Expedited mediation isn't the "norm" in the RLA process

They were wrong about this and so many other things. The failed vote was confirmation. They polled for the answers they wanted and Im pretty certain you know this. Retirement alternatives were being developed after TA 2015 long before the group got any polling.I don't think we're in their grasp either, but 4a2c seems to believe we are.

It isn't flying extra that's preventing us from achieving the desired outcome.

The real problem is too many people on our side of the table side with the management perspective on far too frequent of occassions.

Well, Maybe you have no clue what a union is. If you think everyone padding their pocket while we were negotiating had no impact, then here you are. Stuck with no hope of a better contract. Its sad that you and so many other think only of themselves but then complain about the contract. You are right, never give our union the leverage to make a better deal. If our group had done what other unions had done, not help the company, we would have a TA. Just look at the other airlines.

Or maybe I know exactly what a union is and i simply am rejecting your hypothesis.

Making a better deal requires that we treat the company as our adversary. That's a mindset first from which actions follow.

Go back and reread the company rebuttal to our proffer of arbitration and request for release. If there's recurring theme its that management sure prefers the previous NC and the MEC that enabled them. I'll leave it to you as to why.

It’s pretty sad when all the company has to do to win against us with the NMB is just copy and past from the communications of our recently removed NC and MEC.

It’s even more depressing when people still defend those guys.

It will not matter if you have Trump himself at our table, we are bound by the NMB process and not a single person can explain how he new MEC will cause FedEx to act any differently towards their expectations on what is going to be offered. They offered what both sides thought was a reasonable deal, that failed. The company is offering some more money (maybe not net depending how we get back pay) and there is no secret sauce to "expedited" vs "normal" mediation. The entry via the expedited door is still mediation, that is where we live on the flow chart. All the company has to do is be reasonable in the eyes of the mediator and guess what, we sit and spin with no EFC and no HOLD gas.

If there is some magic to an "adversarial" relationship, we shall see how that plays out. The new MEC hasn't shared the plan yet, so hopefully they announce the sessions are booked where the new NC will bring them to their knees with facts on how we should be paid and they will agree and go "ok, we didn't know about that", here is your TA.

So, no different than the Old MEC....THEY certainly under-delivered on THEIR promises. Not sure how we're worse off now?


I've seen this opinion on SM multiple times, and it disappoints me more than reading TA1 did. And that is saying a LOT! As unlikely as a strike is, do you really believe there are future scabs among us?


We lost 2 years waiting on PM and CN to deliver a DOA TA. I didn't see you and the SM Tick Tocking them. We lost another 9 months to finally get a new team in place, thanks primarily to the SM mindset. THAT's why there are no dates on the calendar. Because we had to drag the old MEC/NC out kicking and screaming. Trying to use a lack of dates now as an indictment against the new roster is quite the fantastic leap of logic.

Look, I don't have any loyalty to the new regime any more than the old one. But the old one failed, no matter how you look at it. Give the new roster a chance. They may surprise you. If not, I fail to see how we're worse off than a rejected TA1.1 that PM was certainly bringing...eventually.

No one is going to offer you assurances. We are changing tack. Its understandble that these changes create uncertainty but that can work in our favor in a negotiation.

No one said it was going to be quick or easy. NO ONE.

But the days of giving management cost neutral contracts after letting them slow walk the process are over and everybody better get real clear on that.

There's no magic.

All this mewing and caterwalling about plans and money that was never yours does nothing but showcase weakness. You have to be willing to wait and willing to walk.

Its a paradigm shift for many here to be sure but we aren't treading new ground.

You still dont' have a clue.

Let's find something we can agree on. The bickering is counterproductive.
If we want to make progress then we should demand equitable back pay to the amendable date of the contract. We are seemingly divided as a group between scope, pay rates, and retirement....We need to rally around addressing a fundamental flaw in all ALPA contracts...
Retro pay, call it a "bonus," whatever, I understand there are potential tax implications, however why should we accept a concession from the outset? Compensating us thirty cents for every dollar we have earned had the new contract been signed at the amendable date only incentivizes these delays for the Company, and will continue to do so.

OK, let's talk about this. You are correct, we should get full back pay. Anything less just incentivises the company to delay, delay, delay, since it saves them money.

However... In the failed TA1 there was a Captain rate, and a FO rate. This is wrong. In 2015, there were widebody Captain and FO rates, and narrowbody Captain and FO rates. This is correct, as the people with higher pay rates lost more income.

Complicating this issue, is that SWA did theirs by a percentage of individual W2's. Now, the people who support illegal job actions, and there are many on this board, would have a conniption fit if we actually did that, so I don't hold out much hope for it, but that would be the 1) most fair way to do it, and 2) it would cost the company the most dollars. Anything less, IMHO, is unacceptable.

Oh, and before the illegal job action folks jump in and start whining, Delta pilots flew plenty of draft, and they still got a good contract, so draft flying is not the problem here. For the record, I am not flying extra, but I am not opposed to it. I think it is a personal choice, but I guess some people on this board don't believe in freedom.