Originally Posted by OOfff

Overdue major airline contracts aren’t what’s making service to small cities disappear

Originally Posted by symbian simian

So, is there anything in the RLA preventing the unions from at least asking for COLA after the contract becomes amendable?

Originally Posted by rickair7777

No, they can agree to anything which is mutually agreeable. The issue is that the company *normally* has no reason to give stuff away in the short term when they can usually drag the process out.

In this climate if you're not in the top two employers, the company might have an incentive to play ball to enhance pilot recruiting/retention. AS maybe did, but their situation may have had more to do with operational metdowns, customer PR, and a new CEO who was still on probation. SWA management on the other hand doesn't seem to care about pilot recruiting/retention.

Originally Posted by Grumpyaviator

True, it’s the inability to staff those routes driven by the bleeding of pilots which is driven by the past downward pressure on compensation and QOL.

Originally Posted by symbian simian

So, is there anything in the RLA preventing the unions from at least asking for COLA after the contract becomes amendable?

Originally Posted by symbian simian

With retro/signing bonus never (AFAIK) 100% I cannot believe the unions don't even have it as a survey item, at least ours didn't, and haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. You would at least think COLA+1% should be a given to not end up at amendable date +1005 days....

"Executive Vice President Bob Jordan talked about the pilot constraint issue during his company's first-quarter earnings call."We talked a lot about what's constraining the airline. And right now, that is pilot hiring. So, we have aircraft effectively that we are not producing capacity out of today because the constraint is just pilots," he said.""

https://www.thestreet.com/travel/sou...m4yCfnv_VJm6zI

Originally Posted by Ice Bear

Writing a contractual 3% COLA raise into perpetuity would be smart, and I think worth pursuing, but management would cost that to high heaven.

Originally Posted by fcoolaiddrinker

You would want whatever the data projected inflation to be come amendable date to move the needle on timelines. Pretty sure 1% will never accomplish that. I’m not so sure that an increase in perpetuity doesn’t just push back the amendable date indefinitely? You might have to become status quo to trigger sec 6? That’s what happens anyway going year 3-4 or 4-5. Everything else has been implemented by that point.

But yes I agree with your point if it’s possible? Someone mentioned a commuter had that first year past amendable. You could do that if it was put in the day before amendable. The problem there might become you just pushed back early openers (typically 6 months). Anyhow just spit balling without looking anything up.

Originally Posted by symbian simian

I said COLA+1%. And who cares if we go past amendable date if we get "retro" pay already....

Originally Posted by Earthboundmsfit

I'm so sick and tired of being hamstrung by the overbearing RLA, like I'm sure many others are.

It's long past time that we use our collective horsepower to get a bill through congress and signed by the president that amends the RLA significantly.

It's likely next to impossible to eliminate it, but realistic amendments could absolutely be made.

For example, automatic chronological benchmarks after a certain time period after the amendable date. For example, release to self help after 18 months if no deal is made.

If that's too much to ask, since the purpose is to keep commerce moving, then how about an automatic 10-15% payment penalty compounded per year past the amendable date when the companies drag on.

I'm not buying the excuse that we don't have enough political horsepower either. Pilots have more power now than they have had in decades with such a massive shortage.

Additionally, I remember someone saying a while back that ALPA is too afraid to go there for fear of coming out with something worse in the end if the winds shift.

I'm calling baloney on that. It's ALREADY aint labor as it is, it CAN'T get much worse than its current form.

Lastly, IF.......and that's a big IF......age 67 looked like it was about to be passed, wouldn't it be smart to attach these RLA amendments to an age 67 bill to help it get passed?

Frustrated AF. Sorry, but we just shouldn't be just along for the status quo and sit back and do nothing.