I think the typical status quo of spirit pilots is starting to change. I fly with a lot of guys who are actually reaching out to their reps and voicing their opinions. Spirit has a lot of new blood....let’s just hope it’s enough to get some changes in regards to the MEC and NC.

 

If the other councils not named 77 allow the status quo to remain, as its being set up to, it would go to show how apathetic this group is.

All I have heard is that the 77 reps are not in favor of the new proposed MEC and NC makeup, but they will need some more votes to prevent it from happening.

If this NC and MEC remains because our pilots are again too spineless to speak up, might as
well forget about any meaningful gains in the next CBA.

 

The important thing to remember is that “this group” will not be the group that votes next contract.

If hiring continues at present rate, it’s entirely possible there will be more pilots on property who were not present for the last negotiation than those who were. A plurality of those will be looking at a much different career experience (longer upgrade times, more time spent on reserve, etc)

Theres a small but influential segment who would be happy with a quick and dirty bump to upper level pay rates and signing bonus, but selling that to the masses with 7’s and 8’s employee number is an ever growing speed bump.

 

I would argue that with better leadership we'd manage more involvement. Might be a chicken vs. egg argument.

 

I agree, I wish we'd see the union doing things right now in between contracts (and while the majority of the other airlines are in negotiations) to bring the pilot group together, get people better informed on things we want next time. I don't think it's ever too soon to be looking forward, and let's face it, with this group, and the animosity people have towards each other, ie. yes vs no voters, outspoken (77) vs status quo, people too busy celebrating small individual "wins" in the current contract, "we're too many cycles away from a good contract", "we have to wait 8 years why bother now", etc, the union has its work cut out for it. Or, if they don't think it's worth their trouble, they should delegate some group (with the appropriate resources) to get this long process going.

Yeah 70% of the guys here think this is or was originally a great contract, 30% don't, 50% seem to be lying about how they voted, but it doesn't matter anymore. We need to try and get everyone on the same side now, and with the amount of division we have now, it's going to take some time to do that.

 

You mean like the LEC meetings where maybe 10 people show up?

If only half the people in the WhatsApp groups and APC filed NCCs instead of just complaining online, things might change. Instead I watch the poor Union LEC Reps and other Union volunteers beg people on WhatsApp, to send them an email to document something. But no that's too hard. Maybe we could get the Arbitrators to accept WhatsApp posts as valid NCCs since half our pilot group can't find the SPA website?

Or the Hotel Committee chairman on WhatsApp, begging for documentation on hotel complaints. Nah too hard to fill out a form, my complaint on WhatsApp should suffice.

We are a very entitled and extremely uninformed group when it comes to the content of our contract. I don't care if you love it or hate it... just know it!

We constantly post things like "where is our Union on this!? We are the Union! Get involved in the process! Whoever the MEC Officers are, support them and show unity! Hate the company bean counters not the guys volunteering their time fighting them.

Oh and if possible can we wear the lanyard next time? I mean I know some of us wanna make our own lanyard, cause we had a better idea than the Union green one. And some of us look too pretty in the Navy pants to have a lanyard that is green or red and doesn't match.
But pretty please with a cherry on top, can we at least wear the lanyard next time? A small request since 90% of us are too busy to fill out NCCs or show up to picketing events.

 

Oh, but to get the thread back on track... Upgrade is under 3 years, for now. In fact there's so many upgrades each month, the pilot base coordinators are out of 4 bar epaulets. Leading to much concern on WhatsApp from guys who may have to show up for Captain OE with only 3 stripes. The horror! Hopefully they studied AOM 2 as hard as they scoured pilot shops and WhatsApp for Captain stripes.

 

Exactly! I mean I hate to say it, but maybe the first baby step is a yet another weekly union email outlining each and every individual step on how to fill out a NCC and a hotel complaint, along with weekly play by plays of how the contract was violated and how to avoid it just to get people's eyes opened more and participating.

I don't know what the perfect solution is, or if there even is one, but I'm fairly certain the major first step is stopping pilots fighting pilots on Whatsapp and APC. Or maybe I'm completely wrong and every airline is like we are and they are constantly fighting among themselves like us.

 

Your first suggestion certainly has merit, but I’m afraid this part is probably just spitting in the wind.

The chats for new hires with the union mentors is certainly a step in the right direction, and are very valuable, particularly to those new to 121. Less memes and conjecture and more contract and communication.

The volunteers probably don’t get the credit they deserve for the work they do. Unfortunately the ratios of mentors to new hires is continually diluted, and another suggestion would be to increase their numbers.

 

I highly suspect you will see a slowing/stoping of upgrades and hiring in the very near future.


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