Alaska Deadline

[ACAFool]

Any word on any possible TA at Alaska today, or is the arbitrator going to get a call?

 

[mach none]

Any word on any possible TA at Alaska today, or is the arbitrator going to get a call?

We have until midnight tonight. Most sections have closed. The exceptions, as always, are the big items like pay.

 

[mach none]

This is a Negotiations Update for Thursday, December 16, 2004 at 12:54 a.m.After more than 16 months of near constant negotiations, ALPA and AlaskaAirlines management were unable to reach a comprehensive tentative agreement onthe pilots' collective bargaining agreement. The parties worked up to theMidnight deadline on December 15.The two sides did "close" several sections within the collective bargainingagreement during negotiations. These sections provided Alaska Airlines numerousimprovements in scheduling and productivity, and ultimately could have saved thecompany millions of dollars in operating costs. However the parties could notreach agreement on several other large-item sections, including those related tocompensation, retirement and insurance. Any tentative agreements completed onspecific sections were contingent upon reaching a comprehensive agreement. Thetentative agreements that were reached during negotiations on specific sectionsare now no longer valid. Now that negotiations have concluded with no comprehensive agreement, both sideswill begin preparations for an interest arbitration that will determine the nextcontract. Each side will prepare and present five single specific contractualitems to an arbitration board for resolution. Wage rates will be determinedseparately from the five items. The arbitration board will consist of one ALPArepresentative, one Alaska Airlines representative and one neutral - amutually-selected arbitrator. The arbitration board's decision will amend thecompany's current collective bargaining agreement with the pilots, with the newcontract's duration beginning in May 2005 and ending in May 2007. Administrative changes agreed upon by both sides early in the negotiatingprocess such as the contract's layout and section numbering will also beincorporated into the new CBA.

 

[SeaSlam]

So much for an early Christmas present...

 

[Singlecoil]

No present is better than the lump of coal the company wanted to give you.

A word to poolies: Be prepared for bad news in the next several months. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if they cancelled the January class and sent out furlough notices on Christmas Eve (they did that once before). Everyone knows they need to hire, but expect them use their whole playbook during negotiations, and take everything you hear with that grain of salt in mind.

 

[SeaSlam]

No present is better than the lump of coal the company wanted to give you.

You're right. I'd rather wait another 2 years in the pool than watch pilot's benefits erode any further.

 

[dkwid]

No present is better than the lump of coal the company wanted to give you.

A word to poolies: Be prepared for bad news in the next several months. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if they cancelled the January class and sent out furlough notices on Christmas Eve (they did that once before). Everyone knows they need to hire, but expect them use their whole playbook during negotiations, and take everything you hear with that grain of salt in mind.

It is my understanding (please tell me if I am wrong) that you now go to binding arbitration. So isn't it true there really are no more "negotiations". So, other than picking an arbitrator, the ball is no lomger on the hands of either party to mess with. My point being; what point would there be for management to furlough or use other hardball tactics? Other than sending a bad message to the arbitrator such tactics would not affect any outcome.

Help me here if I have been mislead.

 

[mach none]

It is my understanding (please tell me if I am wrong) that you now go to binding arbitration. So isn't it true there really are no more "negotiations". So, other than picking an arbitrator, the ball is no lomger on the hands of either party to mess with. My point being; what point would there be for management to furlough or use other hardball tactics? Other than sending a bad message to the arbitrator such tactics would not affect any outcome.

Help me here if I have been mislead.

Negotiations don't necessarily stop. We can get an agreement up to and after the arbritrated decision. At this point, we each exchange 5 items plus pay. A total of 11 items. I will guess that we will start talking after we see each others items. I have heard ours are pretty iron clad. I will not devulge them here though.

Arbritrators are pretty reluctant to give big changes either way (they want to work in the future). I would guess we will take something like a 10 to 15% cut. But we will be out of binding abritration and the no strike side letter will go away. That is worth big money that is unquantifiable. Our ability to borrow money will get more expensive because there is the chance of a strike now in 2007 and beyond. It will be very interesting in the next 4 months.

The interesting part is that now the process is based upon the present contract. Each side can only narrowly change the contract now. That means the pension would stay. All they can do is changing something within the pension, like the multiplier. PBS is not going to happen. You get the idea.

I don't think they will play the furlough card. We all know it is BS. Especially since they have "insufficient reserve coverage" now.

 

[Alaska Flyer]

There's precedent for continued negotiations after the last, final, best and no-further-offers-coming offer. It went this same way with our last 737-900 negotiations. After negotiations ended, they started up again, ended, etc. Finally, after the absolute last offer, an arbitrator awarded pay rates, then more negotiations went on AFTER the award, and an agreement was reached between ALPA and Alaska management.

Kind of like buying an Arabian carpet. Of course, there's no way to determine if it will happen like that this time, but our negotiating committee has been ready for arbitration for a long time, and they're fully backed by the pilots. Maybe further negotiation will happen, and indeed as others have noted, the cost of borrowing will significantly increase with the lack of a no-strike clause. This is an added impetus which is greater in value than many of the conventionally thought of "cost savings" such as the value of a sick day, etc.

There's a long road to go before this will be decided.

 

[flx757]

To mach none, Singlecoil, Alaska Flyer, and ALL the Alaska pilots and Alaska pilot hopefuls, I wish you the absolute best in the coming months and years ahead. I was prepared to put on my uniform and attend the pep rally that was to be held and then cancelled. Know that I am on your side 1000%...no matter what my "title" might be.

I will always be a pilot first. Good luck with everything.

 

['72Gremlin]

The news was disappointing to hear today. It's troubling that management and the pilots group can't come together for an agreement. Of course I'm not privy to the No one profits during arbitration, and the company will be going through this all over again in 2 years. Is the relationship b/w ALPA and management that strained? To me that's a weakness in Alaska, unfortunately, but I guess that's reality. Just the perspective of one person, outside looking in.

flx757... welcome back!(?)!

 

[flx757]

Thanks Gremlin,

I never really left. I have kept in touch with a lot of people via PM, but I choose to post only rarely and only when I feel it is important to do so, like on this thread. But, thanks again just the same.

 

[lumax]

Hey Flx,

I could not figure out why you stopped posting. Are you at liberty to explain?

 

[flx757]

Check your PMs...

 

[SeaSlam]

Hey Flx,

Can you add me to your PM list? I'm in the pool also and miss your slant on a lot of the current issues. Thanks in advance, SeaSlam

 

[ratherfish]

I'd like some of that PM action too.....still doin' the backstroke.