Didn’t you say the same thing after DAL ratified? The allusion of leverage is a bunch of bs. Don’t do that to yourself.

 

bs we need a deal before that

 

concur.
we don’t have actual leverage.
new hires showing up weekly.
pilots trip over each other to pick up open time.
mediation gets us DAL+$1.
time is money and time is not on our side.
we will never be released to strike.

 

Mediation opens the path toward an eventual strike, which is the ultimate leverage. It's criminal your union has gone this long without filing for mediation.

 

only leverage we have is summer flying that’s about to start…. IMO if we dont get some serious movement on terms in the next couple weeks than it will be another year.

 

A strike is only leverage if it is actually able to happen. A major airline will never be allowed to strike, company knows that, union knows that and passengers know it. A Democratic administration just blocked a rail strike, who’s members were fighting for 3 more sick days.

A mediated contract, agreed to by United’s most direct competitor and approved by 75% of membership sealed United’s outcome through mediation or not. Delta 7.2 billion set the floor, and defined the rough area of total contract cost. United and American now need to how figure out how best they wish to get to 7.5 or 7.8 billion for them. I’m not saying it’s right, it’s not. Unions should never agree to anything less then that no matter how long it takes.

The RLA gives all the leverage to the companies. Every day past the amendable date the membership is giving up money and time that even with 100% retro they will never get back. Airline membership mentality also continues to keep what little leverage they may have with the company. The game is rigged for the companies and stacked against transportation unions. I hate this fact, it sucks.

I do think the company has some structural things that without a deal will really hamper them and their stock price over time. I don’t think dragging this out is in their best interest in the larger picture. Yet, they have witnessed real weakness and disfunction in our union, and are going to make us earn whatever agreement we get.

I choose to remain optimistic, and think a deal is sooner rather than later. Could I be wrong, absolutely. Optimism is never without setbacks, it is the belief in a positive outcome over time even with these obstacles along the way.

 

I am getting the 12+ month vibe myself - we’ve seen this story too many times.

 

Kirby thinks we are all staffed up for this summer. So that ship has sailed. In order to be staffed up for next summer, we need to start filling CA NB seats by Christmas. So Kirby will give us an AIP by Halloween. The union is just a leaf in the wind.

 

We have more than enough leverage now.

We choose not to use it because we are afraid.

 

Genuinely curious to hear what you think that leverage is?