Airtran=alpa!!!! The Time Is Now

[Tejas-Jet]

One thing I know for sure....it won't happen on FI.com

 

[zman]

Exactly there is already people who are working behind the scenes from what I hear at Airtran. They got my vote!!!

 

[Clyde Frog]

Unless this group grows a set, and does what needs to be done, I don't expect much to change regardless of the union. Make some sacrifices, use your leverage, see the results.

Management understands this, they've been conducting "self help" since we entered mediation and it's working for them.

 

[Lear70]

Management understands this, they've been conducting "self help" since we entered mediation and it's working for them.

At the risk of agreeing with Clyde.... that bears repeating.

 

[Capt. Kramer]

Capt. Kramer.... Notice how everything is still TBD... Gas prices are falling, and there may be some 717's from MEH available.

You were saying?

 

[717capt]

Just my 2 cents on ALPA. Personally I don't have a problem w/ALPA, teamsters, whomever, but I would rather keep our dues money in an in house union rather then send to ALPA and have them allocate back to us what they feel is appropriate. Also someone mentioned the ALPA merger policy. Remember the law that passed last year about intergrations of seniority lists with two airlines that have 2 seperate unions -vs- 2 airlines that are represented by the same union?

As far as the NPA BOD is concerned. I have to agree w/gt1900. They did what they thought was the best thing in a poor sh!tty situation. They were caught between the preverbial rock and a hard place and they did, IMO the correct thing. I also agree that you have to pick your battles. Both the training dept., firing/furlough thing wasn't it. Now the concession request is. I hope they stand firm on that one and say NO, but either way, they do have to send it out for a vote, so that in itself is moot.

I saw one of the union guys a few days ago and I gotta tell you he looked beat. Beat on by management and worse beat on by our own pilots. I don't envy the BOD's position at all. Remember when the LOA's were signed, oil was at around $140 and they were planning on selling even more aircraft. It wasn't a good situation.
I don't know the substance of the police being called to the NPA, but I would venture a guess that more than likely it was an over-reaction. Remember MB was out of town and was getting 2nd hand info on what was going on and made a decision to call the cops 1000 miles away.

I also agree with gt1900 that without LOA#9 in place the company would have fired the probies. No question. Someone made a reference to the company playing poker or chess and the NPA folded. Sorry but I don't agree. The first duty of management is to the shareholders. I don't care if it's southwest management, usair management or whoever. They're job is to keep the company out of bankruptcy and they were not going to let 180 pilots stand in their way. They would have done the business thing and fired and when the time came just hired newbies. No reason to bring back damaged goods with attitudes, when you can get new ones. Right about now you are all thinking, well I would never go work at a place like that but you know what? Someone else will. As someone mentioned on the NPA website I think, the second letter in the word PILOT is "I". I'm glad that the BOD choose not to play the game of poker with company. It was stacked in the company's favor all the while. They call the shots, they make the decsions and more importatntly they sign the paychecks, not the NPA, or ALPA or whomever. You don't play poker or chess with peoples lives and they choose not to do it. Good call in my book.

OK that's all. Flame away.

 

[Ty Webb]

hope they stand firm on that one and say NO, but either way, they do have to send it out for a vote, so that in itself is moot.

Nope. They don't have to send it out for a vote. The BoD will evaluate the request, and take a vote. The vote is to put it out to the Membership- or not.

I would venture a guess that more than likely it was an over-reaction. Remember MB was out of town and was getting 2nd hand info on what was going on and made a decision to call the cops 1000 miles away.

Hard to say, since there has been no concrete information. What I heard second-hand is that it was someone from the NC, and that he was downloading files to his personal laptop that were not part of his job. What information was downloaded? Who knows? We all deserve to know, and soon.

I also agree with gt1900 that without LOA#9 in place the company would have fired the probies. . . . . . .

Fire or Furlough, it doesn't make a bit of difference, my friend. It would be easier to get a new job without recall rights. The point was standing up to management's aggression, which should have been done three years ago, and there wouldn't be any of this nonsense to contend with now.