I know I've pointed out a slip or two of others. So well played sir.

All the more reason to vote in an independent union or even ALPA. If the IBT prevails as the bargaining representatives we are all doomed. The current IBT CBA will be used as the platform of the amalgamated CBA.

Bedford and his goons are now pining for the IBT as the entire pilot group union. Why do you think they are hoping for that end result?

We need to get rid of the 2005 Chautauqua CBA immediately and start over from scratch with a new union.

IBT prevailing = $37 FO's for all aircraft for at least the next 3-6 years.

Zoo,

I do not think you are off base here. You could be right and you could be wrong. There is more to a contract than just pay. You do not need to tell me that the pay at RAH is in the bottom of a crapper. But that could be a simple short term problem. Other things need to be considered.

I do think that it needs to be examined by a third party(outside negotiator with no ties to any of the parties involved) as to which route would be the best for all parties. It may be that the FAPA contract has the best "base" language to start with. It could be IBT. I would be interested to see what a third party would think.

This is an excellent observation.

I have witnessed a half dozen representation drives/elections. Each bargaining unit will say whatever it takes in an effort to get "hired".

The worst example I have ever witnessed was the IBT with the F9/YX FA's, but there have been several other times that a group has been quite liberal with the facts during their propaganda campaign.

Hiring a third party as a consultant is a huge step in the effort to get the facts.

It's not just pay, but as growth slows across the industry, there will be those that are at RAH for life. Retirement is seriously lacking along with a host of other issues (healthcare, LOL, disability, per diem). There is a huge gap in the total cost of a RAH employee to say a JBLU employee. That is what will be hard to negotiate. Pay, in my opinion, may be the easiest section. I'm sure RAH would love to throw a few dollars on the table and leave the other sections as is. It happens at all airlines and the first page people will turn to will be rates of pay. If they look good, then a lot of pilots will overlook the other sections which directly affect QOL. Only after time will pilots begin to complain that the money only goes so far.

It's going to be a long road ahead to get through the process.

You said it. Soft money and QOL is far more important to me than pay-rates alone.

Republic guys,

I have a favor to ask. I am trying to connect with an old friend. He is a FO in MKE on the E190.
If you could help, please PM me.

Thanks a million!