How do you not understand the purpose of not wearing ties? The ties/lanyards are so when management looks at us, they see us all doing something to show our unity. Despite what people feel about who should get a bigger piece of the pie, we all want a contract. At the very least, were unified in that regard. They couldn’t get people to wear the current lanyards because they were too caught up in either showing their stubbornness for TA1 with the old lanyard, or their favorite sports team/college/military branch/whatever. Not wearing ties doesn’t cost the union a dollar, and it’s easy to implement. As the union plainly sees by the percent of voter turn out in all the recalls, they know a lot of us are lazy and they had to do something even the laziest of us couldn’t F@#$ up. I’m sure if you have a better idea, FDX ALPA would be thrilled to hear it via DART.

 

I understand unity and I don't participate in the SM which, IMO, has very little to do with unity.
Unity is more than a fashion choice. Anyone can make an easy choice like a tie or lanyard. Whether it's not wearing a tie, sporting a unity lanyard, bag tag, sticker, pin or whatever other symbol is chosen - there's a second far more critical part to the unity you speak of. That's personal choices that create an actual result that management deeply cares about. When they are truly concerned about what personal choices we may or may not make as the situation dictates then they notice and care about unifying symbols like ties or lanyards. That's because a unified pilot group that backs up their fashion choices with action represent a worthy opponent that should be respected and bargained with fairly and even generously to keep the labor peace.

We don't have that respect here friend. We never have. I know how they look at us (or laugh at us) and that isn't going to change because we come to work without a tie. Hell, they even put out an FCIF to make sure all the kitties who are afraid of p!ssing off the man knew it was ok just this once. What does that tell you about the tie plan? They'd rather have us doing that then something they might actually care about. So, please don't try to educate me on unity and how management looks at us. I've worked at a militant airline that did bargaining the right way and earned the respect necessary to make and achieve demands at the negotiating table and not have to bargain for every gain - tit for tat.

FWIW, I'm going to show my unity without my tie, with my lanyard and most importantly, with my personal choices as I've been doing all along. It's the right thing to do. I'm doing my part to row the boat in the right direction even if I see and hear about many others pushing the oar backwards. Until we ALL start rowing the same way and make it hurt to delay a new TA, that's exactly what management will keep doing.

 

I get what you are saying and agree almost entirely. My issue is publicly badmouthing the union during contract negotiations. You think not wearing ties is dumb? Fine, gripe about it somewhere not visible to the company and the NMB. I’m happy to gripe about the union all day long in the plane or on a layover. Doing it here does nothing to help anyone but the company.

 

Ok, fair. I'm pretty sure I'm not saying anything either party hasn't determined on their own, but I'll take the critique.
Maybe it's time to start having some "uncomfortable" conversations with our co-workers. I jumpseat inter-Asia somewhat regularly when my bank doesn't make ends meet. More often than not, I watch the poor FO sweat his a$$ off and get papers blown around or out of the cockpit with the windows open because the idiot in the left seat won't start the APU. Then they do LTAET. Is it that hard to connect the dots here?
Need a reason? Well, the APU is obvious. Fatigue and crew comfort. It's frickin' summer in Asia you clown - get a grip!! (general comment to whoever is doing this). The new checklists emphasize no duties while taxiing so it would seem like the SAFEST option during this period of potential distractions from negotiations and other stuff would be to start BOTH engines. Let's be extra safe out there. Especially since the 777 is leading the company in taxiway and runway incursions. Gee...... maybe making LTAET standard operating procedure has backfired for everyone involved except management. How about using that very logical and valid reason to minimize cockpit distractions and focus on the singular task at hand - getting the airplane to and from the runway without getting violated. Or is the green "my fuel" drip page so GD important to these clowns that they can't see there might be a safer, less distracted option available. I swear some of these goofballs act like they're buying the gas.
Take charge of the sh!t you can control and make some big boy choices. Rant over.

 

Hey, outsider here. Last week, I saw a purple crew show up to the airport in Asia with no ties, and they made it through security and customs without getting arrested or detained. Cool dudes.

 

We had people decide not to wear their uniform properly or not iron their shirts during contract negotiations. It didn't accomplish anything worthwhile. Lanyard police, looking ragged, etc. makes more divisions and enmity than it creates team players. The juice might not be worth the squeeze here. Also beware stray zealots on both sides. They do weird stuff and their whole faction owns the consequences.

 

You just compared one person acting alone without direction from union leadership to everyone acting together under direction from union leadership. Nice try, but not the same.

 

The best point of view I've heard regarding the topic was:

"I will take off my tie when the union asks me to, because it tells the company that I will park the aircraft when the union tells me to."

Ends the discussion for me.

 

We can only park the aircraft if the government gives us permission, and the chances of that are slim and none.

 

I'm not denying that, but the sentiment stands....