Alaska pilots - please think twice before you vote!

[Ih8AFYesmen]

"I think with one of Capt. Shivers responses he senses this could successfully be sent back outside of mediation and quickly corrected or sweetened. He didn't specifically say that just my sixth sense from one of his answers."

This is straight from our ALPA web board. Though this is just an opinion from one of our pilots who atteneded the first road show, it's an important and a valid point. Have any of you thought the possibility that our own MEC/NC's arms are being twisted by national and/or some outside force to sell this TA? Think really hard on why our guys are trying to sell this devisive TA. Maybe our MEC is trying to tell us something but he can't really come out and say it. It's kinda like the a POWs sending a morse code with eye blinks when they were broadcasted on TV.

I read, re-read the TA and heard the NC/MEC's spill, and I cannot vote for the TA with a clear conscience. Think about the long term effect of this TA for little short term gain.

 

[mach none]

They are not being twisted and you need to put down the glue. They have looked me in the eye and stated this is the best deal we could get. We got EVERYTHING off the table we could.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Agreed, mach. So far all I've heard from the "NO" voters is "if, if, if","but, but, but" and a whole bunch of fear mongering.

Big picture time:

"Its the economy, stupid!" Remember that? No labor contract exists within a vacuum. Never decry the value of incrementalism.

 

[BeCareful!]

Have any of you thought the possibility that our own MEC/NC's arms are being twisted by national and/or some outside force to sell this TA? .

I have it on good authority (from actual posts here on FlightInfo) that this simply NEVER happens. Each ALPA group is autonomous....period. But don't take my word for it; wait a day or so and Rez or PCL128 will be here to straighten you out. You're probably paranoid or you have an active imagination.

 

[Mamma]

"I think with one of Capt. Shivers responses he senses this could successfully be sent back outside of mediation and quickly corrected or sweetened. He didn't specifically say that just my sixth sense from one of his answers."

This is straight from our ALPA web board. Though this is just an opinion from one of our pilots who atteneded the first road show, it's an important and a valid point. Have any of you thought the possibility that our own MEC/NC's arms are being twisted by national and/or some outside force to sell this TA? Think really hard on why our guys are trying to sell this devisive TA. Maybe our MEC is trying to tell us something but he can't really come out and say it. It's kinda like the a POWs sending a morse code with eye blinks when they were broadcasted on TV.

I read, re-read the TA and heard the NC/MEC's spill, and I cannot vote for the TA with a clear conscience. Think about the long term effect of this TA for little short term gain.

I was at the road show and I did not get that "sixth sense" feeling at all in regards to Shiver's answers.

 

[PCL_128]

I have it on good authority (from actual posts here on FlightInfo) that this simply NEVER happens. Each ALPA group is autonomous....period. But don't take my word for it; wait a day or so and Rez or PCL128 will be here to straighten you out. You're probably paranoid or you have an active imagination.

A day or so? I'm much quicker than that.

I'm still having a hard time figuring out what everyone thinks is so bad about your TA. Seems damned good to me. But whether it's good or bad, it was TA'd by your local leadership, not by National.

 

[Mamma]

A day or so? I'm much quicker than that.

I'm still having a hard time figuring out what everyone thinks is so bad about your TA. Seems damned good to me. But whether it's good or bad, it was TA'd by your local leadership, not by National.

There are a few bad things. First, this TA will make things more efficient at the company by allowing pilots to fly more for premium pay. This extra flying will lead to many furloughs. Second, it is the first successful salvo on the A plan. The other options are good "right now" but the company's main intent is to bury the A plan. Who knows what they will do to the other retirement plans down the road. They split the pilot group into three groups to ensure their success. Last, scope language is not good. We have solid scope with Alaska Airlines but really no scope with Alaska Air Group. The company was adamant towards not changing this leading many of us to believe they have something up their sleeve. Who knows, I may be wrong.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Last, scope language is not good. We have solid scope with Alaska Airlines but really no scope with Alaska Air Group. The company was adamant towards not changing this leading many of us to believe they have something up their sleeve. Who knows, I may be wrong.

To me, this section might as well say, "Can we give your job to a 'regional?'"

 

[Mamma]

To me, this section might as well say, "Can we give your job to a 'regional?'"

I agree to a point. They have had the ability to do this for years but have not. I don't think they want to fly/train the arctic or SE Alaska, Hawaii or Mexico using a bunch of new pilots working for some alter ego airline. RNP, weather issues and brand degradation are all things that would be expensive and difficult for the Air Group to outsource. I could see them farming out the GEG, PDX, SFO, SJC, OAK markets though and using our fleet for new markets, Alaska, Mexico and Hawaii. After they do this, they then toss a bunch more of us expensive pilots to the street. "You can apply to "insert alter ego airline here" and you will have preference" Who knows I don't put much past them.

 

[SRMairlines]

Before you vote it is simple.

Ask yourself:

Can I live with this agreement for 4-6 years?

Does this improve my QOL?

Forget the economy. It stays down 2-3 years then goes up for 6-8. And repeats itself. Everytime we are in a recession the media and so-called experts always compare it to the great depression. This one is exacerbated by politics and the media.

This is your chance to exercise your right to vote whatever way you want to. At the end of May it will either pass or fail and we will have to move on and prepare for 2013.