As per SWAPA email a few minutes ago.

 

Send it!
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I half expected SWAPA to take longer to ask for release given the delay in seeking mediation.

 

Let’s roll!! It’s on. You can take that to mean what the hell ever you want it to.

 

LFGOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

I think the company seriously underestimated the emotional desire to burn this place down by a large portion of the pilot group.

A big shiny contract isn’t even going to fix that. It will take decades to undo what’s done, if they even desire to fix it, which seems dubious.

 

Time to nut up.... Let's go!!!

 

A couple of fairly recent historical cases to be familiar with regarding a request for release from mediation.

Last year, on June 10, 2022, the bloc of twelve railroad unions were released from mediation one week after requesting a proffer of arbitration. Ten of the twelve unions had filed for mediation in Feb 2022. When they were released from mediation, they'd only been in mediation for 136 days. That may be a record short time for a stay in mediation from entering mediation to a proffer of arbitration.

Two of the twelve unions had filed for mediation several months earlier than the other ten. On Feb 23, 2022, those two unions (BMWED and SMART-MD) requested a release from mediation. They were not released until all twelve unions were released in June 2022. The letter BMWED and SMART-MD sent to the NMB was very short and general in nature.

In 2018, the Frontier pilots requested a release from mediation. They were not released. I am not sure if the NMB simply did not respond to them or outright denied their request. Maybe someone who is familiar can fill in the details. I have seen Frontier's request for release. It was very long and full of details asserting many of the same sorts of arguments SWAPA is making. I cannot find a copy of it now but it seemed pretty convincing to me. However, the NMB was not swayed (but we have a very different NMB today).

 

Although i am on board with this move. What do you suppose will be the course of action for SWAPA if we are not released? I imagine this would embolden SWA to slow mediated negotiations even more. Given the timelines you posted, could this have been a premature request? And if so when is the earliest another can be made?

 

This is a time to fully support Jody/NC and Casey and your BOD on this decision. There is nothing beneficial to you or the pilot group in circling back.

As a pilot group, we have many many hidden adversaries both internal to our own ranks and at SWA reference a true homerun contract. The dissenting koolaiders are going to start trying to stir up dissention in the ranks on this. We have to trust that our NC/Exec/BOD are playing chess on this and are already playing out the permutations 10 moves deep past todays announcement.

Engage your BOD rep, ask questions, becomes better informed, and speak and comm your views and concerns. That is healthy and helps make our Union strong. Dont make assumptions based on heresay or public or union forum disinformation programs which will be in full effect soon.

 

Despite the fact that the FAs just got iced, the reality is that nobody really knows if, and when the NMB is going to release us. We shouldn’t take it for granted, and it would probably behoove the company to do the same.

I could speculate, that if the mediator continues to see company negotiators showing up unprepared and refusing to make meaningful progress, it could only serve to speed up a release. It’s my hope that whoever is advising the higher-ups, also takes into account the possible collateral damage that could ensue from this event. For example, what affect is this going to have on recruiting and retention, on top of the challenges we were already facing?

With a contract that’s three years past due, pulling almost all legal levers available, this was the only other formidable lever for SWAPA. Time for all of us to save, save, save, and educate ourselves on the “repercussions” of crossing a picket line…