Alaska contract

[Old School 737]

So we know the 10 AK pilots on here say they are going to vote no

It will all be no votes on here .. I would be shocked if somebody said they were going to vote for it on here ...

 

[Mamma]

Don't you get what is happening? They are trying to buy the reserve guys vote. They think "Hey we are fat and I need cash so if I toss my name in, I can pad my wallet." It is never going to happen. The other swing of the pendulum is this steals premium flying (OT) or whatever you call it from senior pilots.

We have had that for a few months here and not one day has been offered up.

I was on reserve forever at Alaska and this would not have influenced my vote one iota. We are not big Delta. Very few if any trips in Open time to pick from and the ones that are suck. VSA guys or guys looking to pad their schedule would still get first pick leaving the trash to pick up at Scheduling's whim. Scheduling is known to throw trips to a Reserve pilot over 12 hours in advance to prevent someone from picking it up....to save money. If they have eligible reserves who are being paid to sit reserve they would prefer to use them vs letting someone pick it up. This is a feature they would use only when they are in a pinch. If a reserve pilot is stupid enough to base their vote on this then they are an idiot.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

YOU DONT WANT THAT!!!

It means LESS pilots.

There's a few other nuggets that will ensure that. Pilots would be able to fly on vacation. There are even more ways for pilots to volunteer to fly extra for premium.

I'm guessing this is how they will finance the "raise."

 

[BarbrPole2theOM]

Cost neutral

 

[Old School 737]

New bid results are out .. JR. Cpt is 12 years

 

[BarbrPole2theOM]

I wonder why "Job security and business development are both found in fostering such things as Code Share and Capacity Purchase agreements which are designed to maintain and develop the mainline operation, enhance the company's overall market presence: opening opportunity to expand the network, all with the goal of enhancing customer convenience and service" was added to the preamble......

 

[CesnaCaptn]

I wonder why "Job security and business development are both found in fostering such things as Code Share and Capacity Purchase agreements which are designed to maintain and develop the mainline operation, enhance the company's overall market presence: opening opportunity to expand the network, all with the goal of enhancing customer convenience and service" was added to the preamble......

Isn't that the same language used with UA and DL pilots right before their networks were overrun with RJ's?

 

[AK737FO]

No it wasn't. I don't remember anyone selling a 10.5% increase in the B plan as a replacement for the 1.9% A plan. Even the company's pamphlet that was put together for each individual pilot, with certain assumptions for growth and potential retirement payout, had the 13.5% contribution paying less in retirement. The sales pitch was, you don't have to risk the company going BK or merging and losing or freezing your pension. You get to take all of the risk, which shouldn't be a problem for most. We all know pilots make good money managers.

I would much rather have some control of my retirement rather than have it all tied up in a pension, hoping and praying that it stays intact until I die. You do realize that Alaska Airlines pilot pension is the only one that has not been defaulted on via BK? You like those odds?
When professionally analyzed, my advisor said that our company / negotiators were amazingly accurate. The difference for me (using some general return assumptions) on the rebalance vs the pension was withing a couple of hundred bucks after a 30 year career.
So yes, you take the risk, but is it any more risky than believing the pension will survive?

 

[AK737FO]

It will all be no votes on here .. I would be shocked if somebody said they were going to vote for it on here ...

What I've seen so far, looks good to me. Unless the road shows change my mind, I will vote yes.

In the last week, I've talked to JH and CH. Two guys who were were both on the LEC / MEC within the last year and are now both managment. I asked them both the same question - As an MEC officer and as a CP, do you like this TA. Both said yes. Both said there were going to be things that guys don't like (pay numbers) but that when taken as a whole package, it makes us very close to being the top if not the top paid 737 drivers in the USA.

Now boys and girls, I can hear the howling in the background already - "but their management, of course they are going to say that". But these two men were also the men WE elected and that WE choose to represent us in ALPA. So what does that say about us? We trusted them 6 months ago, but not today? JH and CH are honorable men. I / We trusted them 6 months ago when they were on the MEC and I / We should trust them today when they are our chiefs. If they say it's as good as it's going to get, well I believe them.

I vote yes (unless the road shows change my mind).

 

[AK737FO]

It will all be no votes on here .. I would be shocked if somebody said they were going to vote for it on here ...

What I've seen so far, looks good to me. Unless the road shows change my mind, I will vote yes.

In the last week, I've talked to JH and CH. Two guys who were were both on the LEC / MEC within the last year and are now both managment. I asked them both the same question - As an MEC officer and as a CP, do you like this TA. Both said yes. Both said there were going to be things that guys don't like (pay numbers) but that when taken as a whole package, it makes us very close to being the top if not the top paid 737 drivers in the USA.

Now boys and girls, I can hear the howling in the background already - "but their management, of course they are going to say that". But these two men were also the men WE elected and that WE choose to represent us in ALPA. So what does that say about us? We trusted them 6 months ago, but not today? JH and CH are honorable men. I / We trusted them 6 months ago when they were on the MEC and I / We should trust them today when they are our chiefs. If they say it's as good as it's going to get, well I believe them.

I vote yes (unless the road shows change my mind).

 

[CesnaCaptn]

I would much rather have some control of my retirement rather than have it all tied up in a pension, hoping and praying that it stays intact until I die. You do realize that Alaska Airlines pilot pension is the only one that has not been defaulted on via BK? You like those odds?
When professionally analyzed, my advisor said that our company / negotiators were amazingly accurate. The difference for me (using some general return assumptions) on the rebalance vs the pension was withing a couple of hundred bucks after a 30 year career.
So yes, you take the risk, but is it any more risky than believing the pension will survive?

I wasn't arguing which choice would be right for you and your family. I was merely arguing that option 3 was sold as an equivalent to option 1. Having said that, I was wrong anyway. I just reviewed the mailer from the last contract. For me there was a $300 increase to go from option 1 to option 2 and another $300 increase to go option 3.

Anyway, enough about the last contract. It's water under bridge.

 

[Old School 737]

Everybody needs to download and read the investors /annual shareholders statement .. These guys are killing it !!! And their stock options are making them multimillionaires .. While we get a Small raise and hardly any scope and no raise in 401k... Also look at insider selling of stock on yahoo... March and Feb were good months for those guys!!

 

[Boxboy]

What I've seen so far, looks good to me. Unless the road shows change my mind, I will vote yes.

In the last week, I've talked to JH and CH. Two guys who were were both on the LEC / MEC within the last year and are now both managment. I asked them both the same question - As an MEC officer and as a CP, do you like this TA. Both said yes. Both said there were going to be things that guys don't like (pay numbers) but that when taken as a whole package, it makes us very close to being the top if not the top paid 737 drivers in the USA.

Now boys and girls, I can hear the howling in the background already - "but their management, of course they are going to say that". But these two men were also the men WE elected and that WE choose to represent us in ALPA. So what does that say about us? We trusted them 6 months ago, but not today? JH and CH are honorable men. I / We trusted them 6 months ago when they were on the MEC and I / We should trust them today when they are our chiefs. If they say it's as good as it's going to get, well I believe them.

I vote yes (unless the road shows change my mind).

You would be singing a different tune if you were still a FO. Merger/acquisition language benefits captains FAR more than FOs. With no Scope, watch Skywest or some other commuter airline fly your milk runs and other routes in their shiny 100 seater RJs with an eskimo on the tail.
Btw, I'm not bashing any of our union guys; I'm sure they had their reasons. Trust but verify. We only have ourselves to blame from here on.

 

[W&BWiz]

If you were not here for contract '09....the 13.5% was sold as the equivalent of the prior plan. A couple decades will tell the truth.

Not saying your right or wrong but however it was sold... No increase in 401k contribution for the next five years is HUGE flag.... but the union gives themselves a credit raise... Come on.

 

[Ski Bum]

Wow. Where to begin? This is scary in its complete disregard for FOs and their future. I guess as long as captains hit their magical $200 then nothing else matters. Scope should be number one on everyones list if you have more than 5 years left. Big RJs are coming and we just guaranteed they will not be flown by us. FOs still not back to pre-Kasher. No increase in retirement. Health care costs sure to go up since our cap is merely a percentage (and we didn't spell out any specifics on the type of plan). No increase in days off or vacation time.

No.