FlexJet / Flight Options / SkyJet

[Club ORD FO]

A few of us asked a couple of pages ago about the NMB petition which I don't think got answered. I'm still confused on some stuff.

1 - Only the pilots (50%+1 of group of a representative of that group, the union) can petition the NMB for single carrier status. The company can not do it. Correct?

2 - If that's correct, why is the 1108 doing it? Yeah I know KR wants them to, but can't you just say no? Whats in it for the options pilots? There's a decent chance the union will be voted out, and so it seems risky. Especially if its unnecessary.

3 - Assuming 1 and 2 are true, why why not just negotiate some long term fences, you keep your union and we keep our employee contracts and we play in our own sandboxes. Maybe one day things will go bad like you predict and Flex will be the ones asking for a NMB ruling

 

[dime line]

The sky isn't falling. I know you guys think it will, but I don't see that happening.

Yea the sky already fell at the Travel Air merger. It can't fall again right?

 

[Club ORD FO]

How long ago was the TA merger and how many pilots came from there?

 

[Pacific]

Pacific - Did you work for GoJets?

Uh no.

 

[FR8DOG777]

I was referring to what you posted earlier. That you would give credit to Bombardier if your pay rates were increased to our pay scale. I'll give Netjets a little credit, but Flexjet did not have to give us a raise. They did, and for that I am grateful.

You guys just can't say it can you? I think you are incapable of uttering the words, let me help you out. Thank you "unionized" netjets for raising the bar to a liveable wage level in the fractional arena. Meanwhile you cast stones at our first contract. Netjets 05 contract wasn't earth shaking either. Don't you get it? Look at how hard RICCI is trying to abolish our union. Why? Because he knows he's gonna have his ass handed to him with us fighting this round with the protections of a federally backed cba. I don't need the 1108 to protect my job, I need the 1108 to protect me from the RICCI/Rossi strip mining show.

 

[993_Pilot]

Kenn allowed cross bidding for the Travel Air/Flops merge. Are you that naive it's going to be different this time? Bombardier is gone guys. Kenn's the new sheriff in town.

You are likely wrong. Once fences are properly negotiated, Flops will probably only see Flexjet's "cast-off's" as they are replaced with newer equipment. After all, Flexjet will be the "Premier Provider" storefront with new equipment, while Flops is the "Value Brand" store front with the used and/or "re-manufactured" stuff. I am not so naive to think anything is beyond an attempt by the DAC management team, but you certainly don't have to be a smug A$$ about it. Grow up.

 

[Ludicrous Speed]

Pacific - I learned enough about the IBT when they decided to represent GoJets, knowing they were an alter ego, whipsaw operation. No thanks! I'm sure you got some good guys at your local, but want nothing to do with the Teamsters.

Pacific, it's my impression GoJets was/is an alter ego, whipsaw operation, but that it's the pilots that ask a national union to assist with organizing, then negotiating a contract. How is that to the detriment of the Teamsters?

There are some outstanding people here that work very long hours for everyone's mutual benefit. It is not the Teamsters of the 1930's in any way.

 

[wingsnthings]

You guys just can't say it can you? I think you are incapable of uttering the words, let me help you out. Thank you "unionized" netjets for raising the bar to a liveable wage level in the fractional arena. Meanwhile you cast stones at our first contract. Netjets 05 contract wasn't earth shaking either. Don't you get it? Look at how hard RICCI is trying to abolish our union. Why? Because he knows he's gonna have his ass handed to him with us fighting this round with the protections of a federally backed cba. I don't need the 1108 to protect my job, I need the 1108 to protect me from the RICCI/Rossi strip mining show.

So what you are saying is that Netjets got a good contract after they dumped the Teamsters?

 

[Praetorian]

So what you are saying is that Netjets got a good contract after they dumped the Teamsters?

The Net Jets pilot's current agreement was negotiated by the 1108 under the leadership of the NJ pilots in 2007. The disaffiliation happened in November of 2008.

 

[TWA 2 ASA FO]

You guys just can't say it can you? I think you are incapable of uttering the words, let me help you out. Thank you "unionized" netjets for raising the bar to a liveable wage level in the fractional arena. Meanwhile you cast stones at our first contract. Netjets 05 contract wasn't earth shaking either. Don't you get it? Look at how hard RICCI is trying to abolish our union. Why? Because he knows he's gonna have his ass handed to him with us fighting this round with the protections of a federally backed cba. I don't need the 1108 to protect my job, I need the 1108 to protect me from the RICCI/Rossi strip mining show.

I will say it. Our pay raise was a direct result of the contract Netjets got.

Our company gave us just about the same pay to keep the chance of us getting a union dowm.

I don't feel I owe Netjets thanks for their contract, they didn't negotiate it for us. They did it for themselves.

We got pay raises at FJ because of the fear of us getting a union. I believe the fear if a union is stronger than actually having one.

We hope Netjets gets a modest boost during this contract also, because I am sure that once again our wages will follow.

The bad thing about a CBA is you are locked into whatever you sign for the duration of the contract plus 3-4 years of negotiations.

We at FJ want nothing more than for you to get compensation similar to ours in your next contract. You guys deserve to get paid more. The IBT convinced you to sell yourselves short.

Even if you get a contract that has similar pay I don't think you'll find a lot of support from FJ. Maybe if you get a raise that is 20% above ours you could finally show us something that looks attractive.

This goes back to the question we have at FJ. What is it we would gain by joining the IBT. You can't just say it protects what you already have. You need to give us something that when it is all added up makes things better for FJ pilots and our families. So far no one can answer this. I am afraid the reason why is you have nothing better to offer.

 

[wingsnthings]

[I
The Net Jets pilot's current agreement was negotiated by the 1108 under the leadership of the NJ pilots in 2007. The disaffiliation happened in November of 2008.][/I]


Either way I think it is silly that this is the direction of the conversation.

 

[Praetorian]

I learned enough about the IBT when they decided to represent GoJets, knowing they were an alter ego, whipsaw operation. No thanks! I'm sure you got some good guys at your local, but want nothing to do with the Teamsters.

What happened at GoJets is indefensible. But the 1108 had no part in it. My understanding is the local that was responsible is not even a pilots local.

Also this happened under the previous IBT Airline Division director. The new guy runs a much tighter ship. In fact, from what I understand the Airline Division is the fastest growing division in the union.

 

[Pacific]

Pacific - I learned enough about the IBT when they decided to represent GoJets, knowing they were an alter ego, whipsaw operation. No thanks! I'm sure you got some good guys at your local, but want nothing to do with the Teamsters.

Pacific, it's my impression GoJets was/is an alter ego, whipsaw operation, but that it's the pilots that ask a national union to assist with organizing, then negotiating a contract. How is that to the detriment of the Teamsters?

There are some outstanding people here that work very long hours for everyone's mutual benefit. It is not the Teamsters of the 1930's in any way.

Because the pilots that asked to be represented by the Teamsters were flight managers at TSA, put at the top of the new seniority list by upper management in order to try and legitimize GoJets. One of the ways they did this was seeking representation from the Teamsters, that way it became ALPA vs IBT instead of ALPA vs HK and his minions. The Teamsters decided to represent GoJets anyway, even though they new they were a whipsaw alter-ego, the same kind of thing the IBT claims to fight against. Hypocrisy to say the least. That was enough to sour me on The Teamsters as it proved their morals were corrupted and the revenue stream was more important than the rhetoric they spew.

Like I said in my original post, I'm sure you have some great guys at your local but will never be happy paying dues to the IBT.

 

[flexpilot]

A few of us asked a couple of pages ago about the NMB petition which I don't think got answered. I'm still confused on some stuff.


3 - Assuming 1 and 2 are true, why why not just negotiate some long term fences, you keep your union and we keep our employee contracts and we play in our own sandboxes. Maybe one day things will go bad like you predict and Flex will be the ones asking for a NMB ruling

Let's say the long term fences are negotiated. What's to prevent management from shifting flying to the non-union side? Or the other way around for that matter?

In union speak it's called whipsaw!

I can't believe the FJ pilots are even debating a union. Short term there may be some pain, long term the ex-Flex Jetters will be better off with protection in a union shop. Especially under Ricci!

 

[slowtation capt]

This goes back to the question we have at FJ. What is it we would gain by joining the IBT. You can't just say it protects what you already have. You need to give us something that when it is all added up makes things better for FJ pilots and our families. So far no one can answer this. I am afraid the reason why is you have nothing better to offer.

That is exactly it = It protects what you already have.
Personally I want to protect everything that I have
Being on the 4th owner of Flops, even though the 4th is technically the 1st.
And our 4th CEO or should I say 3 1/2 CEO because KR is the ultimate CEO pulling the strings
And this goes back to even the 1st time KR was around. The BB policy change. Once a week at best, was an email around 5pm on Friday (so everyone was running out the door for the weekend as the email was making it's rounds) was the BB policy change email.
So what you want, everyone gets on here and debates and yells about money, we have the most money, we have the highest salary, blah, blah, blah.
Quality of Life is not just about your salary, it's about time at home, where you live (and not commuting), what schedule you can hold, what vacations you get, the list can go on and on and on and on.
Add all these things up into something that you can justifiably say this is what works for me, and for me and maybe others, I have a lot of that in OUR CONTRACT. A contract for when KR runs away with a big fat check in his pocket, or anything else that could happen for him to not own us anymore. I KNOW that tomorrow morning I can not wake up with a BB email from the new CEO or owner telling me this is how it is going to be now.

I know, I know TWA - KR has not changed a thing at Flex.
That's because he can't change a thing.
KR NEEDS you guys HAPPY.
KR is banking on YOU guys to beat the Union
KR wants to bet the Union
He wants single now, and he wants that because a vote has to occur.
He even said it in an AIN article that he feels the Union wouldn't survive with a single carrier representation vote.

So KR is NOT going to change anything right now, because he NEEDS you guys in his pocket.

But my fear is not right now, it's down the road.
I've seen it from KR back the first time
Scheringa was the ultimate facilitator of getting the Union, but KR was also not saint.

PROTECTION = That's all for me
Read it how you want, it's not protection for my job when I screw up, because I haven't yet, everyone has the potential to screw up. You don't have to be a problem child, etc...It just take 1 thing
So no, it's not protection for my job, because I have never been called into the office for anything.
PROTECTION of MY quality of life from the next change. My quality of life that I take all the positives and negative of our contract - Add it up, and it's what causes me to stay at this job, and want to KEEP the Union. PROTECTION of my salary, schedule, seniority #, sick policy, fatigue policy, travel policy, etc................