The issues of the current management is that they view everything in dollars. Every issue has a budget and often they are just using last years budget to allocate funds to an airline that is expanding rapidly, not adding enough for the new size needed. The same is true for the negotiations. They have a "budget" for pilots and are in a mindset of just handing over a check to the union and saying here is your number for the pilot group, you figure out how you want to split it amongst the pilots. Not much of a negotiation.

 

I just filled out the survey and I like that it went into the detail of things I think are important. I have begun to adjust my mindset about this being some quick contract that gets inked by fall. I think if we want a nice little 10 percent raise and give away our 4 days off with transition conflict then we'll probably have a contract very soon. However I am willing to wait and strike if need be to achieve what we all know we deserve. Lets all forget the quick instant gratification contract thing and plan on getting the contract we deserve. I have confidence in our ALPA team but they will only bargain for what we are willing to achieve. Im content to ride this out and get the numbers we deserve. Thats my rant. Carry on. PS I like Bendo but I would have fell out of my chair if he said anything about 2 percent unless he was talking about milk for my cereal.

 

That pretty well disqualifies you from being taken seriously. Sorry

 

If we do go full term to a strike or almost a strike I'm expecting every section to be renegotiated and I'm going to want everything. If it goes that way we have to get the absolute most we can while the getting is good.

 

You've met them? Nice, you want a cookie?

I've worked under their "If you don't vote for it, we're in no mans land and also we'll quit" contract for five years. Whether they are personally losers or not is not material. They are losers as far as their ability to negotiate and write blackandwhite language.

Morrison, you mentioned him by name, not me. Morrison was part of the DL LOA that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. That's enough for me.

It's all matter of degree my friend, all a matter of degree.

Oh, one more thing. The DTW crowd was whining about the lack of Spirit longevity our new MEC Chairman possesses, but you guys are perfectly happy with the Morrison. Morrison has just marginally more Spirit longevity than the MEC Chairman. Hypocrites abound.

 

Can't dislike someone that's never done anything to hurt me personally. That could change very quickly come this fall. And if I disliked everyone for people they've screwed over in the past, it would compromise my zen-like being. Doesn't mean I trust him at all when it comes to giving is what we deserve. Irellevant anyway. Negotiations are all business and not about likes or dislikes

 

Not really sure what you mean here. The story was completely blown out of proportion and if rumors are to be believed, there was no passenger, or passengers or boarding taking place, just a jilted ex.

As far as management is concerned, not sure what your issue is with them either, they did the responsible thing and investigated, the FA in question is still employed and they are looking into setting up photo ops in a controlled manner for other FAs who'd like their picture taken doing what they love.

I can assure you, and I'm sure others would agree, there are plenty of outfits that would've fired her first and then asked questions.

And, if Spirit isn't for you, I'm sure it's not for everyone just politely decline an interview if called, but if I can offer some unasked for advice, never, ever burn bridges. You never know what the future may hold.

 

If 10% and qol concessions is in a quick TA they can shove it up their ass. However a 4 year negotiation and 70% raise is equally unacceptable. That is hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost income as well as lost seniority at another airline. I told them if a long drawn out negotiation is managements goal for us to get what we deserve then they (NC) need to just flat out tell the pilot group. It's just business so if that's managements plan, fine. But some of us are playing wait and see with this contract because we genuinely want to retire at spirit. If management isn't willing to agree to a career airline contract in short order we need to know so we can get while the getting is good.

 

+1

If this 2% rumor has any legitimacy, it's a slap in the face and I think it's going to be a long road ahead to the contract we deserve.. Hopefully the new union leadership keeps us in the loop, especially if management refuses to talk realistic to them.

 

Wow, it's deja vu all over again.

We DID go full term to a strike and we ended up with the same contract we walked out on. Conflict went back to what we gave up in 03 and the super senior dudes in ACY FLL and DTW went to $185 an hour but other than that we gained nothing.

Which is why this nego team must go! In 2010 they WASTED a strike. We gave them the .357Magnum they asked for with a 98% strike authorization vote, they didn't get anything. We gave them the strike, 100% of us walked out for the entirety of their strike, they brought us back without a TA and when we finally saw their TA it was pretty much the same as contract 2003.

If you expect this NC to make great gains in a strike, you just might be disappointed.