Just received this from a shared email.
09-11-2015, 02:37 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2011
Posts: 166
Just received this from a shared email.
I hope it's okay that I am sharing this in this forum. I don't post much so my apologies for any typos or strange formats in advance. I received it from a forwarded email and intentionally left the name of the writer off.
In any case, I have known since my first glance of certain sections of the TA that I am a definite "no" vote and the following just makes me want to vote "NO" even more. Thank you to the union rep that wrote it for sharing thoughts. It's nice to know someone was truly on our side. Please note - this was taken slightly out of context to protect identity.
Here it is:
I feel like I was kicked in the gut when I realized that this was our TA. I have been sick to my stomach ever since, with a feeling that I did not meet our pilot’s expectations. It feels as if I personally let the majority of you down.
The perfect storm was brewing. The smell of Peak was in the air. Company manning was alarmingly low. Our pilots were engaged and alert. It was our time to rise above this industry and achieve a TA that would make us all proud to be FedEx pilots once again. I expected to hand you a TA that included:
Retirement improvements for both the A and B Plans
Quality of life enhancements
Better healthcare
Clearer contract language with fewer grey-areas
Pay raises that reflected our value
Protections for our benefits that had been previously negotiated
That is not how history will be written. It is my opinion that a substandard offer from the company was approved by your MEC, in order for our pilot’s to “see it.” I was hoping that we would continue negotiations to make this deal acceptable. I wasn’t ready to quit. However, I failed to make a difference in our discussions and debates. Resultantly, I am now handing you a TA that falls short of my expectations.
My job thus far was to represent you and your interests. My job moving forward is to help answer your questions, offer perspective, and if you want, give you my opinion. It is not my job, however, to tell you how to vote. It is now your turn to make the choice for you:
Does this TA make you proud?
Feel free to stop reading here, unless you want my opinion. I feel that we fell short of our goals at the last hour. This TA is simply under-whelming and anemic. It is the FedEx pilot’s lost decade to COLA. Yes, there are some gains (if you watch the videos, participate in a call-in or go to a Road Show you will hear all about those gains). My concerns are the gives:
Inflationary pay raises are simply inadequate
By failing to protect the best retirement in the industry, we are creating our pension’s spiraling death, which is a disservice to both the young and the old
With no A Plan enhancements, a 2% increase in the B Plan in a period of 13 years is insulting (2006 until 2019)
Insurance premium increases over the life of this 6-year contract could be essentially half of one of your 3% raises (for any First Officer)
Instability in the junior ranks, if a downsizing occurs, due to the “bump & flush” vacancy system in Section 24
With an agreement to disagree, there is no contractually binding solution for 4.A.2.b. if a furlough occurs in the side letter of Section 4.A.2.c
In 1999, we gave up a day-off of work for First Class service and in 2015 we are giving up that First Class service, but not getting that extra day in return; resultantly deadhead banks will suffer
Deviation flexibility will be reduced because of lower deviation banks and earlier check-in windows
The 8 in 24 “company efficiency” will make most of the domestic daytime west-coast layovers shorter
6-week bid periods weaken our wet-lease scope protections, could significantly reduce the number of SDP and override payments paid to pilots and instructors, and weaken our vacation flexibility
Due to increased trip and reserve conflicts, the utilization of the Secondary Working Window will be higher, forcing more pilots into the Secondary System which is a PBS-like system
Fewer PDO bumps from our instructors and more trips being sought in the Secondary Working Window with the new currency system in Section 11
New definitions in Section 8 that inhibit 6 day (3 and 3) “hotel in lieu of” benefits for our FDA brethren
An overall lacking of expected clear language and contractual cleanup
As many have asked, is this TA a “One Section” deal for me? No, this TA is an “all section” deal. It is simply inadequate when looking at the total package.
No matter if this TA is ratified or not, I am prepared to stand strong with my pilots. We will either be signing a TA together or rallying in a fight for what we are worth. While FedEx could agree to meet with us outside of the NMB, we will still be under NMB mediation and meet according to the NMB’s schedule should FedEx choose not to schedule meetings with us. Either way, I do not fear the unknown.
Please take the time to read the TA for yourself. Attend a road show, send your questions to [email protected], or call/email me. I will do my best to give you factual information so that you can make up your own mind. Does this TA represent your worth for a decade of work? Does this TA make you proud?
In any case, I have known since my first glance of certain sections of the TA that I am a definite "no" vote and the following just makes me want to vote "NO" even more. Thank you to the union rep that wrote it for sharing thoughts. It's nice to know someone was truly on our side. Please note - this was taken slightly out of context to protect identity.
Here it is:
I feel like I was kicked in the gut when I realized that this was our TA. I have been sick to my stomach ever since, with a feeling that I did not meet our pilot’s expectations. It feels as if I personally let the majority of you down.
The perfect storm was brewing. The smell of Peak was in the air. Company manning was alarmingly low. Our pilots were engaged and alert. It was our time to rise above this industry and achieve a TA that would make us all proud to be FedEx pilots once again. I expected to hand you a TA that included:
Retirement improvements for both the A and B Plans
Quality of life enhancements
Better healthcare
Clearer contract language with fewer grey-areas
Pay raises that reflected our value
Protections for our benefits that had been previously negotiated
That is not how history will be written. It is my opinion that a substandard offer from the company was approved by your MEC, in order for our pilot’s to “see it.” I was hoping that we would continue negotiations to make this deal acceptable. I wasn’t ready to quit. However, I failed to make a difference in our discussions and debates. Resultantly, I am now handing you a TA that falls short of my expectations.
My job thus far was to represent you and your interests. My job moving forward is to help answer your questions, offer perspective, and if you want, give you my opinion. It is not my job, however, to tell you how to vote. It is now your turn to make the choice for you:
Does this TA make you proud?
Feel free to stop reading here, unless you want my opinion. I feel that we fell short of our goals at the last hour. This TA is simply under-whelming and anemic. It is the FedEx pilot’s lost decade to COLA. Yes, there are some gains (if you watch the videos, participate in a call-in or go to a Road Show you will hear all about those gains). My concerns are the gives:
Inflationary pay raises are simply inadequate
By failing to protect the best retirement in the industry, we are creating our pension’s spiraling death, which is a disservice to both the young and the old
With no A Plan enhancements, a 2% increase in the B Plan in a period of 13 years is insulting (2006 until 2019)
Insurance premium increases over the life of this 6-year contract could be essentially half of one of your 3% raises (for any First Officer)
Instability in the junior ranks, if a downsizing occurs, due to the “bump & flush” vacancy system in Section 24
With an agreement to disagree, there is no contractually binding solution for 4.A.2.b. if a furlough occurs in the side letter of Section 4.A.2.c
In 1999, we gave up a day-off of work for First Class service and in 2015 we are giving up that First Class service, but not getting that extra day in return; resultantly deadhead banks will suffer
Deviation flexibility will be reduced because of lower deviation banks and earlier check-in windows
The 8 in 24 “company efficiency” will make most of the domestic daytime west-coast layovers shorter
6-week bid periods weaken our wet-lease scope protections, could significantly reduce the number of SDP and override payments paid to pilots and instructors, and weaken our vacation flexibility
Due to increased trip and reserve conflicts, the utilization of the Secondary Working Window will be higher, forcing more pilots into the Secondary System which is a PBS-like system
Fewer PDO bumps from our instructors and more trips being sought in the Secondary Working Window with the new currency system in Section 11
New definitions in Section 8 that inhibit 6 day (3 and 3) “hotel in lieu of” benefits for our FDA brethren
An overall lacking of expected clear language and contractual cleanup
As many have asked, is this TA a “One Section” deal for me? No, this TA is an “all section” deal. It is simply inadequate when looking at the total package.
No matter if this TA is ratified or not, I am prepared to stand strong with my pilots. We will either be signing a TA together or rallying in a fight for what we are worth. While FedEx could agree to meet with us outside of the NMB, we will still be under NMB mediation and meet according to the NMB’s schedule should FedEx choose not to schedule meetings with us. Either way, I do not fear the unknown.
Please take the time to read the TA for yourself. Attend a road show, send your questions to [email protected], or call/email me. I will do my best to give you factual information so that you can make up your own mind. Does this TA represent your worth for a decade of work? Does this TA make you proud?
09-11-2015, 05:41 PM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: 757 Capt
Posts: 107
Thanks for posting this. Finally a union representative who I feel actually represents the crew force. Thank God not all of them don't bleed purple and love day cubicle flying for a 100 hours a month. I guess it is nice work if you can get it.
Last edited by FDXAV8R; 09-11-2015 at 05:42 PM. Reason: spelling
09-11-2015, 06:50 PM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2008
Position: 757 Capt
Posts: 107
All of us have to reach out to our friends and even the purple bleeding yes votes. We are unfortunately not only fighting the company but also our own union. They get 2% of all our pay and right now they are using it against us to put on road shows and fancy video productions to sell this TURD. These union guys are running scared and they know they have to sell this deal to keep their cushy jobs. I say we vote it down and send them back to flying the line. Lots of these guys have been getting a 100 credit hours a month doing day cubicle flying. We pay them and now we need to fire them. Yes votes have to go. We need someone like Anita to replace CD.
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