Nope...that's what I'm referring to. We have to do a survey, get on a message board or tell our reps what the union should already be doing. It's no wonder there is such a disconnect between the pilots and the union. But stay unified because we are the union....if you speak out you'll probably get scolded just like nick.

Please don't stop posting, these boards need people with facts and sense.

I second that. One must change with the times, and unfortunatly this is how a lot of people vent nowdays

Obviously flame! I give you credit for the humor.


What has the MEC chairman actually done? I keep asking this and asking this and asking this. Nobody can say anything, except "there's behind the scenes work that you don't know about - stay unified!" Oh please!

Other unions have placed a notice in major newspapers such as the USA Today. Other unions have made bill boards, conducted picketing, held weekly meetings, made flyers, stickers, etc. SE used to do some of this, but gave up. There hasn't been anything really happening for well over a year. It's like we have a headless union. What happened? Did somebody get burned out or get fat on 120 credit hours a month while they pawn off the workload to volunteers?

Please name one thing that our leader has done in the past 12 months worthy of praise?

Oh and as to what you quoted me on: common sense would have said sue the company for violating our pass travel contractual agreements ie buddy passes instead of sueing the company for giving us a raise.

you have no clue the work Higney does behind the scenes. He is an asset to this group, in all areas. You may not like the work you think he is involved in in these negotiations, but he does more than trying to get us a new contract. I can honestly say I've had more help/facts from him than any other union member here. I'm guessing you have never picked up a phone and called him for an issue, you'd just rather vent anonymously? He is one of the few on here that speaks facts, not emotion or heresay or what he heard from his sister's boyfriend's cousin's neighbor who is a private pilot. And he is willing to help in other areas (finance, 401k, union rep at BM meetings etc)

Is it true management has buddy passes but no one else? Do they also have unlimited, space positive international days or is that a rumor, also?

no offense to the 9E guys, but at XJ, our union reps are not allowed to comment on any public message board, even our mesabapilot board. We have a union forum set up for specific things when it comes to stuff about negotiations and contracts. I personally think thats a good thing....and you could maybe attribute some of the "bonding" if you will, in our pilot group. because you don't want management seeing the divide in the pilot group, and it could hamper negotiations...just my 2 cents though, i understand the communication could be a little better on your guys end as well

The MOST important phrase in the contract
 

If you find this or any similar weasel clauses, be VERY CAUTIOUS.

"To the extent possible management will ...(fill in the blanks)....

Management will defend this as a needed flexibility.....

OK.... but then the VERY NEXT PHRASE MUST....M...U...S...T... BE.....

"When due to operational need management can not perform per above, the pilot SHALL be without exception compensated/reimbursed per the following adjusted pay schedule....."

If "To the extent possible" is part of a contract it MUST be strengthened with "motivation" which will keep management "Motivated" to honor the original contract"/ Otherwise, why would management EVER honor the contract?

If fact.... they should NOT !
Their job is to maximize profitability...and if they have the opportunity to bend.break.trash the contract to make more money...it is their responsibility to do so. Only a STRONG CONTRACT will keep them "Honest".

Management will use operational need every chance they can. Make sure that management would prefer to NOT use this clause.

If this protection language is NOT in the language protecting the labor group, you don't REALLY have a contract which protects your labor agreement. You have a contract which ties the pilots' hands while providing freedom for management to do anything, without limit ...at will.

I translate "to the extent possible" in a 9E contract as "only if it benefits management or the operation." As in "reserve requests will be sorted and award to the extent possible" in TA1 essentially meant nothing. They were words to make a few guys feel better, but the rest of us knew it meant they could still do whatever they wanted as far as awarding reserves what they needed. What? You wanted RRL? Well, we awarded it "to the extent possible." Sorry you didn't get it, even if you ARE the most senior guy on reserve. BTW, we're escalating you to RRA tomorrow, and we really don't care how many people junior to you are still on home reserve.

Sounds like a good idea in practice to have the union guys not posting on an internet forum, but it's been tried on our end. It turns into a "Where is the union!??! Why don't they say something!??!" even if 4 e-mails have gone out in 48 hours. Even if we don't have that, it turns into a rumor fest. Not that I'm surprised at that given how essentially inbred our training department is with management. I swear most of the juiciest rumors I hear are started by a member of management (and one of their negotiators), and it gets picked up and repeated by his close friends in the training dept.....

I just want the negotiators to know we are all counting on them.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SmHeP9Sve48/0.jpg

RIP Leslie Nielsen