BeenThereDoneIt

They just dished out enough pork to give their CEO nearly a MILLION dollars a year in compensation. I'm just sayin'....

757upspilot

The best thing you could possibly do for yourselves is to vote yes.

BeenThereDoneIt

I have some of the e-mails that the company is sending out to the pilot group in an effort to STOP the pilots from having a decent contract (like the contract the CEO got to negotiate for himself.) I know the moderaters won't let me post them here, but I'm sure they won't mind if I paraphrase a line or two. It goes like this:

[deleted]

That's a real shocker....eh?

Scooter74

I just hope it is a descent union....

Having a Union only will deliver one sure thing--------DUES! (And a FAT PAYCHECK for the Union Execs)

I have been forced to join a good one and quite a few bad ones. I know that I will probably be ripped apart for this reply but I just don't care. I am tired of all the Kool-Aide drinking union folks that feel the union is always the best (and only) answer to a good work place.

I hope Avantair gets a good one, because you are stuck with it! (I am hesitant to give up any of my rights, and with a union I give up all of them to allow someone else to do what I should be able to. If you are unhappy with a schedule, pay or work condition there are ways to voice that unhappiness other than running to a union. Shelling out your hard earned cash for "representation" along with endless political endorsements just doesn't seem like the best use of MY money! The one which immediately comes to mind would be my feet. If things are sooo bad, I let my feet speak for me. Turnover is a great way to show a company that things are NOT acceptable.)

Good luck with whichever choice you guys make. Avantair seems to be a great company, and I sincerely hope it makes it through these difficult times. It is my interest in Avantair that draws me to these posts.

And before I get flamed, yes I know that maybe I just had the wrong unions in my life, but I learn from my past experiences. I will NOT be forced to pay again for crap representation.

bjtdrvr

it seems that the avantair pilots have now lost time that they previously had with their families.

typically your dues are about 1 to 1 1/2 percent

but in the long run management won't stop at just making you work more days and even if this management is good what about when the company is sold?

BeenThereDoneIt

An Avantair pilot told me that debkeller did a complete 180. First she was all in favor of the union in her original post, then she deleted that post and suddenly her husband has his dream job at Avantair and they are very happy there.

Translation.......her husband felt that her pro-union stance put his job in jeapordy and he made her delete it..... and she suddenly began attacking ME! LOLOL Expect a lot of that as management goes after those who dare speak of a union. Sad.....

USMCFLYR

She didn't attack you and if she did - you were the one twisting her words and using her post for your own purposes.

USMCFLYR

debbkeller

OK Kyle, since we're on a first name basis now...

Exactly how did I attack you, and why would an Avantair pilot have to tell you that I did a 180? You could simply read my post back to you after I cooled off. I simply asked you to not twist my words, which you even admitted to and apologized for. But the next paragraph after that, you were kind of sarcastic in the way you referred to my "hubby". Then, you say that I seem articulate and caring. Well, thanks, but why are you attacking me again? Are you sincere? I was just going to leave this alone, but I feel that you deserve some answers. So I'll answer some of your questions if you will courteously answer mine. Don't worry, I don't plan on attacking you:

1) Do you want to know the true reason that I deleted my post? The honest answer is that my husband was worried, but not about Avantair. He was worried that what might happen, did happen: He was afraid that you would take my frustrations and twist them for your agenda against Avantair. And he was right, that happened! So yes, those twisted words which were not true certainly couldn't have helped him. You admitted to this and apologized. Thank you, I accepted your apology and I thought that it would end there. Unfortunately from your above post, it seems that it didn't end there, and you still choose to pursue me and mock me. I do not think that is a gentlemanly thing to do.. I think that is "sad". Just sayin. Not an attack.

2) I feel that you were unnecessarily sarcastic about my "change of heart" post. I explained that, although I vented, everything about the company is not negative just because the hours are long and the schedule has been imposed on them. So after my "hubby" and I talked about good and bad, I listed some not all of the wonderful things that Avantair did for us. And not just us. Avantair flew a pilot's wife to see him when he went to the hospital on a tour. They sent a Captain home first class when his Dad passed. They parked a plane when a co-pilot's wife delivered early. Does this seem like a totally evil place to you? Me either. Avantair could be his dream job. You can love your company and still have frustrations with it. But it seems that you didn't want to hear that and only want negative. Sorry, I can't help you there with only negativity. Not an attack.

3) Loving your company and having a union do not have to be contradictory, if you look at South West.. My husband will vote as he wants to vote. So I will be brave and admit again that we come from a union family. His experience is mixed... Very poor with Teamster 747, very good with ALPA. Like I said, it is his choice. Not an attack.

Alright Kyle, I have tried to answer some of your questions honestly. Will you you kindly do do the same for me? Here they are... Not attacks.

1) Kyle, we don't hold any grudges against you... Why would you keep attacking me, my husband, my family. I know that you are angry at Avantair, but where does it end. Our children are part of the Avantair family. Are they, too, valid targets? Do you have a Girlfriend, a Wife, Children? How would you feel if someone was doing this to them? Again, not an attack. Just a question.

2) Do you have anything at all positive to say about Avantair in your posts? Can you at least admit that there are a lot of great people there? Do you think all managers there are evil, even after I told you told you some of our personal true stories. Do you think I made them up? I gave you negative and positive, but do you not care about the positive too? Not an attack, valid question.

3) What is your goal here? Do you wish for the ultimate destruction of Avantair, even if it means every pilot, your former friends and coworkers, will be on the street? You may have a valid gripe against this company, but where does this end? Not an attack, valid question only.

4) If Avantair was like you say, and my Husband was now in jeopardy because of me, wouldn't you be at least partially responsible for his demise by twisting my words. Would you not be hurting a fellow pilot and his family? Why would you do that? What would it accomplish in your fight against Avantair? Again, I'm not yelling, just asking. Not an attack.

5) We don't dispute that they might owe you some money, but why go after your friends. Badmouthing the company can't be helping your friends there? Does it? Not an attack.

6) Are you trying to somehow help the Avantair pilots? My husband says that your information is often incorrect and misleading.. Not always. And that you use your alter ego trxline to keep posts active between your other username. They get it, you are angry at the company, but where does it end. Do the ends justify the means? Can you look yourself proudly knowing you attacked a pilot and his family? Is that really worth compromising just to get back at Avantair? I can tell you that if you are trying to help them, that your efforts are not respected and appreciated by the way you have gone about this. Wouldn't you rather regain their respect? Again, not attacks.

Kyle, I would ask if you will answer those questions and then, I would really like to know if you will be willing to let this end here.

Thank you in advance,

Debb

GlasssPilot

You'll have to wait a few days for BeenThereSpunIt answer your questions as he's been suspended...again.

P3Air

That would be pretty sad. Suspended for daring to air the Avantair dirty laundry(NOT state secrets)...... What happened to "information is power?