Goodness gracious! I'm sincerely happy your suffering is over. Now start looking up to the "big boys" (and not down to regionals and bankrupt cargo outfits) as C2015 approaches.
You do know those upgrades and upward movement will slow down drastically pretty soon, right? The half-way point in scheduled aircraft deliveries is approaching fast. In a perfect world, aircraft deliveries are not deferred and scheduled returns are not anticipated (our A319's are going away). Very little attrition here, young workforce. If you got hired recently, chances are you'll be a bottom-of-the-list-captain for a long, long time. And you might have to commute to whatever base you can hold. Speaking of captains, have you looked at the captain pay scale? Compare it with other A320 operators (which, by the way, carry less pax onboard). I'm an 8th-year captain making $20 per hour less than JetBlue 4th-year captains upgrading this year, and their negotiations for their first ALPA contract are starting soon. Look at Delta's pay scale. You see what I mean?
Let's aim very high in 2015...ESOP, profit sharing, industry-leading pay scale, no PBS, much better retirement plan, redeye overrides, international overrides, etc. What we have now PLUS way more. Don't let the current negotiators, that believe in distributive negotiations, fool you with the flawed "the pie is so big" concept. They've already begun saying that at the "crew room get-togethers". This is NOT a zero-sum game, its a win-win/win-lose. Our CEO is an expert in game theory as it applies to business. Do our negotiators even know what that is? Sadly, we let many things slip away in 2010 when we had the company by the balls during the strike. The union fear-mongered and scared the group into voting-in the first TA (or else, "we're gonna shut our doors and you'll be out of a job").
Let's not allow a TRULY industry leading contract slip away (no ALPA propaganda intended here). We have leverage and we are the leverage. Think hard about that and you'll understand...
Welcome to Spirit, get involved and keep an open mind. Also, all pre-2010 pilots appreciate your compliment.

 

Agreed! We have 50% more pilots than LAS and many here are willing to help set up a LEC.

 

No suffering, here. I've had a great career with no regrets, and a fantastic resume to show for it. Hopefully, C2015 will build upon the success.

Thanks for the reply, and food for thought.

 

Please provide evidence to back up your claim about that previous MEC Chairman.

In the mean time, maybe you should have attended one of the BoneDaddys get-together's. As you know, they were publicly advertised for the first 8 months . They were, and still are, open to any Spirit pilot who cares show up. In fact, the reason the dates are no longer publicly available is directly attributable to SPA ALPA "leader's" telling pilots to stay away from them.

What have YOU done to encourage unity among your fellow pilots?

For that matter, what has ANY SPA ALPA leader done to build unity?

 

Keep it up, A320. Sooner or later they'll hear ya!

 

Let's aim high for C2015! We do have leverage! Have not heard anyone disagree with those assertions.
Why not join in on that instead of trying to undermine the the current volunteers and former volunteers.
I see our current ALPA leadership are trying their best work in our best interest, just as the former ALPA leadership mostly did. And I thank them all for that, that includes the former MEC chairman, too. Mistakes was made by both, let's learn from them and move forward. We got a serious fight ahead of us.

 

I agree with this sentiment. Sadly im willing to bet others will offer a differing option to this view.

 

I agree! However, I'll support what in my professional assessment is the correct course of action to ensure my individual and our collective welfare. People's careers and livelihoods are on the line. And those mistakes you mention... many could have been avoided if they had listened to some of the very smart pilots that work here. Instead, most were brushed off because "our union reps know what's better for everyone." Heck, I have an MBA and formal education in collective bargaining, negotiations and management-labor relations. I'll volunteer! I'll share ideas! Oh, never mind, I forgot that's not how it works around here. Ask C.R., a captain and practicing, experienced lawyer what happened when he volunteered in the past.
The day the MEC shows transparency in its dealings, including selection of negotiators and reps, LISTENS and ACTS towards the wishes of the entire group will be the day ALL pilots will support their efforts. Which reminds me, why haven't they agreed to a meeting/voting session for Council 77 interim captain rep in DFW if many pilots have already contacted them regarding this issue? It's clearly allowed in the Bylaws. Because they have a "homegrown" candidate in LAS that they want to win. You see? Play clean, and everybody will join them, including myself.

 

I'm looking forward to running for F/O rep after TH's term is up. From what I read on here, it sounds like it's some Freemason type BS, lol....

 

They will never give DFW their own LEC. I believe their plan is to go for broke on controlling roll call by keeping the bases together and assuring 4/6 voting MEC members. I believe they want you crushed.