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JTF
I'm leaning toward a yes but barely, 55% or so. I give this TA a C+Originally Posted by Pilot7576
...But what do I know, I'm a glass half full kinda guy...which are you?JTF
I will definitely attend the road show before I make up my mind.
Pilot7576 - I too am a half-full kind of person but I also think a union should protect the weakest union members first and foremost. I might have misunderstood the TA and I'll keep researching but for now I have some major reservations.
How those on long-term medical got weaseled out of bonuses for example is beyond my comprehension? Those are the pilots who need the money the most! Our long term medical has already been slashed from 67 to 60% and now they can't take on part time jobs without off-setting the earned money (i.e. they'd be working for free).
Factor in cobra payments they have to pay and what's left? Just an embarrassing admission that they won't be getting any bonuses at all. I sincerely hope I'm misunderstanding this part and if I do I'll come back here to apologize.
Also, many senior pilots sacrificed greatly for the junior IPA members by taking time off, not picking up open time, giving up sick time, etc. Yes, we all did or most of us did. ..and now, some of the very same pilots who retired just days or weeks prior to the TA (i.e. stilly sprague and MANY, MANY others) get cut out of any retro pay/bonus? Did I get that right? Is that what you mean by "industry leading"?
I firmly believe that MOU was the right thing to do because we're a union and we take care of each other. Well, I feel the very same way about taking care of those who led us in the past who've now retired. They held the line for us and we should hold the line for them.
..and frankly, if this is really the best we can do then personally I'd be willing to get a smaller, maybe even much smaller bonus as long as those who retired during the duration of the 2006 contract got compensated for being the great and the supporting union members that they were. It's the right thing to do.
I have a great deal of respect for Bob T and the entire EB and because of this I'll probably be voting yes. However if I do vote yes it won't be because this is an "industry leading" contract - because it is not. It's a good contract in some areas and not so good in others.
This is not a 5-year contract but a 10-year contract and everyone knows that. Just the way the 2006 6-year (LOL!!!) contract turned out to be a 10-year contract.
For example, the Scab force issue hasn't been resolved. The job gains in the training department are a plus but I guess we left the issue of the remaining instantaneous ûber-captains for the next contract - again.
We have the very best conditions one could ever dream off for a great, fantastic contract - an accelerating pilot shortage, improving economy, and greatly enhanced contracts at several major passenger airlines.
We SHOULD be number one! ..and not at the very end of the contract and only for a few months before some other airline's new contract supersedes us, again!
We have by far the toughest schedules, fly the most challenging time zone flipper routes, carry hazmat, millions of lithium batteries and work for an employer who truly despises us. Yes, we should be number one, not almost number one, or number one for a brief nano-second..