AirTran expected to report "record" profit

[USARET]

Is it just me or does anyone else think that SK took the BOD and the N/C in a back room and made them his bitch. That might begin to explain the extreme amount of cooperation that they have been giving the company for the last year.

 

[Lear70]

GT1900, I thought I'd give you the evening to explain what you meant, but when you do, here's some points to ponder:

The NPA says this T.A. will cost the company approximately $8 Million over its ENTIRE DURATION. That figure doesn't completely take into account the work rule givebacks from the loss of door-close AND core block combined after the new credit times are instituted (we'll be overblocking, on average, 50% of the time). Additionally, it only takes into account the cities we currently fly, not the city pairings we open over the next 4 years.

But, for argument's sake, let's say that number is correct. We're giving them a contract that costs $8 Million over 4 years and the company will post profits this year of anywhere from 8 to 10 TIMES THIS AMOUNT!

Even if they didn't make even MORE money each year as they acquire more aircraft and routes (which they will), we're giving them a contract that is approximately 3% of their total PROFIT (not revenue, PROFIT), over the next 4 years, while at the same time screwing our new-hires, screwing our retirees, screwing our reserves, and gaining very little for everyone else.

Somehow I think we can do better than 3% without "breaking the bank"...

You WERE saying you were voting NO just last week. I hope that hasn't changed, because I've been to the road shows, and there's NOTHING in this T.A. that makes it worth voting YES for.

 

[Lear70]

Not trying to be nosey, but does anyone else get the feeling they're delaying the vote on this, this...what the he11 do you call something like that?...because they think the delay will work in their favor? IOW, do you think they believe everyone will simmer down and be more pliable?

That's EXACTLY what they're doing.

The more time that goes by, the less angry and militant they believe the pilot group will become; that's straight out of the ALPA concessionary contract playbook and, for the most part, they're right.

Without someone to keep everyone energized and motivated towards a better contract, it will dillute the NO vote we need so desperately to be high. I'm wondering, short of a recall effort starting NOW, what would keep the average line pilot's eye on the ball?

Polls here are never very scientific, simply because the people on here are, in most cases, the vocal minority. Even those that aren't won't chime in and say they support it, even if this board is anonymous, simply because they'd get blasted and we'd remember who they were and they'd always have to be on guard to STAY anonymous.

Just last week when one of the guys who WAS in favor of it spoke up, he got promptly pummeled and hasn't posted since.

So, any ideas how to keep everyone fired up for a full MONTH?

 

[j41driver]

...axing for concessions...

Been in ATL too long....

 

[SkiFishFly]

Been in ATL too long....

 

[ultrarunner]

http://atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=9252

all this and a low ball TA. shameful.

Hey Citation, don't blame the company for your TA.

 

[SkiFishFly]

Hey Citation, don't blame the company for your TA.

I blame the company for thinking so little of us.
I blame our NC and BOD for being complete idiots.

 

[meanstreak]

Been in ATL too long....

I love listening to some of the F/A axing the pax to fasten their seatbelt. Nothing drives me more crazy than that. I wish I could correct them but I probably wouldn't have a job right now. I guess living in Atlanta you'll have to get used to it.

 

[ultrarunner]

I blame the company for thinking so little of us.
I blame our NC and BOD for being complete idiots.

But you're missing the point. When a group of employees decides to organize, you only get from the company what you can negotiate. That's the whole freaking reason you organized.

You think because the company may post record profits they're gonna just "share" it with those that decided to have representation? HA. Doesn't work that way.


That's the reason it's so critical to have an MEC that speaks for the majority. This has nothing to do, IMO, with the company.

 

[Lear70]

But you're missing the point. When a group of employees decides to organize, you only get from the company what you can negotiate. That's the whole freaking reason you organized.

You think because the company may post record profits they're gonna just "share" it with those that decided to have representation? HA. Doesn't work that way.

Only insofar as this management team isn't Herb in Dallas...

They *COULD* be that way, instill good will toward the pilot group, and maybe we could all work TOGETHER towards a future instead of going down the Legacy Airline path of management/labor relations (and we see how that worked out for most of the Legacies).

They *COULD* have done the right thing; they chose not to. A RESPONSIBLE management team would have understood there's a balance to make the employees happy while not bankrupting the company. Now we have to not only fly our planes, but fight the very company we're working for AND fight our own union leadership, and that simply sucks.

That's the reason it's so critical to have an MEC that speaks for the majority. This has nothing to do, IMO, with the company.

You're right about the first part... The NPA holds the lion's share of the blame in this POS T.A.

However, I believe the company was a willing accomplice in our BOD's direction and, as they say, "the friend of my enemy is still my enemy."