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-   -   "NO" path(s) forward (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/southwest/90812-no-path-s-forward.html)

Justdoinmyjob 10-12-2015 05:48 AM


Originally Posted by 1Seat 1Engine (Post 1990456)
If someone has to tell you they're honest, don't trust anything that follows.

Kinda like when the captain says in the initial brief, "I'm laid back and like to have fun." Prepare for the trip from hell.

gipple 10-12-2015 10:13 AM

The most comprehensive reasons yet to vote NO.

Brian Fitting, Oak Rep...

There is too much on the line to sit back silent and not let the membership know what is going on. I don't relish this responsibility nor do I take it lightly. Here is a history of what has happened and where we are at.

Our Constitution is set up to up to have the 20 Domicile Representatives set direction and have the President and VPs execute that plan. In July your Domicile Representatives called a Special Board Meeting to evaluate the Delta TA and ensure that Board Direction was being followed. We set the sand box for our asks and were told by the NC that this wouldn't be the deal. We left that meeting with a feeling that they would do their best and report back.

In late July/early August we heard we were close and the President cancelled our picketing and told the BOD expect something soon. The BOD asked for numbers and specifics and were unequivocally told no to any numbers or specifics. The Board obviously was put on notice that we wouldn't be included in the end game. The Board was very clear with the President that process matters, but if the product is worthy we won't publicly start tearing the Union apart.

We were told we had an AIP without any Board involvement in the end game or any heads up. I will be honest I opened the Executive Summary and was shocked. We were excluded at the end, but I was naive enough to think they would have achieved most of what we were asking for. After all, Board direction was clear. They failed to achieve any of our goals.

The Union President acted unilaterally and brought us an AIP that was well below BOD direction. That is a fact. No politics and no BS. The NC did their best. The NC works for the President and did their job. This is the key to all of this. Either the President gave the okay to an AIP that was against Board direction or he failed to properly supervise the Committees under his control. Read that again. The President either okayed the deal or failed to properly manage his Committees. Either way, the President either chose to ignore BOD direction or he failed to do his job. It is either an act of commission or omission. He fundamentally failed to perform his job as President.

The way it should have worked under our Constitution is the NC went to the President and said this isn't what the Board directed but this is the best we could do. At that point the President should have come to the BOD and asked us what we wanted to do. Should we picket Houston Terminal? Picket 3rd Quarter Earnings? Media blast? Etc? Instead the President ignored BOD direction and called it an AIP. He acted unilaterally. He ignored the BOD and made a decision for all 8,000 pilots by himself. That is a big decision for one man to make. In meditation he tied the hands of the BOD. If we rejected the AIP the Mediator and Company could just say the BOD is a bunch of radicals and there is no leverage going forward. The President deciding to make this an AIP forced the BOD's hand.

I am asked a lot of questions about what the plan is going forward. I hear a lot of people worried about the plan and the dysfunction at SWAPA. The plan going forward is this. The President needs to resign. He failed to do his job. The NC did the best they could do given the environment they were in. I hope they will assist a new NC with background information going forward. We have a list of potential candidates. The value just isn't there. For the first time in a long time we have LEVERAGE. The company needs and wants section 1. And we hold the keys. If this passes I will quietly resign and head back to the line. If this fails I expect Paul Jackson to do the same. It will be in everyone's best interest for me to resign if we vote yes, and everyone's best interest for Paul to resign if we vote no. That is a fact.

Ask yourself this. During Epic profits, are you willing to accept 1.25% a year raises? Name one thing in this TA you can hang your hat on as a win? Yes, there are gains, but during the most profitable times in Southwest Airlines history are you going to give concessions in Section 1 that were bought and paid for with 4% raise since 2011? For an industry lagging retirement? The list of things we didn't get is much longer than the things we did.

We are at a crossroads. Are you going to accept a concessionary contract during epic profits? Your union has a plan. The plan starts at the top. Your President is not capable of leading you to a better deal. Your Board of Directors is an 80% no vote and ready to lead you to a better contract. The time is now for us to get the best deal we can. I don't know how to say it any plainer than I have. I have yet to get an answer to my question about what in this deal is a big win for the Pilots during record profits. Most yes voters I have talked to say they are voting yes out of fear or saying this is the best we can do. I don't accept that. Stand up for yourself or capitulate? That is the question I want all of you to ask yourself when you cast your vote.

Fraternally,
Brian

CRJammin 10-13-2015 07:22 AM

Brian is right.

Industry lagging in so many ways... A NO vote esp while we all await Delta TA 2.0...


Originally Posted by gipple (Post 1990771)
The most comprehensive reasons yet to vote NO.

Brian Fitting, Oak Rep...

There is too much on the line to sit back silent and not let the membership know what is going on. I don't relish this responsibility nor do I take it lightly. Here is a history of what has happened and where we are at.

Our Constitution is set up to up to have the 20 Domicile Representatives set direction and have the President and VPs execute that plan. In July your Domicile Representatives called a Special Board Meeting to evaluate the Delta TA and ensure that Board Direction was being followed. We set the sand box for our asks and were told by the NC that this wouldn't be the deal. We left that meeting with a feeling that they would do their best and report back.

In late July/early August we heard we were close and the President cancelled our picketing and told the BOD expect something soon. The BOD asked for numbers and specifics and were unequivocally told no to any numbers or specifics. The Board obviously was put on notice that we wouldn't be included in the end game. The Board was very clear with the President that process matters, but if the product is worthy we won't publicly start tearing the Union apart.

We were told we had an AIP without any Board involvement in the end game or any heads up. I will be honest I opened the Executive Summary and was shocked. We were excluded at the end, but I was naive enough to think they would have achieved most of what we were asking for. After all, Board direction was clear. They failed to achieve any of our goals.

The Union President acted unilaterally and brought us an AIP that was well below BOD direction. That is a fact. No politics and no BS. The NC did their best. The NC works for the President and did their job. This is the key to all of this. Either the President gave the okay to an AIP that was against Board direction or he failed to properly supervise the Committees under his control. Read that again. The President either okayed the deal or failed to properly manage his Committees. Either way, the President either chose to ignore BOD direction or he failed to do his job. It is either an act of commission or omission. He fundamentally failed to perform his job as President.

The way it should have worked under our Constitution is the NC went to the President and said this isn't what the Board directed but this is the best we could do. At that point the President should have come to the BOD and asked us what we wanted to do. Should we picket Houston Terminal? Picket 3rd Quarter Earnings? Media blast? Etc? Instead the President ignored BOD direction and called it an AIP. He acted unilaterally. He ignored the BOD and made a decision for all 8,000 pilots by himself. That is a big decision for one man to make. In meditation he tied the hands of the BOD. If we rejected the AIP the Mediator and Company could just say the BOD is a bunch of radicals and there is no leverage going forward. The President deciding to make this an AIP forced the BOD's hand.

I am asked a lot of questions about what the plan is going forward. I hear a lot of people worried about the plan and the dysfunction at SWAPA. The plan going forward is this. The President needs to resign. He failed to do his job. The NC did the best they could do given the environment they were in. I hope they will assist a new NC with background information going forward. We have a list of potential candidates. The value just isn't there. For the first time in a long time we have LEVERAGE. The company needs and wants section 1. And we hold the keys. If this passes I will quietly resign and head back to the line. If this fails I expect Paul Jackson to do the same. It will be in everyone's best interest for me to resign if we vote yes, and everyone's best interest for Paul to resign if we vote no. That is a fact.

Ask yourself this. During Epic profits, are you willing to accept 1.25% a year raises? Name one thing in this TA you can hang your hat on as a win? Yes, there are gains, but during the most profitable times in Southwest Airlines history are you going to give concessions in Section 1 that were bought and paid for with 4% raise since 2011? For an industry lagging retirement? The list of things we didn't get is much longer than the things we did.

We are at a crossroads. Are you going to accept a concessionary contract during epic profits? Your union has a plan. The plan starts at the top. Your President is not capable of leading you to a better deal. Your Board of Directors is an 80% no vote and ready to lead you to a better contract. The time is now for us to get the best deal we can. I don't know how to say it any plainer than I have. I have yet to get an answer to my question about what in this deal is a big win for the Pilots during record profits. Most yes voters I have talked to say they are voting yes out of fear or saying this is the best we can do. I don't accept that. Stand up for yourself or capitulate? That is the question I want all of you to ask yourself when you cast your vote.

Fraternally,
Brian


SlipKid 10-15-2015 07:59 AM

You guys need to watch the Akins and Pepper videos! You'd then realize just what a great deal this is, especially in "this environment"!

cubanstud0 10-16-2015 05:24 AM

what have you heard about jet blue?

Piklepausepull 10-19-2015 06:45 AM

I heard you're buying Alaska(n)!, or are they buying YOU?

I got the "corner" on popcorn futures!


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