NPA Presidential Election Results

[PCL_128]

Victory!!! From the NPA website:

Wednesday, October 24, 2007 – With 65.2% of the 1,482 eligible pilots voting Captain Michael Best has been elected President of the National Pilots Association with 62.77% of the vote. Capt. Best was elected president out of a field of four candidates, which also included: Capt. David Asche (13.24% of the vote); Capt. Michael Pons (5.27% of the vote); and Capt. John Schroll (18.51% of the vote). Because Capt. Best received a majority (more than fifty percent) of the votes cast: he has been elected outright and no runoff is required.

 

[maxblast72]

That means 515 people couldn't spend one hour educating themselves about candidates and voting. Pretty sad if you ask me.

Also, looks like the junior guys have spoken and said time to end the Airtran "B" scale once again.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Lets look at the positive, Mike won by a landslide. We all on the same page. Good job guys

 

[SkiFishFly]

Awesome!
Hard to believe the number of folks who didn't vote.

 

[Lear70]

Great job, guys & gals!

Now it's crunch time... Mike is coming in with a lot of issues:

20+ System Board grievances the BoD was waiting on him to help deal with, including appointing SBA pilots and strategy.

Replacing half the BoD members who are either outright resigning or not running again, nominations should open pretty soon.

Negotiating a new contract with management expecting concessions still. This one may require informational picketing sooner than later, if management doesn't want to come to the table with something meaningful, given that they've had time to think about it...

Solidarity is key! Looking forward to coming back with a good contract to come back to!

 

[-9Capt]

Looking forward to coming back with a good contract to come back to!

There will be no contract that doesn't include your (and DL's) return at your original seniority number with full back pay.

Hang in there my brother, we haven't forgotten about you.

 

[Lear70]

Thanks, man...

Words can't describe how much the support of the pilot group has meant through all of this...

You guys (and gals) are awesome!

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

There will be no contract that doesn't include your (and DL's) return at your original seniority number with full back pay.

Hang in there my brother, we haven't forgotten about you.

most of the guys I talk to, this a must for the next contract.

Leave no man behind.

 

[Frequency]

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2007/10/new-airtran-uni.html

New AirTran union prez will take 'hard line' with company

The pilots union at Orlando-based AirTran Airways has elected a new president who, a union spokesman vows, will "take a very hard line with the company."
Capt. Mike Best won with about 63 percent of the vote to beat three other contenders and take over at the National Pilots Association, which represents about 1,500 AirTran pilots. Best replaces Capt. Allen Philpot, who union members ousted amid anger over a tentative labor contract Philpot helped negotiate with AirTran executives. The union subsequently rejected that contract and the talks have been put on hold until after the New Year.
AirTran and its pilots have been haggling for more than two years. Best was actually part of the union's negotiating team early on but he gave up that position to pursue other business opportunities, union spokesman Brian Gaudet said.
"Mike has some definite opinions about what he would like to see in the contract," Gaudet said, citing concerns about scheduling, pay and other areas. "He's looking for a contract that would definitely put this pilot group right in the mainstream and dramatically closer to Southwest."
AirTran's union will fill three other leadership positions in elections next month.

 

[scarlet]

Southwest= I love it. Folks, Airtran has +/- 130 airplanes, southwest has +/-450 airplanes. If you feel you need 100k for 2 year FO (like that is going to last long at SW) then go to SouthWest. I agree it would be nice, but give them another couple of quarters. The company could put you more in line with the likes of the mainstream of Continenatl, Delta, United, Nwest, on first year pay and no benefits for 6 months. I think people always want to point to the bad points in life. Be GLAD Airtran is growing and ALOT of the PEOPLE want to be there!

 

[Nindiri]

Nah, I'd rather have the 100K for 2 year FO.

 

[-9Capt]

Southwest= I love it. Folks, Airtran has +/- 130 airplanes, southwest has +/-450 airplanes. If you feel you need 100k for 2 year FO (like that is going to last long at SW) then go to SouthWest. I agree it would be nice, but give them another couple of quarters. The company could put you more in line with the likes of the mainstream of Continenatl, Delta, United, Nwest, on first year pay and no benefits for 6 months. I think people always want to point to the bad points in life. Be GLAD Airtran is growing and ALOT of the PEOPLE want to be there!

Posts like this make me wonder if this profession will ever get back the prestige and compensation we lost. We've been beaten down for so long that we forgot what it means to be an airline pilot.

People want to be here? Who's that? Commuter guys who are flying their a$$es off for crap wages and no retirement? Sure this place looks good to them but how does it compare to what airline pilots have historically made?

$100/hr for a 2nd year FO is marginally acceptable.

 

[MINIME]

[

quote=scarlet;1439447]Southwest= I love it. Folks, Airtran has +/- 130 airplanes, southwest has +/-450 airplanes. If you feel you need 100k for 2 year FO (like that is going to last long at SW) then go to SouthWest. I agree it would be nice, but give them another couple of quarters. The company could put you more in line with the likes of the mainstream of Continenatl, Delta, United, Nwest, on first year pay and no benefits for 6 months. I think people always want to point to the bad points in life. Be GLAD Airtran is growing and ALOT of the PEOPLE want to be there!

[/QUOTE]


First, why the management apologist attitude? I think we should all strive for UPS, FDEX, SWA level type of compensation. Is it always attainable? Clearly not always. But it shouldn't stop anyone from trying. I believe AMR and CAL will be taking this stance.

Second, why the slight SWA bashing? For all we know the SWA salaries might even go up from where they are today.

Finally, people will want to go to Airtran only if good pay and QOL of life is attainable. Otherwise, there are plenty of airlines currently hiring.

 

[EMBATP]

if you look at airline pilot central sw 2nd year fo's make around 86 an hour i think...not 100

although they can make 100 grand a year if they work it...

any swa fo's care to chime in?

 

[BigEasy]

Southwest= I love it. Folks, Airtran has +/- 130 airplanes, southwest has +/-450 airplanes. If you feel you need 100k for 2 year FO (like that is going to last long at SW) then go to SouthWest. I agree it would be nice, but give them another couple of quarters. The company could put you more in line with the likes of the mainstream of Continenatl, Delta, United, Nwest, on first year pay and no benefits for 6 months. I think people always want to point to the bad points in life. Be GLAD Airtran is growing and ALOT of the PEOPLE want to be there!

I don't want to be there! I left thank you very much!!!

I am glad Mike got voted in. Good job guys!

Bigeasy