Alaska Classes!!!

[ferlo]

Ih8,

I'm one blood thirsty SOB who's never been in a better mood for a vicous fight. I can't wait for the openers...and their proposed pay cut. This place needs to grind to a complete halt overnight. The beauty is we don't even need one captain on our side, (although we have hundreds). The right seat is plenty sufficient to strangle those A-holes.

 

[lumax]

Ih8,

I'm one blood thirsty SOB who's never been in a better mood for a vicous fight.

I know how you feel. Its like walking out of a Rocky or Rambo movie and feeling like you can kick some serious ass!
Its also like Groundhog day because I feel like kicking ass every 5th and 20th.

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

I don't think these numb nuts know the theory of "never pick a fight with someone who has nothing to lose". Okay.... we can possibly lose our JOB, but it ain't a CAREER. I hope to God that I'm wrong about these clowns. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[AK737FO]

Openers

Fellas,
Relax about the openers already. They will tell you nothing. The openers will be so vague (from the company and from ALPA) that you will not be able to make anything out of them. The openers are like that by design. The sections of the contract that any group wants to be included in negotiations must be mentioned in the openers. Therefore, all you need to put down is some vague mumbojumbo that covers all section and you are in the game. The openers will not really tell you anything about what the company or what ALPA wants to negotiate!
Now, once section 6 opens in Jan - then we get to see what they want. Until then, hold your fire! Don't run out of ammo until the war really starts.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the time to go to your council meetings and / or sign up for email updates. If you had been to the last 2 council meetings you would have known everything that I just typed above. Get involved, get in the fight and take a stand for our profession. That starts by plugging into your union for good info, not just drumming your chest with a monkey brain looking for a fight.
AK737FO

 

[Ih8AFYesmen]

Oh, the wise one has spoken. Yes, I do stay in the loop as much as I can between my 2 jobs. Yes, I am signed up for ALPA e-mails. Yes, I am aware the openers are vague. BUT, if one had a half a brain we can figure out where the company is headed by looking at the openers, wouldn't you think?!?! I consider a monkey brain atleast half of your wise brain. After all, a monkey was one of our first astronauts.

 

[ferlo]

AK737,

You make valid points. I agree with you. We must stay informed. But you can be sure my powder is kept dry and in the ready position.

 

[AK737FO]

Steady as she goes

Ferlo,
I am glad that your powder is dry. We should all be ready for a long hard fight, and pray that we get a quick and easy battle. I get a little nervous when I hear and read F/O's talking about saving for their strike fund - and they say that they are just starting now, or that they will have a month or two available. What have these guys been doing for the last year? I've got 6 months cash ready to go, I've got a line of credit on my house that I could go years on if I need to - but if they guy standing on the line next to me can only last 3 weeks, well then he drops out in three weeks, and the remaining line gets weaker. The weakest link in the chain comes to mind.

I expect some of our guys to read the openers and come out of their skin. These guys will shoot at anything that moves rather than holding till they can put in a good accurate shot. The day or two of trouble they cause will ripple through the airline like a speed bump with little effect. The openers will be so vague that you will be unable to make anything out of them, but that won't stop some guys from shooting. If you want to know what the company wants, give D.H. (Contract Admin) in SEA a call. He has a list (in priority order) of what he thinks they really want. There is good info out there, you have to take the time to find it, read it, listen to it and educate yourself.

 

[mach none]

The Arctic Oracle has spoken, we can all feel better now. Your content is great, the delivery is condescending. But we all know that you and I disagree.

A little side bar, people are trying to save. Median housing in SEA is 435K. I don't know what it is in ANC, but anything under that amount down here is in a crack neighborhood. Gas has been over 3 bucks and most FOs are struggling to pay bills and eat. My hat is off to you, but this is a marathon, not a sprint. We will not be release into self help on 5/01/07. The average time to negotiate a contract is 2.5 years after to amendable date. Every FO that wants to be ready, will be ready when to time comes. Like you said, stay informed, engaged and start carrying your contract!

 

[AK737FO]

Good One!

Thanks Mach, that was a good one! The "Arctic Oracle" - I really like that. I've wondered what I should change my handle to when I upgrade (some day, far,far away). AK737FO will someday evolve into the Arctic Oracle!!!!

I sure don't mean to torque you guys off down there all the time. I just call it like I see it. We don't do P.C. up here. I bet that if we were to all sit down for a liquid debrief, we would get along just fine.

You are 100% correct in that this is a long, long race. It would be years before we would ever be release to self help. My opinion is that it will never come to that. The throttles and the pen are where the real power is - not standing on the street holding a sign. But I will do my part - which ever way it ends up.