I do too..

 

I think it's just management's ploy to make the pilots look bad when they strike... typical 9E B.S. They see it coming, they know it's their fault, so they cry 'foul' before the public has to deal with it!!! I have many good friends over there, and while I feel sorry for them, I hope they burn the place down and all find better jobs!

 

ALPA Calls Pinnacle Management Lawsuit 'Height of Cynicism'


Last update: 6:29 p.m. EST Jan. 8, 2008

WASHINGTON, Jan 08, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Timing of Suit a "Coincidence?"
Capt. John Prater, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), issued the following statement upon learning that Pinnacle Airlines management had filed a lawsuit today falsely accusing the union of bad-faith bargaining during three-year-old contract talks.
"I'm astounded that Pinnacle management has the gall to accuse ALPA of bad-faith bargaining when management, not ALPA, has been dragging out negotiations for the last 18 months. It's the height of cynicism.
"I sent a letter to the National Mediation Board just yesterday requesting that it issue a proffer of arbitration to the airline and the union. I do not believe the suit's timing is a coincidence.
"I am equally outraged that Pinnacle, in a news release dated today, charged that ALPA negotiators had not 'told the truth' to pilot members regarding offers Pinnacle had made. Pilots have been fully informed on all details of negotiations throughout the process.
"How dare this management accuse us of lying to our pilots? No pilot group is more unified, well led, and serious about negotiations than our Pinnacle pilots.
"Even though many contract issues have been resolved, this management refuses to make any serious improvements in pilots' job security protection, pay rates, and work rules that would appreciably improve pilots' quality of life."
Pinnacle Airlines and its parent company, Pinnacle Airlines Corp., continue to be very profitable, posting a stronger profit margin than other regional carriers -- more than 9.6 percent over the last three calendar years. Negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement began in January 2005, with no contract achieved after 18 months. Pinnacle management made its "best and last offer" in December 2005 and has stalled the process ever since by failing to bargain seriously. Mediation began in September 2006, but it has not been successful, Prater said, and so he requested arbitration to get the process moving.
"Filing this baseless lawsuit can only be a delaying tactic in retaliation for our request to the NMB," said Capt. Scott Erickson, chairman of the Pinnacle pilots' union. "It's the latest in a long line of attempts to put off the inevitable and to misrepresent where the real blame lies -- with Pinnacle management -- for the failure to achieve a fair contract after three very difficult years."
Per the terms of Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act, which governs airline employee labor negotiations, the NMB can extend to the parties a proffer to arbitrate any remaining issues. If either party declines the proffer, the parties are released from mediation, and a 30-day cooling-off period begins. At its conclusion, either party can engage in self-help, which could take the form of a strike by employees.
ALPA, the world's largest pilots union, represents more than 60,000 pilots at 42 airlines in the United States and Canada, including more than 1,200 pilots at Pinnacle. Visit the ALPA website at http://www.alpa.org.
SOURCE Air Line Pilots Association, International
http://www.alpa.org

 

Obviously management has been planning this for some time. It just goes to show how out of touch they are and the "bad faith" on their part. They are constantly spreading propaganda amongst the different employee groups trying to turn people against the pilots/ALPA in order to further their own greed. Even if it costs me my job and I have to start from square one again, I would rather see this place burn to the ground than accept a sub-standard contract. I have faith in the solidarity of our pilot group and I personally feel that 9E management has grossly underestimated our resolve. Bring it on, my walking shoes are ready.

 

I'm gonna go buy a new pair just for the occasion. Here's to you Uncle Phil!

 

I should go buy more Fedex stock for the strike fund. I can feel the letters coming...

 

Is there anything a member of the flying public (that would be me) can do? And I mean something constructive and not just coming on pilot boards whining about spilled milk. What about fellow pilots in other airlines? Surely an attack by management on one pilot group is an attack on all. There's been all this talk about unity. Time to put up or shut up.

wolf, FedEx stock is pretty low right now. It closed at $82.72 today. I bought when it was, gulp, $115 per share. I should shoot myself.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're a pilot at another airline, I'm pretty sure you can stand on the line to show solidarity with another airline's pilots at a picket event...I don't think your airline has any say on what you do on your time off. I'd think anyone could at least show up and give the guys some food or coffee. Not sure if you can do it in uniform, but I'd think it would be especially nice if guys from the majors stood in uniform with the 9E guys if they had time. Imagine how much stronger of a point it would make if there were guys in 2 or 3 different uniforms out there...not sure if that's doable, but it sure would get the public's attention.

 

I will gladly picket with 9E guys/gals in DTW if and when it comes to that.

 

We routinely have our brethren walking with us. I have seen Alaska, ASA, Champion, Comair, Fedex, Mesaba and NWA pilots just to name a few (and my sincere apologies to anybody I have left out) at our most recent events.