The "How to Save" Union update...wow
 

First of all I hope anyone who actually read this put some thought into it but...

This is some of THE WORST financial advice I have ever seen! Hopefully few to none will actually follow any of this garbage.

First off, let's do a reality check. The last time ANY US airline pilot group was allowed to strike was in 2010...Spirit. Hell, they probably wouldn't even be allowed to strike because they're now "too big". If you think for a second we're gonna EVER be allowed to strike...well (insert stupid bridge for sale or whatever other expression here). We are what is known as an economically essential entity...won't happen, EVER.

OK now to the things they mentioned. IF we were actually allowed to strike (which we won't be) the company would have to relent pretty much immediately, but knowing we can't they really don't have to prepare or think about it. Long term living without a job due to a strike is NOT something you should be thinking about. You SHOULD always be prepared to have your funds reduced...you could lose your medical for one reason or another, you could need extended time off to take care of a loved one, etc so yes always have a plan for that but this bag of $hit from the union is exactly that.

- First off, the market is not doing well right now and is at historic lows in case you missed it. Recommending you stop investing due to a strike is one of the most idiotic things I've ever heard...

- Next, your taxes. Are they aware that if you reduce your tax payments you can actually be fined by the IRS for not paying enough? That's right kids, Uncle Sam wants his money today, not paid in full later and if you don't pay enough on a quarterly basis you can get slapped with penalty payments at the end of the year...ask me how I know.

- Increasing insurance deductibles to the legal limit?!? No pilot group has been allowed to strike since 2010 so odds of us going on strike are...well zero but accidents happen every day, all the time. So you want us to prepare for something that won't happen by increasing the payout on something that likely could happen? Who the hell wrote this? This is sound financial planning?!?

- Purchase a quality used vehicle. That's right because all of us are great shade tree mechanics and always buy "quality used cars" that never break down as opposed to getting something new/newer that has a warranty. Especially go down to a single car. What are the odds it'll break down, outside of any warranty right when you need to do something important like go to the hospital for an emergency or go to work for your next trip? I bet they're (the odds) higher than us going on strike.

- Home refinance. They of course have considered the perils of this one...like closing costs, recurring interest costs (ie extending your payback terms), etc. Seriously?

- Send little Susie to public schools in Memphis. Yup...that'll get ya lots of love for the rest of your life from your kids. Also, see the car thing above...you'll be needing said reliable vehicle to take your now traumatized child to lots and lots of therapy and just think of the costs associated with that! Ah, never mind, just pack her up with her peanut butter and cracker sandwich, tell her to grow a pair and quit being such a whining prima donna!

Good talk..

We'll mark you down as a "No" for the strike authorization vote. Thank you for your service.

Ask yourself…”Does my post help or hurt negotiations this week”?

I’m guessing this is your first negotiation, reach out to your mentor, maybe they can give you some guidance.

Speedy
 

They missed some ways to save money. Should of talked to Speedy. Where is Speedy when you need him.

They should have begun with: never take investment advice from a pilot!

and then: get your $hit together!

followed by: any questions, ask a professional money manager.

lastly: we are only as strong as our brokest d!ck. translation: we are weak, but let’s keep bluffing with talk of a strike vote, which, even if it passed, would never happen. Our federal gov would step in, an arbitrator would be next, and in a few years we’d be forced into a contract best serving corporate interests.

Happy Valentines Day, lovebirds. How many of you already wasted $ on flowers, that WE hauled from South America on yesterdays pay? I give my wife the sweet aroma of my charming personality, for free, every damn day.

ps, don’t take relationship advice from a pilot, either.

Come on man! You have to admit that most of that up date was cringe worthy. Who QAs these things. FedEx ALPA has lost its way. The same group of guys are sitting in a circle and agreeing with themselves. We are doomed.

Although I absolutely agree that the chances of us being allowed to strike for more than 10 seconds is almost zero, what exactly do you expect the Union to say? Don’t worry about it because there’s zero chance we’ll be allowed to strike? They have to play it like it’s going to happen. Maybe the comm could have been written better.

You must be related to my wife. She seems to infer things that were never said. I have my $hit in order and can take months off of work. And I drive a single busted ol' car that I wrench on myself. So I'd absolutely be a "yes" vote

Wow, you must think I'm one of the most influential people on the planet. I can see it now...all the major networks will have it. CNN, Fox, CNBC, the Farmer's Weekly out of Dubuque, IA..."Due to a recent post on APC by poster Gasnhaul FedEx Corp has now decided to immediate change its negotiations with its pilots. More to follow"

It isn't but thanks for guessing

This post was more intended for folks who haven't seen this before and when the union suddenly comes out and says do a bunch of stupid things based of a strike that they make sound like could happen any day might do something rash. If we do get to an actual strike it would take months if not years. Yes, get your things in order but what will the union have to say when someone says "You told me not to invest in my 401k and I missed making tens of thousands on one of the biggest stock rallies in history?" (NOT a prediction BTW, just hypothetical). Or someone pulls their kids out of a prodigious school and sends them to public school, effectively ruining their lives. (Again not saying public schools are bad but in Memphis??). The union will just say "well that wasn't really our intent..."

Ah, who am I kidding? The folks this post was meant for are all on JFs anyway. This site is only the same 20 or so goofballs (myself included) who like to sit around and argue with one another through a keyboard while munching Doritos in the basement...

Lol here come the union busting threads.

Honestly their suggested methods for saving, good or bad, are irrelevant at this point. We’ve all been told to get our house in order for a while now. There’s no excuse to not be ready at this point.

In the opening statements the most important thing was said

“Get ahold of your financial advisor or if you don’t have one get one.”

The rest is just friendly advice and good to know info. How anyone could miss the forest through the trees on this one is beyond me.

The main message has been said time and again, and was loud and clear this time also. GET YOUR CRAP IN ORDER

What you just did was take 30 minutes of your life to make a bunch of excuses about a strike not being plausible or not being willing to sacrifice if called upon. A lot of your indirect examples or comments are based on someone who lives beyond their means and can’t give up all the glitz and glamour. Is the misses forcing you into the keeping up with the Jones’s game? Kids don’t need private schools. Ask the majority of Americans. It sounds like Sally needs a little reality check. The selfishness really stood out in your well thought out post. Good talk, as you would say.

Ah, the horror of Sally and Sammy going to Collierville Public Schools.

I think you missed the point of his post. There is no reason for the union to give specific advice instructing people on what to do, how about just get your financial affairs in order? Telling people to pull their kids from private schools is ridiculous and not appropriate, as some consider getting a private education (for many reasons) a top priority and well worth the money, not the first thing that's going to go, maybe the last. Jeez, why don't they just tell people to clip coupons and keep their current spouses, to save money? I think most people know what they need to do to get their financial affairs in order, and if they don't, I can direct them to Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, which you can buy used online for $3.59.

Now I know why tigers eat their young

This is a great demonstration of why one shouldn’t post sht when they’ve obviously been hitting the bottle. Serious question, is this your first airline and/or contract negotiation?

Well, I cancelled my internet and downgraded my cellphone to a model with no internet capabilities so I’m going to have to wait until it’s my turn to use our family’s only car since I sold our second car in case we strike so I can drive to the library and use the internet there for free to buy that book, or better yet I’ll check it out for free! Unfortunately, in another fantastic move to save money I bought used tires as they are cheaper than a new set, but they ripped apart on the highway. I cancelled my AAA membership, but I’ll use those $80 I saved to pay for part of my towing expense. I’ll call the towing company as soon as it’s after 6PM so I don’t use any minutes in my new cell plan because I get nights and weekends free.


I no longer tip our limo drivers, saving me close to $50 a month. Also, no more dinners out to eat while I’m on the road. The other crew members and I walk the halls of our contract hotel and other hotels in a .5 mile radius to find room service scraps that have been discarded…tastes like financial independence! Without this helpful bulletin, I’d also have never known to apply for tri-care which, as a civilian my entire career, I figured was not open to me or my family. As soon as I figure out a free way to print the bulletin I’m headed down to the VA for my medical services and asking them to bill tri-care. I know for some the unions financial advice seems like an over reach, well buckle up for the upcoming issues: Navigating a Turbulent Marriage! and Flight Plan for the Future: A guide on voting for your best interests!

Yeah. They do it when they show weakness.

That was pretty good, Fr8Master.😁

Had you taken the time to actually read the previous posts you'd have your answer. But, you're obviously a very busy person so I'll help you out. No it isn't, and I don't drink...maybe you should give it a try. But, thank you for your serious question...seriously.

Hmmm...I'm assuming you work for the union, probably in the writing department. Your reply and use of the word "they" strongly suggests you have a certain lack of proof reading skills and/or comprehension of what you actually wrote. By "they" do you mean the young or the adult tiger? When you use non-specific pronouns in a sentence that has two subjects you confuse the reader and therefore lose validity and credit, but I'm sure you know all of this. And obviously you aren't a golfer...

A lot of your assumptions are wrong. You used to work for Kalitta? That explains your low expectations for the contract.

There is value in entering "Self Help" even if we would not be allowed to strike.

And there is no proof we would not be allowed to strike besides the opinions of some who like to engage in union busting / defeatism.

Self-help and strike are synonymous in this context. Are referring to the strike vote rather than self help?

The idea we wont be able to strike is foolish. Someone in Executive branch if not the Big Guy himself will call Joe D and ask what he really wants to do. This is the most Union friendly admin since Truman. Im not sure why this is the CBA to actually do this since we had more leverage in 14, we had gotten rid of the poison pill by at least the 2014 noegotiations. Someone post the 98/99 red letter.

I know one thing. I dont want the congress involved in my contract.

Take a look at what the most union friendly administration since Truman did to the railroads. If it looks like the boxes will stop, congress will intervene. The power of the strike vote is the potential loss of business created by the threat of a strike. I’m ready to vote and, should it actually happen, I’ll be ready.

The railroad thing was going to stop the entire industry at once. The railroads carry the coal that keeps the lights on in many places. It was akin to (and more severe than) FDX, UPS, Atlas, Omni, and every other freight operator striking as well as stopping belly freight. This ain't that. Don't rule it out entirely.

THIS.

it’s not even close comparison.

no they aren’t. We went into self help in the 90s without striking. Ultimately that got us a contract.

As Joe Biden would say ‘I have one word - United States Postal Service’!

I support a strike vote and think it would send a clear message to the company. It’s interesting that it’s scheduled to take place tomorrow which is the end of the week after this latest round of negotiations with the company. Maybe we will get news of an agreement being reached, but if this round doesn’t result in anything then it’s painfully obvious the company doesn’t value our contributions to its success. Things could literally be wrapped up in 30 mins if they got out their checkbook.

Regarding the USPS - I think anyone who actually believes we would be allowed to stop flying when we carry the bulk of the mail/postal is ignoring the elephant in the room. I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, but do you really think this administration (or any administration for that matter) would allow that to happen??? That may actually be to our advantage though and give us some leverage.

I’ll gladly admit I’m wrong, if it comes down to a strike. Which is looking increasingly more likely.

Are you referring to sick outs, work to rule, maintenance write up campaign, etc?

whoa, easy with talk of illegal job actions. wtf!

Whoa, he’s only asking threeighteen about something that took place in the 90’s. Not advocating for it now. Wtf!

Was this approved yet? Last comm implied we were waiting until this week's negotiations concluded.

whoa, are you saying that the fdx pilots were performing illegal job actions back in the 90s. wtf?!!

Go back and reread the whole conversation. He said you can self help without striking. That was in context of being released and no TA reached. At that point, none of the things I asked about would be illegal job actions. I believe the AFA calls it CHAOS.

Quick refresher. Alpa1 called xtra work (drft and vol) struck work. That ah..didnt work. Remember the corvette with thanks alpa personal plate. ALPA1 got voted off and FPA came on property. FPA negotiated and we got to a strike vote AND TOOK it but never announced the vote tally. Red letter led to Parking lot deal which led to the last best offer from fdx sent via Kit D. That deal sucked so bad that 700 guys requested trng records. THAT IS WHAT got our first deal. First deal had the poison pill which made strike vote very hard to do so havent taken a strike vote since. Poison pill language was gone by 2014 maybe even earlier.

Comparing us to recent RR CBA is not a good comparison. But time will tell.

forgive my naïveté, but are you saying that if we’re released to self help we can legally do all of aforementioned activities?

After the cooling off period, and if there is no TA or PEB, yes.