AirTran Pilots...

[AFcitrus]

AF,
This has little to do with making them "pay dearly". It's about granting relief from the contract they signed.

Anyone who has been here 2-3years has seen our contract eroded away by managements constant re-interpretations. Now, we see the NPA allowing it to happen and it's pushing guys over the edge. No amount of compensation is worth having my contract dismantled.

Apparently the NPA feels that the illegal assignments were coming one way or the other, so they struck a deal to make it as painless and profitable for the membership as possible. Personally, I'd rather have us stand our ground as a showing of unity and collective dissatisfaction.

You mentioned trying to spread the concept of "integrity and teamwork", I think you'd be a lot more successful if the pilots saw those same qualities from our so called management.

I can't argue with most of that.

Have a good one.

 

[Murphy]

Call me crazy, but I'm kind of looking forward to working Xmas. Maybe I'll buy some candy with my premium pay and pass it out to the kiddies during cockpit tours. I did manage to customize my Christmas Eve schedule through the Crew Scheduling Dial 4 a Volunteer Program and get a layover in my local hometown airport. $84/hr...I'm almost back to what I made in 1992. Got's to like that premium pay...mama needs a new pair of shoes.

On a side note, is the election 4 BOD Prez still going on? I kind of feel like John Kerry. "I voted for the $87 million B4 I voted against it." I changed my vote and voted for Big Al "Pit Bull" Philpot. With the contract issues, merger talks, and continual battles with mgt, stick with the horse u got. Plus now that I'm union, I need to give up my individuality and goose step in unison with the rest of the masses and show solidarity. Someday perestroika will come to the airline industry.

Peace out and please try to be merry during the holidays. It will all work out. If not, dust off the resume and go someplace that makes u happy. Oh, that's right. Your experience doesn't count for crap if you go to another airline, even if you have a type in what that airline flies. Go to the back of the line with the rest of the young newhire young communists. Life's too short to get your panties in a wad everyday.

 

[Phaedrus]

Interesting. So what is the contract worth? How much? It reminds me of the story of a man offering a woman $20 to "escort" him. She of course declines, aghast that someone would make such a suggestion. He then offers $20,000. She accepts. Then as they walk out of the establishment he tells her he is willing to pay only $200. She angrily demands that she is due 20g's. "My darling", says he, "that was only to determine what you are. Now we will determine the value of your services."
I know I'm an outsider (now), and probably not completely up to speed on all the details of the issue, but I had enough of the "workarounds" of the contract in my short time there. Management clearly does not respect the pilot group in my opinion, re SK's remarks and the continual press-to-tests of the CBA, especially among the junior members of the pilot group.
I wish you all the best with your negotiations and the Holiday season. Hopefully management will come to terms with your true value to the company.

 

[gt1900]

From what I understand the "glitch" in the system is supposed to not allow too much open time on certain days..In other words. Flica would turn down Sap II requests if there was not enough coverage.. It doesn't sound like Flica did that, thus allowing everyone to trade away x-mas when it would have otherwise declined many of the Sap II requests... Again. I'm glad the union and Co. got it figured out. I would hate to leave hundreds if not thousand of Pax at the airport on X-mas... Im sure USair still hasn't gotten over the luggage depocle of several years ago... Remember.... The pax pay our paychecks... Not the company... Or at least I think thats how its supposed to work...

 

[SLEDNECK]

After the company awarded the build up lines, they knew there was a shortage, they could have fixed this then, but they AWARDED the lines. After that, it's their fault. If I forgot to bid, could I say, "I'm sorry, could you just over look that small detail and give me a line please?"

There's way more to this than working on Christmas. This is about the company wiping their ass with the contract. When does it end? Next month will there will be no lines and ALL of us on reserve for the better of the passengers?

Why is it that we can't go on strike to get our new contract? Oh yeah, I remember. Rules, laws, procedures and all that crap that we are bound to. Shouldn't they bound by the same? If not, shouldn't we be on a level playground? I mean if they are going to shred the contract, then shouldn't we be able to skip to the right to strike?

Everyone wants the passengers to get to their destination, but nobody is going to do it for free. That's how I feel about doing it without a contract. And I don't mean the future contract, I mean the one we already have. If we don't have a contract now that's respected, we might as well be doing this for free. The company is playing hardball and dirty every chance they can, I would rather the union did the same, even if it means stranding a few passengers. It would be a good time to let everyone show our commitment to a fair contract WITHOUT striking, or an unauthorized slowdown, or anything else illegal. After all, we wouldn't be doing anything other than flying our contract as agreed by the company. If you think stranding a few passengers during the holidays is going to be the demise of Airtran, you've definitely got management potential. That's the only weapon we have, especially when the company refuses to play be the rules. Of course they will blame us pilots for their mistakes, but they'll do that anyway, so let it be.

 

[whoknows]

I tired of trying to spread the concept of integrity and teamwork to you guys who obviously don't care about anything but yourselves and your next trip.

See ya on the flightdeck.

I am glad the crisis was averted. However, please take your concept of integrity and teamwork down to Orlando. The reality is our leadership has abused this pilot group many times over the last several years. Our leaders have told us how we are not special and how pilots are a dime a dozen. Our leaders have gotten the respect and response they have cultivated with their lack of integrity and teamwork. I am sure you realize that being a great military leader yourself.

Merry Christmas

PS I already voted for AP, hope many others do the same!

 

[Lear70]

MN boy,

I saw the latest update.

I'm not sure allowing the company to disregard our contract is the best thing right now, even for triple time and a hooker waiting for you at the layover hotel.

What he said.

I would NOT have agreed to what the NPA agreed to in this fiasco. It basically sends a message that they can bend the contract however they like. Better to get the injunction, then dictate terms.

Positive space doesn't really help if we don't live in a city airtran services, now does it? Can you positive space me on DAL? Yeah, right...

Based on this issue and the reserve pay changes the NC is considering in the upcoming contract, I'm considering changing my MEC Pres vote since I haven't voted yet. Unfortunately, I haven't heard of a better alternative, anyone running on a write-in?

Did anyone see that Southpark episode about voting? Something about a choice between...?

 

[Murphy]

Und sie will Weihnachten fliegen and sie will es so gern finden.

Ich liebe dich,
Klaus

You're regular scheduled programming has been interrupted for Christmas and New Years.

 

[B73av8r]

Murphy,

Nein, Ich möchte nicht auf Weihnachten fliegen, aber ich sehe, daß einige hier froh rüber für Herrn Klaus verbiegen. Genießen Sie!

Ich liebe Sie nicht auch!

Christmas yes - New Years no.

 

[-9Capt]

?Que?

 

[Murphy]

Ja, ich verstehe. Ich will Weihnachtstag und Neujahrstag fliegen. Ich habe kein Dienstalter.

kussen

Klaus

 

[-9Capt]

Piloten sind nicht speziell. Sind Sie nicht glücklich, einen Job zu haben
Klaus

 

[Murphy]

Ja, wir sind viel glucklich zu einen Werken haben.

Guten Nacht

 

[Murphy]

Ich muss jetzt schlafen, weil ich am Morgen fliegen muss

 

[njcapt]

After the company awarded the build up lines, they knew there was a shortage, they could have fixed this then, but they AWARDED the lines. After that, it's their fault. If I forgot to bid, could I say, "I'm sorry, could you just over look that small detail and give me a line please?"

There's way more to this than working on Christmas. This is about the company wiping their ass with the contract. When does it end? Next month will there will be no lines and ALL of us on reserve for the better of the passengers?

Why is it that we can't go on strike to get our new contract? Oh yeah, I remember. Rules, laws, procedures and all that crap that we are bound to. Shouldn't they bound by the same? If not, shouldn't we be on a level playground? I mean if they are going to shred the contract, then shouldn't we be able to skip to the right to strike?

Everyone wants the passengers to get to their destination, but nobody is going to do it for free. That's how I feel about doing it without a contract. And I don't mean the future contract, I mean the one we already have. If we don't have a contract now that's respected, we might as well be doing this for free. The company is playing hardball and dirty every chance they can, I would rather the union did the same, even if it means stranding a few passengers. It would be a good time to let everyone show our commitment to a fair contract WITHOUT striking, or an unauthorized slowdown, or anything else illegal. After all, we wouldn't be doing anything other than flying our contract as agreed by the company. If you think stranding a few passengers during the holidays is going to be the demise of Airtran, you've definitely got management potential. That's the only weapon we have, especially when the company refuses to play be the rules. Of course they will blame us pilots for their mistakes, but they'll do that anyway, so let it be.

You ought to post more, buddy, your analysis is right on.

This situation is exclusively management's responsibility. If this staffing f-up was occurring on August 10th, the Association would be sticking it up the company's a$$. The only reason they are getting any traction with the righteous pilots at AirTran is because of the bogus emotional leverage that the Christmas season gives them. I consider this a litmus test of the Association and the pilot group, and plan on calling Mark tomorrow and giving him a piece of my mind.