So what kind of under-the-table bonus does PT get for making this a 10 year contract I wonder?

The whole system is flawed, why should pilots have to inconveniece passengers to get a pay raise? If the plane is broke or if you are tired, you don't fly it period. But you don't make stuff up and taxi slow and make people miss their connections just to try to get a contract. That should be the union negotiators job to get a contract, thats why they credit 100 plus hours a month and its obvious after 5 years that they can't get the job done. Once again, I hope they prove me wrong. The numbers on this poll speak for themselves though. And as far as communication goes, if you call getting 2 emails a month saying that there is no progress or future dates scheduled communication, than I can see why you agree with alpa. Can anyone on here honestly tell me what are negotiators are even negotiating? There response will be what "we answered in the wilson polls". Let me translate that for you, it means, "we are negotiating a contract that is good for the senior people of this company".

Higney,

You guys are doing a fine job. The problem isn't the union it's the regional industry. It's very exsistance is based on work rules and wages like ours. If we ever had the wages we truly should earn you would probably see the swift extinction of this side of the biz. Not a bad thing in my opinion, but it'll never happen.

Once people start to accept the fact that the job most people paid JetU/ERAU Capt Program/Gulfstream $80,000+ for isn't the high-life livable dream job they saw in a movie once then maybe the constant whining will cease. What?? I had no idea it was going to be a crappy place to work when I fully understood their payscale well-before saying YES to the job offer! But hey, don't I look good in my uniform??

do tell, what "real" union jobs have you had, during negotiations, in your extensive life experiences.......:rolleyes:

I am not ****ed with ALPA because of the lack of contract, their hands are tied because of the RLA. What I am ****d about is the age 65 rule that they let pass. Not only did they let pass, they endorsed and worked for. That's my main beef with ALPA. I want to see my dues used to get rid of the airlines falling under the RLA, then maby we wont see 5 yr contract negotiations.

See you all in May in MEM on the picket line. I'll proudly be carrying my "I make less than $22,000 per year" picket sign.

You don't have to make stuff up. The dirty truth is, there's a small percentage of aircraft operating every day that don't have some issue that legally should be written up and fixed. You and I both know this. As professionals, we often make judgment calls on things that "can wait" until a more appropriate time or that can simply be fixed with "cntrl-alt-delete." There are also things that simply go overlooked. Worn out placards, burned out flight deck light bulbs, spoiler fault messages; the list goes on. There's a story of one of our Captains, who, upon being extended, grounded 12 airplanes before they finally sent him home. It may not be right, but neither is negotiating a contract for 5 years. Sometimes the end justifies the means.

You want change? What do you propose as a strategy/tactic?

I don't know much about ALPA, but I am good friends with a guy who works a union job, non airline, and it doesn't seem like they have to play these games with management. I know management, within any industry, will not give in to any and all union wants, but it at least seems, outside of the airlines, that management plays a little more fair.

I agree with PinnacleFO. It isn't right to inconvenience paying customers, trying to make it to weddings, funerals, family events, business meetings, a family member or friend, who is in the hospital, and other important events, just to try to get a contract. I think you really do have to take a look at who is representing you, when you have to resort to those tactics, to get a contract. Those tactics, in my opinion, make you no better than management.

If you keep giving management the good performance numbers that you do then you will continue to have a crappy contract. They know they can get good numbers out of you with the current contract so what incentive do they have to give you a new one? "Saftey first" is absolutely correct. Yeah you might **** off the passengers for a little bit, but it will all get settled in less than a month and you will end up with a good contract. Hopefully one that is industry leading. Clearly the status quo for the last 5 years isn't working.

fortunately for your friend, he is not governed by the RLA, which is why he doesn't have to jump through as many hoops as airline employees.