You probably know union sanctioned violations of the RLA have done far more harm to labor than the companies in recent times. Management would love to see an overtly illegal job action. Nobody should, or can, ask the pilots to "charge the hill", but it'd at least be nice to see somebody willing to enlist. All of the angry talk on the line sounds great, but judging by the way the operation is chugging along, we're all just a bunch of chicken hawks. I was wrong on one point, there is a metric where the company is lagging... stock performance. However, we've reached SOC and, not coincidentally, the management bonuses that go with it. Do you think Jeff and Co. care about angry "co-workers" if it doesn't affect the bottom line? This boils down to a chicken vs. egg question. You say lead, follow, or get out of the way... the problem is, judging by the way things are tracking, if they lead, there'll be too few behind them, and if they follow or get out of the way, there'll be too few in front. The underlying anger is definitely there, but it hasn't boiled over... yet.

 

My understanding is the answer is no. I heard he had a much rougher time than EWR.

 

You mean like the company sponsored "plants" that rolled up in the chartered motor coach for the EWR X-Change??

 

I disagree - If the MEC would give the pilot group direction and purpose, the pilot group will follow - that's just the way it works.

 

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Do you really think the ALPA MEC has abandoned you?? Have the UAL ALPA MEC and the CAL ALPA MEC even talked and gotten it together??
Could be that's the question that needs to be asked because it appears that they have NOT yet gotten a strategy together yet. Which is playing RIGHT into the Schemes of the UAL Negotiating group. I thinks there was some Naievete happening on the part of some of the CAL Pilots because I believe they had Far better relations with CAL than the UAL Pilots had with UAL. But NOW it appears the "UAL Hoodlums" are in the Negotiating driver's seat and their AIM is more to Subjugate than to Negotiate.
I think instead of picking fights about what airplane should be paid What you guys wasted a LOT of effort in NOT recognizing your TRUE enemy. (UAL MANAGEMENT)
Because ALL of these Schemes you're now having heartburn about?? came out of UAL, and CAL is "along for the Ride". If you were to Talk to Each other you Might recognize your Enemy for What they are and WHO they are. Because when they Strike like "Thieves in the Night"?
They're going to Stick it to ALL of you in One Fell Swoop. Play off the Furghlouees against Junior CAL pilots, Play off the 70 seat Regionals against the Active CAL pilots. Order 200 more Narrow bodies and set them for the UAL Pilots for recall... Play against the 70 seat Scope clause. A LITTANY of "skullduggery". The Best defense? Cameraderie! Not this Crape I've read recently "Welcome to United Flight xxx,Flown by Proud Continental Pilots?? Are you Kidding?? Why don't you just give them a clean Sword to Chop off your Head?? I sure hope you guys Stand Strong. I Don't know Who you've Been Dealing with?? But you're dealing with REAL Cutthroats Now!! They're NOT afraid of ALPA ONE IOTA. You gotta stand Together or they'll Cut your Group to Ribbons.
And EVERY Grad school in the COUNTRY is teaching "How to Rob Unions 101" I read a History book recently and in the early 1900's the Business Barons expressed a mentality that LABOR (you and me) should Not try to Rise above their "Station" in Life. (Sounds like the Republicans of today doesn't it??)
I wish you ALL the Best for the Coming Holidays...

 

While they certainly aren't holding hands and singing Kumbaya, this merger is unlike any other I can think of. It's probably most similar to NWA/DAL, but my understanding is that was an acquisition and their management was nowhere near as adversarial. Think of it as a marriage, there are going to be significant disagreements because we both have our own competing vision of how things ought to be, but over time it'll work itself out. As far as the JNC goes, I've heard they're working well together. In all, I'm not too worried.

While in the past that was true, when Jeff took the helm we were the ones warning the UAL guys they were going from the frying pan (Tilton) to the fire (Smisek).

While there's still grumbling and discontent, that's all in the past. I agree with your basic premise (unity), but I don't think there's a need to go "Chicken Little" over relatively minor public disagreements.

 

"But NOW it appears the "UAL Hoodlums" are in the Negotiating driver's seat and their AIM is more to Subjugate than to Negotiate."

styfyr51 - I know that this is taken out of context, but what exactly are the "UAL Hoodlums" trying to control. I just don't understand.

 

Xhooker, you're a bit naive to even comprehend your weakness...

 

Not sure who or what the "ALPA Hoodlums" are, maybe you'd like to clarify your understanding of how ALPA works. Aside from that, it sounds like your saying BOTH sides are looking to "subjugate rather than negotiate". That sounds like a pretty normal negotiation to me.

 

Why don't you spell it out, and judging by your handle, isn't it "our" weakness?