal with all that, not us...

Fdxlag2

I agree but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be paying for expert opinions or be talking to the company now. Personally I think we should keep our current plans and supplement them along the UPS model with $1500 or so a month extra for a 25 year retiree. Of course, like the UPS model (or our current sick buy back), it would have to expire and be renegotiated for new retirees with each contract to avoid PGBC fees.

PeterGriffin

I think that's pretty reasonable

HIFLYR

It seems to instead of looking at all options and getting some broad expertise. The MEC is only looking at one option and that one option is promoted by only a handful of retirement experts.

USMCFDX

Exactly! My thoughts also.

avalanche

So what's the number floating around in the crew bus? I'm hoping 500 F/O slots so you all hire some good folks out here pounding the pavement.

VSTOLG4

I agree with an almost all Captain bid. We can't train 100's of new Captains and let 100's of FO's lateral and still train 400 new hires per year.

The bid will be for Captain slots to cover retirements plus some extras and the voids will be filled by new hires...Upgrade or stay where you are is the new FO motto if we keep hiring 400-500 per year.

Somebody says that is how SWA does it...hmm where did T.L. come to FedEx from?

USMCFDX

You do know Southwest only has one aircraft type right? So not quite sure how you can make the comparison.