Wait... now I'm confused. The union told me the AIMS and medical stuff was not even being addressed by the company. The company says it caved on those issues to the union.

I sure hope there's a catch in what the company proposed. Otherwise this just gets more and more suspicious.

Geeze another one sided letter trying to make the company look like superman.

In the metaphorical youtube clip, Rick Moranis is "surrounded" by them. By definition, that means on all sides.

It's like trying to get the truth by comparing Alex Jones and MSNBC.

Cue Captain Picard...

Notice the term “relevant” regarding AIMS data. I don’t think the two sides agree on what that word means.

As far as health insurance, my understanding is that the company won’t define benefits or put a cap on cost increases.

Nor will they put in writing Union concurrence before switching insurance providers (managers).

Well gee. For one, the lack of concrete facts from the union contributes tremendously to the confusion. It is apparent the two sides are millimeters and not miles apart. It's time to get this past the goal line proactively. Maybe a page from the Kalitta contract (arbitrate the two open sections down the road while leaving current policies in place) would be the wise move.

My opinion.

When the two sides meet again in spring. The negotiation result will be the same. The company will tell the mediator that the company and the union are at an impass. The company will then implement what they want to give the pilot group and the union will have a right for self help. This is when the pilots will decide what to do or cross.

Looks like the senior left seat guys are getting interviewed at other places and going to leave again in droves after the holidays anyway, so it really doesn't matter what happens.

the "company cannot implement squat, without their proffer of arbitration being accepted by the nmb...(which they won't do)...then the cooling off period...

I wish it were different but the NMB will not allow a strike at any carrier -
especially one that is contracted by the US military

this is simply a fact of life that we all must understand

Locheed is right.

This course of action will mean months and months of this stalemate.

since it is unlikely that we will be released, the unions only play is that they can drag out the stalemate long enough to make attrition numbers go up high enough that the company will acquiesce.

the company continues to hire pilots and can always simply work us harder to combat attrition.

How long will that take?

It would seem, that the best we can hope for is maybe a contract in March or April.

I wish every pilot, especially our Union "leadership" and negotiating committee would put their emotions aside and set down with pen and paper (like many of us have) and calculate what we are giving up for what we are holding out for.

We could have locked this down in Nov, but now- best case scenario (and it is unlikely) is that the arbitrator can some help close the gap in March or April.

That means a minimum of 6 months.

Do the math:
1. Difference in pay x guarantee.
2. Difference in 401k contribution/match
3. Increase in P/D
4. Travel Pay

In my case (2nd yr FO) it came out to approximately $4,400/mo
4,400 x 6 months= $26,400.

For a Sr. Captain, it nearly twice that.

Are the gains the Union is holding out for worth $26,000 or $50k+?

And, remember, this is best case scenario through the arbiter.

if it becomes an attrition battle, who knows how long.

This could go on another 6-12-18 months?

Are 2 days on scheduling (that historically the average pilot doesn't even work anyways) worth $100,000 dollars?

I say no.

But, everyone is entitled to their opinion. If you say YES, than, God's Speed. I won't attack you for it; I just hope everyone is looking at this logically, rather than emotionally, or worse- seeking revenge.

I think the majority of us are getting sick and tired of receiving email after email from both the company and the union criticizing what the other side is doing (or not doing). This is childish and unproductive behavior from both sides. It is time to grow up, stop sending useless emails that only get people’s emotions fired up, sit down with each other and get a contract finalized.

Negotiators, grow up. Omni management, grow up. This is really pathetic behavior.