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-   -   How are we going to get rid of the RLA? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/regional/93668-how-we-going-get-rid-rla.html)

FirstClass 03-02-2016 09:42 AM


Originally Posted by deltajuliet (Post 2079881)
I think you're right about mediators, and fixing what they've become would be another big win.


I hear what you're saying, but even if there was a sudden and dramatic uptick in outstation write-ups, what's the company going to claim, that pilots shouldn't be writing up mx issues? Don't we have a legal obligation to do so? Maybe the planes are just getting older and the mechanics aren't maintaining them well. If each individual write-up is individually defendable, I don't think management would have a leg to stand on.

In any event, none of that is any of our concern. I don't make maintenance or scheduling situations. There job is supply me with an airworthy airplane.

272922 03-02-2016 09:52 AM


Originally Posted by FirstClass (Post 2080433)
I'm not at all concerned with what I cannot control. But I am concerned with what I and fellow pilots can directly control. We can apply pressure outside of the union and RLA.

And I keep trying to point out you're not the first pilot with that idea. And you wouldn't be the first pilot (or group of pilots) to suffer legal consequences for it.

In any event, realize that current market conditions are very much in your favor and some grand mx slowdown plan is unnecessary.

Or not.

"Life is hard. It's harder when you're stupid."

FirstClass 03-02-2016 10:49 AM


Originally Posted by 272922 (Post 2080441)
And I keep trying to point out you're not the first pilot with that idea. And you wouldn't be the first pilot (or group of pilots) to suffer legal consequences for it.

No you haven't pointed anything out at all. What consequences would there be if 1/2 the pilot group participated in a non union sanctioned event, or what if an airline had no union and 1/2 of the pilots participated in an event. Who will the company sue? Who will the judge rule against? Is it one court case or 500 individual court cases? Does the company just fire 1/2 the pilot group in today's climate?

You need to provide a workable answer or theory to support your position. You make it sound like what you have to say is a forgone conclusion and its not so far.

I'm making an argument and I expect you to do the same if you are going to take on my position.

272922 03-02-2016 11:59 AM


Originally Posted by FirstClass (Post 2080462)
No you haven't pointed anything out at all. What consequences would there be if 1/2 the pilot group participated in a non union sanctioned event, or what if an airline had no union and 1/2 of the pilots participated in an event. Who will the company sue? Who will the judge rule against? Is it one court case or 500 individual court cases? Does the company just fire 1/2 the pilot group in today's climate?

To your first hypothetical, the company sues the union, union leadership is subject to jail time, and the company can ask for an award that has to be paid out of union funds, which means it comes out of your check. See APA in 1999, and the New York Transit strike of 2005.

Now, ask yourself this: if the absence of a union under the RLA granted an employee group strike at will, then why the hell does any airline have a union? The overall answer is the courts have ruled that the lack of a union does not absolve employees from their responsibility to exhaust all avenues of bargaining and negotiation before self help. See ASI, Inc vs IBT in 2014.

As to what the consequences of the latter would be, I honestly don't know, but at a minimum you're out of a job. But since you work at a union carrier it's irrelevant to your current situation.

To your last question, does the company just fire 500 people today? Well, that first assumes you can actually get 500 people to go along with your plan, and do so quietly enough that the company doesn't get wind of it before hand. How likely is that? Not very.

But what you should really be asking yourself is what would you be able to accomplish that market forces aren't already doing?

Not much.

galaxy flyer 03-02-2016 02:50 PM

First Class,

Try reading this:

AMERICAN AIRLINES INC v. ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION | FindLaw

Beyond law, study up on some economics, too.

GF

galaxy flyer 03-02-2016 02:55 PM

And this one on ASI vs. IBT

AIRCRAFT SERVICE INTERNATIONAL INC v. INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS AFL CIO 117 | FindLaw

And NYC Transit strike here at Wiki

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005...transit_strike

You are not unique, others have blundered down the same path, in aviation we try to learn from others mistakes, not keep repeating them.

BTW, I was on the EAL MEC in 88-89 and was sued, as part of the MEC, personally. The process came to apartment, issued the service and offered my furniture in the event the company won the 1 billion dollars sought.

GF

FirstClass 03-02-2016 04:17 PM

duplicate

filler

FirstClass 03-02-2016 04:19 PM

There is nothing that can be done to stop individual pilots from applying their will. Your regional airline needs you to have a union, its their free police department to keep you in line. The union is your weakness, its what keeps you attached to the RLA, the topic of this thread. I would much rather engage alpa or lawyers and pay a $500 one time fee to negotiate a new contract when needed then cut them loose.

Let's say your have 1000 pilots on the payroll. If 500 of them decide to apply pressure and there is either-

1.) No Union
2.) A disbanded union
3.) A union that strongly does everything in its power to stop the actions (something APA and DALPA never did)

The company will unsuccessfully attempt to deal with pilots collectively, but there is no single structure to do so. It's why those animals in the middle east are so successful with their misdeeds- there is no central organization to deal with.

500 of 1000 pilots cannot be fired for just doing their jobs extremely well, cannot be sued for just doing their jobs, there is no organization to sue, there is no organization to deal with.

That's my argument.

FirstClass 03-02-2016 04:21 PM


Originally Posted by galaxy flyer (Post 2080642)
And this one on ASI vs. IBT

AIRCRAFT SERVICE INTERNATIONAL INC v. INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS AFL CIO 117 | FindLaw

And NYC Transit strike here at Wiki

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005...transit_strike

You are not unique, others have blundered down the same path, in aviation we try to learn from others mistakes, not keep repeating them.

BTW, I was on the EAL MEC in 88-89 and was sued, as part of the MEC, personally. The process came to apartment, issued the service and offered my furniture in the event the company won the 1 billion dollars sought.

GF

Both of those cases had union involvement, something I am not advocating. The union is why you cannot strike, its tied to the RLA. Both the union and RLA are a rope around your neck. Simply rid yourself of both by eliminating the union.

galaxy flyer 03-02-2016 04:43 PM

Go ahead and try it. The courts have been clear--concerted activity, union or not, can be found be looking at changes in employee behavior from past records. Start writing up altimeters, adding 30 minutes to a 1 hour flight, sudden changes in sick calls will be found illegal self-help. I've almost doubled flight times JFK-MIA, flew TPA-MCO taking 40 minutes flying the procedure turn. None if this is new. Windshields? EA MX must have replaced half the 727's fleet windshields in 3 months. The Max Safety program very carefully unconnected to the union, but still charged with corrupt practices.

They'll just fine everybody.

GF


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