Pilot Staffing
For the last several months, the Union has consistently expressed concerns about staffing levels through the SIG Notes. This week, I approached flight management to validate our staffing assumptions, and they confirmed them. The reality is that given the current business environment, we find ourselves with an excess of approximately 700-800 pilots. Without an increase in volume, our BLGs will continue to remain low. In our only previous encounter with this type of downturn, we all shared the pain when we entered 4.A.2.b. While the Company does not share its plans for addressing the overstaffing, we know the new TA pay rate will offset the potential loss in wages under 4.A.2.c. I share this information not to instill fear but to provide you with details about our current staffing situation.

Some individuals have referred to a statement made by our CEO in September 2022, where he indicated that no furloughs were planned. The Union has only stated that the possibility of furloughs exists due to changes that have occurred since September of last year. Once again, it is our duty to present you with the relevant information. Facts are the only way to reach a proper conclusion as you form your opinion. The Union has never stated that there would or would not be furloughs.

TA Voting
It's important to note that we only have access to the percentage of voters who have participated, not their voting choice. This information is strictly confidential, in compliance with ALPA policy (Administrative Manual, Section 90, Part 5.B.9.).

Your Vote
If you believe that turning down the first TA will bring something better, the history is otherwise. While agreements reached and then rejected prior to mediation have occasionally been improved on in mediation, it is almost unheard of for a tentative agreement that is the product of lengthy mediation under the auspices of the NMB -as ours was- to have significant value added after rejection.

If you are a one-item voter, ask yourself if you have the support to raise that item to the level needed to achieve ratification. Others may find their item more important, and that will lead to a greater divide.

This TA was written for all, it does not favor one demographic over another. This is an industry leading contract, easily traced to the overall value compared to any other property. This is a FedEx contract, not a Delta, United, American or UPS contract.

In the upcoming week, we have scheduledadditional opportunities for direct engagement with you. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities to obtain real answers to your questions and address any concerns you may have.

In Unity, Captain Christopher Norman, MEC Chair

 

Good Lord MEC/NC, give it up already!!! If the TA was so great, it would be selling itself…all the propaganda emails make me very suspicious. They’re condescending, belittling and insinuate that I can’t read a paper and make my own decision without your input.

STOP ALREADY!!!

 

Dear Chris,

If mediation does not result in a ratified agreement there is a next step. It is a withholding of services. Having already gone through mediation just means that we are a step closer to that than UA or DL ever got. Probably because our management is more intransigent.

Why would the union, the pilot group, the company, or the junior 700 want to take a substandard contract to hang on to a $h!tty flying job to make 54 hrs/month? What the hell kind of stupid endgame is that? Aren't we all better off if the company just does what it's going to do and we do what we're going to do (demand an industry leading contract).

 

it’s so ridiculous. You can tell these guys care about their pension and nothing else

 

If we don't get overwhelming numbers the next TA will be marginally better. Let's go people!

 

This is difficult. I have always wanted to trust ALPA representation and this time, I just don’t. I respect them as people and am thankful for their hard work, but the recent communication leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I think it is very inappropriate.

I voted NO and let the chips fall where they may.

This is my third 121 ALPA airline; this place has decent pay but the worst scope and work rules yet. I think that while this TA is not total garbage, it should, like you say, sell itself. And it simply doesn’t. We will regret voting this in.

 

 

What the MEC Chair fails to mention in his email, is that the TA REDUCES the manning required due to the givebacks in AVA, Vacation, LCA lines etc. If we are 700-800 overmanned right now, voting yes will put us in even worse shape! There is NOT going to be a mass exodus of the senior guys if this passes to alleviate the manning situation.

In other news, we have not hit any of the triggers yet and block hours WILL RISE in Oct, Nov, & Dec for peak.

The sell job is in full swing now. It will be constant for the next 7 days.

 

BINGO. This TA will make our manning situation worse, not better.

 

Mount Hope Wholesale [email protected] via gmail.mcsv.net
Fri, Jul 14, 12:08 AM (3 days ago)
to me

Good evening,

We're reaching out today to let you know that we will start shipping with FedEx Friday 7/14.

We'd been planning to make this change in the Fall for months, but last week we heard from FedEx that they will soon stop taking on new customers in order to maintain their service for existing customers during the impending Teamsters strike with UPS.

In the hopes of maintaining the service and dependability you count on from Mount Hope, we've accelerated our timeline so that we can be among those existing customers.

Every big operational change (and boy is this a big one) carries the risk of bugs and bumps. This change is happening under sudden time pressure, which may increase those chances.

We humbly ask for your patience and understanding with any mistakes that we may make in the next couple weeks.

As always, we greatly appreciate your partnership, and are just an email or phone call away if you have any concerns or need any help.

Mount Hope Wholesale