I gotta say, at times reading this thread my head is spinning. I honestly have no clue who works for who anymore. It seems like both sides are bickering about the same things in opposing manners. From someone that understands compromise (for a good cause) and is not afraid of change thus not caring if my job exists when this all blows over, I think we are totally screwed.

Not just from the vibes you get from the forum regulars but from what I hear around the line, we are going in the wrong direction. We took management's bait and they are stoked Im sure.

 

This sounds great, lets try and make this happen. Im honestly not afraid of it not working...because I want to find the best system! If it ends up being flightline then so be it...I just want to make sure we fully test and run both systems equally.

 

The arbitrator can do what ever he wants. Your statement is not likely but you never know. It is highly likely that the rate will be lower than most because of the 9E numbers. That will hurt when there were other options at the time than going into negotiations for a rate.

If it does go to arbitration the MEC nor the pilot group will have any control of the outcome.

 

.....and why are we in the position that it might have to go to arbitration? Oh yea, because you guys refused to negotiate in good faith with us so now we have to do it ourselves. I really hope flightline is worth it for you guys!

 

This is exactly where the argument for SmartPref fails every time. There haven't been any work rules negotiated for SmartPref yet. To assume you are going to negotiate all the rules you want for that system is very naive.

 

If you are brining on a new system, you test it countless times, figure out what work rules you need to make it work, negotiate those rules, THEN draft a TA. To think we would try to bring on a new system before negotiating anything is moronic. We cant negotiate any work rules or even figure out what we need for that matter if the other side is unwilling to talk. Why would you think we would implement it prior to negotiating work rules for it? Thats just plain dumb!

 

Why drag this out further? The ASA group has one that works and has support of the group. Once there is one MEC, your guys will just roll call vote everything. Why not go back and work on SmartPref then?

 

Trust me i wish it was that easy. We have determined (through a lot of gruling research) that flightline in its current form will not protect the current QOL of our pilot group as a whole. The goal of this joint contract is to ensure QOL and compensation at the very least stays the same but hopefully improves for both pilot groups. Just as you feel our line bidding would be a concession for you, we have proven flightline would be for us. The reason we are pushing Smartpref is because it is our belief that if your group gives us a chance, we can negotiate the most interactive, user friendly PBS system in the industry. It will truly be one of a kind, and one that other pilot groups will certainly take a good hard look at for their next contracts. We would NEVER ask you guys to agree to anything without first negotiating work rules for it and seeing them in action. Ill admit, if you look at smartpref without work rules it is awful. But if you look at what it will be with our current rules plus a few more, it is really something special.

 

Unfortunately what everyone is not discussing is that the company has offered a contract and it is an across the board cut in QOL, so they are NOT trying to maintain current status, all they want are cuts. And that was before the Pinnacle fiasco. it is only going to get worse for us.THIS is what is holding up the contract, NOT this mess with bidding.
We ALL want a good bidding system, but from our EXPERIENCE, anything with globablization is NOT good for the pilot group, only the company. No amount of work rules can change that. With what the company has already offered there is no way you can expect to negotiate the work rules you think you would need to make SmartPref acceptable. All you have to do to see how it turns out is look at Continental's pbs with globalization and it will end worse than that. We need to stop acting like children with this bidding snafu and see that the house is burning around us.

 

With that attitude you won't be earning any Starbucks. They probably won't even let you into the crew room on Acey Day.