AirTran Airways pilots launch ALPA ballot drive!

[gt1900]

They had to agree with binding arbitration. Simple as that. They weren't forced to go to binding arbitration. Binding arbitration worked very well for ALA in the past and they thought it would work again, it didn't. Besides, it wasn't a 35% paycut like you said. ALPA screwed up, its that simple...... They also supported the age 65 rule... Another major screw up..... ALA was very well off when they took the pay cuts. Its just that the pilots were convinced otherwise. ALA has always been well off. Very well off. BTW.... Ive never been an ALPA member...

 

[PCL_128]

They had to agree with binding arbitration.

No, binding arbitration was part of their contract. It contained a set of time limits for negotiations that ended in an arbitration panel if an agreement wasn't reached in negotiations.

 

[Lear70]

But, his agenda is apparent.

You said it, I didn't.

1900, I could sit here and debate you all day but, at the end of the day, just like you said, it's like talking to a brick wall, and not worth the effort.

You don't like ALPA. We get it. Thank you for your input.

With two card drives in motion and the NPA even saying they know they have to do something, methinks you're in the minority for wanting to stay independent, but you'll have your chance to vote when it comes time.

 

[gt1900]

PCL.... Doesn't that mean they agreed to it? Didn't they agree to the contract??? In the contract it said they would agree to binding arbitration (I didn't know there contract actually said that though). How many ways can you say they agreed to binding arbitration....... ALPA suggested they take an 11% pay cut, simple as that. When is ALPA going to stop telling pilots to help their company's and grow a pair of balls.... Like the NPA did when the company came looking for "help"...

Hate to say it Lear, but I dont think its gonna happen. Ive talked to very few guys who want anything to do with ALPA... And I'm on line every day. Too many guys have come from the commuters who got screwed by ALPA at the commuters. I could be wrong.

Funny how you guys ignore the fact that ALPA supported the age 65 issue.....

 

[PCL_128]

PCL.... Doesn't that mean they agreed to it? Didn't they agree to the contract??? In the contract it said they would agree to binding arbitration (I didn't know there contract actually said that though).

The contract did say that. Letter 01-02, to be specific. As far as agreeing to arbitration, virtually every contract contains an agreement on binding arbitration for some things. Do you know that we have to go to binding arbitration if we get an aircraft type not listed in our agreement to determine the pay category? Are we crazy for agreeing to that? The ALA pilots just got very unlucky in that bankruptcy judges were allowing airlines to decimate the contracts of other major airlines, so the ALA arbitration panel had no choice but to do the same. The Letter specifically states that the arbitration panel is required to compare the contracts of other major carriers, and even lists them by name. This was intended to protect them in arbitration, but it turned out much differently with so many carriers in bankruptcy.

Hate to say it Lear, but I dont think its gonna happen. Ive talked to very few guys who want anything to do with ALPA... And I'm on line every day. Too many guys have come from the commuters who got screwed by ALPA at the commuters. I could be wrong.

I think you'll be surprised.

Funny how you guys ignore the fact that ALPA supported the age 65 issue.....

I think Lear supported the age change, so he's not really ignoring anything. I personally opposed the age change, but my pilot group at PCL actually polled in favor of changing the policy and supporting Age 65. As for the entire membership of ALPA, they polled in favor of supporting the age change if ALPA believed that they couldn't stop it.

 

[Fubijaakr]

PCL,

He's just wrong. And he obviously doesn't know jack about our contracts or our contract history.

I guess he figures if he repeats his erroneous info long enough and loud enough it'll come true.

 

[FDJ2]

Here again, your history is a bit fuzzy. UA, AAA AND DL all got their pay cut by the Bankruptcy Court.

FWIW, the DAL contract was negotiated, LOA 50 and 51, not handed down by the courts. Although we faced complete 1113c contract rejection, we were able to negotiate a far better contract than the company's term sheet with some quids for our concessions, which included a $2.1B claim which paid out over $1.2B in cash to the Delta pilots upon bankruptcy exit and a fairly good profit sharing arrangement which paid approximately 5.5% for 2007.

 

[Lear70]

I think Lear supported the age change, so he's not really ignoring anything.

Correct.

It was the right thing to do, just the wrong way to implement it,,, Yes, I have to live with the fallout, too. Such is life.

 

[Eagle757shark]

Hate to say it Lear, but I dont think its gonna happen. Ive talked to very few guys who want anything to do with ALPA... And I'm on line every day. Too many guys have come from the commuters who got screwed by ALPA at the commuters. I could be wrong.

Wrong, no union is perfect. But I have no problems with ALPA representing the pilots of AirTran.