Alaska pilots - please think twice before you vote!

[Ih8AFYesmen]

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.

I guess since they looked you straight in the eye and said so makes everything okay?!?! Listen, if you can't think on your own, I'd put down whatever you are smoking and be honenst with yourself. Did they also tell you that they made a mistake and approached the company with too low of a payscale? Wasn't the December 2008 comprehensive proposal our bottom line and not the starting point? Then, how did it all of a sudden become the starting point in negotiations?
I appreciate our NC for all of their hard work and sweat; I'm not "dissing" them. But, when they are trying soooooo hard to sell this TA, don't you want to know why? Just state the facts and let the membership decide. As much as we want to live in a grey world, EVERYTHING is either wrong or right. Has this pilot group ever stood up to anything? I don't think so.

 

[BeCareful!]

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

Of all the rotten, no good, low down, mean spirited, ignorant things to say in front of God and everyone! ALPA would never.....repeat, NEVER.....allow the outsourcing of your job or allow an airline management to degrade this proud profession of its traditionally good pay and QOL. You take that back, you scoundrel!

 

[mach none]

The furloughs will occur because of the economy this fall...not the TA. All I hear is fear this, fear that and the economy is not that bad. It must be the liberal media conspiracy again.

When I hear people like Warren Buffet say we won't begin to see the turn around for another 18 months. I believe him and not pilots. If we were so smart financially, we wouldn't be flying jets for a living.

Oh, I forgot. This could be a 10 year contract. No, no...4 years. No, no...8 years.

I am voting yes. We need to start clawing ourselves out of the hole. We need to look forward and move on from the past.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

The furloughs will occur because of the economy this fall...not the TA. All I hear is fear this, fear that and the economy is not that bad. It must be the liberal media conspiracy again.

When I hear people like Warren Buffet say we won't begin to see the turn around for another 18 months. I believe him and not pilots. If we were so smart financially, we wouldn't be flying jets for a living.

Oh, I forgot. This could be a 10 year contract. No, no...4 years. No, no...8 years.

I am voting yes. We need to start clawing ourselves out of the whole. We need to look forward and move on from the past.

I'm sick of negotiations, too.

But, in the end, if you don't have scope, your job can go to Republichautamesawest any time.

It's kinda like going through the effort of building a aerobatic plane and not bothering to put a 5-point harness in it. Sure, you may get off the ground, but when things go inverted, you can kiss that plane goodbye.

 

[mach none]

we could "what if" ourselves to death. I am still voting yes.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

"What ifs" is risk management, in a way.

The probability of outsourcing is let's say medium and the severity very high.

I don't like those odds.

 

[yellowfever]

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

I agree! If this TA passes I think there will be an RFP out for ~100 seat airplane by the end of the year.

 

[Old School 737]

Look at the annual shareholders meeting 10k statement on page 10. It says Labor cost have historically made up to 30 or 40 % of an airlines total operating costs.

Then go to page 18 and it says Labor cost are a significant component of our total expenses, Accounting for approx 25 and 30 % of our total operating expenses in 2008 and 2007 respectively.

Also says. Each of our represented employee groups has a seperate collective bargaining agreement, and could make demands that would increase our operating expenses and adversely affect our financial performance if we agree to them.

Then page 32 says they feel that we are the highest unit costs in the industry for the size of aircraft operated.

Page 38 says they expect wages and benifits to be flat in 2009 but increase on a per-asm basis.

After reading the this it makes me think that they are getting a good deal on employee wages and benifits!!!!!

 

[Fubijaakr]

I agree with mach. All I hear from the naysayers here and on the ALPA webboard is based on fear. And that fear is based on future imponderables.

Read the TA (not the summary and for pity's sake NOT the ALPA webboard), compare the differences with our current contract and make a decision based on how the changes will effect YOU.

In my case, the positives outweigh the negatives. I'm voting YES.

 

[qxpilot]

No thanks.