Nightflyer

When I ask my block rep questions like this, I am told, in a round about way, to "shut up and color".

PurpleToolBox

There's a lot of names I want to call you right now. But they'll just get blocked on here and/or have me kicked off. If you can't unite with your fellow pilots for a contract, get the F out of our union. Stop whining. If you would talk to your reps, listen to the NC, heck go see the NC in person and talk, you'd have more information rather than acting childish on here.

AND if you have ever paid attention, you'd know why the company will NEVER pay retro pay. They have said it. The union said it. I even posted it a while back. How about come and join us and we'll discuss it instead of whining?

All you are doing is causing division, casting doubt on the MEC and the NC. They're is a reason to their madness and sometimes elusive communications. Just ask them. They'll tell you as much as they can. It isn't hard bro. Man up.

The number one thing the NC and MEC has said hurts them in negotiations are divisive online posts like yours.

Nightflyer

If by discussion you mean you will simply tell me I am wrong, you have already done so. There is nothing to discuss. You aren't seeing the long game. I am. Full retro, and full retirement for all going back to the amendable date, is what we should be demanding. Anything less is unacceptable, and plays into the company's hands to delay, delay delay. Not only for this contract, but for all future contracts. Can't you, even in your anger, see how obvious that is? Are you really that naive?

I have emailed the NC, every single one of them. One answered, telling me they wouldn't answer and to talk to my block rep. The other two didn't bother to answer. So much for discussing anything with the NC. I saw one in passing on company property. I asked about what they are negotiating for my retirement. MY RETIREMENT, mind you. They wouldn't answer. So much for talking to them in person. They don't care. I am just a line pilot, not part of the "chosen few" who run the union. Perhaps if they want my support, they should listen to and answer my questions.

They said to talk to my block rep. I did. The answer was not satisfactory. Basically, doing the right thing would cost too much money.

I have been around here long enough that I am entitled to ask questions. I have paid enough dues that I expect straight forward, honest, answers. I am not getting them.

If asking questions is divisive, so be it. I will keep asking them. Being part of a union should not require that I give up my right to individual thoughts and opinions, especially when the people who are supposed to represent me won't tell me what they are negotiating for.

I proudly cast my vote against the last POS contract, and I will again, if need be. I only hope it does not pass, if it does, by such a small margin, and that I can, in good conscience, vote yes.

TonyC

Yeah, it's not that unusual to have such low turnout that everyone could fit in the MEC boardroom, but at this point in negotiations, it's disappointing that our Local Council officers have such low expectations. In the past, crowds have grown larger when things are going on, such as entering mediation with The Company. If you want us to be engaged, maybe you could provide the opportunities for members to engage with their elected representatives face-to-face.




I wouldn't call it an appearance, but I do plan to attend. I hope they have a contingency plan for an overflow crowd, and I hope they have to use it.






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TonyC

At the previous rally, and at all the in-person PUB events, there has not been an opportunity for Questions and Answers. There has been lots of time for eating, drinking, and socializing, and brief speeches, but no questions fielded by the speakers.


I agree that attending these events can be important, IF they are conducted with the goal of informing and motivating the membership. That takes more than banquet food, small talk, a pay-as-you-go bar, and bounce houses, ball pits, and face painting. At least they're making this one an adults only event, but it still remains to be seen whether they'll capitalize on the opportunity to motivate and inspire the attendees. I'm curious to see whether they'll arrange the space with seating for 500+, or whether they'll fill the space with 20 or more 10-top banquet tables.

(In the past we have accommodated children by having volunteers supervise children's activities in a separate room while the grownups were participating in the rally. We didn't even have to have a meal.)

In any event, I'll be there, and I hope everyone else who is not on a trip will be there, too. Parking is limited, so carpool if you can, and come early.






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TonyC

Take a look again here: NMB Mediation - What Now? (1min 46secs)

Had our reps told us 18 months ago they were in fact trying to improve our retirement by raising the FAE Cap, I would have been their chief cheerleader instead of a determined critic. Sadly, I fear we wasted much time and many resources trying other tacts before coming around to where we should have been all along.


Now, tell me we're pushing to raise the FAE Cap to correspond to the IRS annual Defined Benefit limit, and we're finally on the same page. That's what we had in 1999, and there's absolutely no reason whatsoever we should be asking for less today.






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Nightflyer

Thanks Tony, I see it now. I missed it the first two times. My bad.

OK, I withdraw my primary complaint about the NC and MEC keeping secrets from the membership, but like you said, that should have been announced as our goal in the openers and shouted from the roof tops, so the company knew we were all on board for that and were willing to fight for it.

I think the MEC is afraid to get contentious with the company. Every contract, I hear a story that someone was at a party, and the company lawyers were laughing and joking about how we got played, and about how we left so much money on the table. I never want to hear that kind of story again.

They aren't going to give us anything unless we demand it. If it takes a strike vote, then fine. If it takes self help, then fine. I know the government will not let us strike, but we can make our point in other ways.

The company has saved millions, tens of millions, and perhaps hundreds of millions by kicking the retirement can down the road. It is well past time to raise the FAE cap to IRS limits, anything less is unacceptable.

UPS has a strong union and a better contract because they play hard ball during negotiations. We have been playing softball since our first contract. When will we learn? No one is going to give us anything. We have earned the compensation we are asking for, but we have to demand their respect, and I am afraid the current leadership is not up to the task.

Don't look for any kind of deal until after peak. There is too much money to be saved by the company delaying until after the next wave of retirements, because the union doesn't have the stones to demand that all of those that retired since the amendable date be given the same deal.

Why give the "signing bonus" to people who left since the amendable date, but not give them the new retirement? That is an insult, plain and simple, and it will happen because the MEC does not have the will to fight.

TonyC

I agree with everything you said except for maybe two points.

First, the hardball/softball analogy sounds good until you've watched a college women's softball game. The word soft really isn't fair. On average, a baseball hitter has 0.44 seconds to react to a throw from the mound 55 feet away, while a 70 mph softball delivered from an average distance of 37 feet gives the softball hitter only 0.35 seconds of reaction time. I don't think we're up to softball standards yet. I thought about maybe comparing us to Wiffle Ball until I watched some videos recently -- I've seen some pretty wicked pitching. Maybe we could start by aspiring to tee ball level.

Second, I'm glad they're finally talking about raising the FAE Cap, but nobody has said, publicly anyway, that they're fighting for the IRS limit. That ought to be a rally point, but instead it's a secret. Consequently, the information vacuum on that topic is filled with whispers that we're asking for far less. We should see that on lanyards and picket signs.






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PurpleToolBox

Come on guys, you know the answer to this. There's 6000 individual pilots at FedEx, each who have different retirement needs. Had they started with specifics publicly, the danger is there would be a group of folks who completely disagree with the NC's goals undermining them in the negotiation room. This is why they stated that they're pushing for a plan to increase retirement for all individuals. While I agree they did drop some nuggets recently, we need to hold tight and wait until we have or don't have a TA. Should we get one, then it up to all of us to decide if it meets our individual expectations.

kwri10s

Yeah, I understand to some extent the need to not specifically say exactly what we want for everything. But since retirement has been our number one priority for the last contract and this contract, knowing what we are shooting for is really not too much to ask. What really has got mine in a bunch with this group of NC and LEC reps (at least mine) is the double talk directly to us. I've emailed and asked in person some very direct questions but I never get a straight answer. It does not seem too hard. I ask: "are we pushing to improve our A plan?". They answer, "we are moving in unison towards are retirement goal of increasing the income replacement." WTF??? I try again, "ok, but are we specifically setting a goal of improving our A plan?". More double talk..."you can rest assured that the NC will be making the improvements to the defined contribution and defined benefit plan to achieve our retirement goals." WTF!!! Just answer the question. Nothing ****es me off more then when I ask a question about the A plan and they answer by using the phrase defined benefit. When I can't get a straight answer, I figure someone somewhere is looking to bend me over and I won't like the outcome. (no pun intended)