Alaska TA passes

[Fubijaakr]

Once again, just like the Age 65 "debate", the issue is dead. 85% of our pilots voted FOR the contract. It was an overwhelming landslide.

Funny that the 15% number of NO votes pretty much coincides with the number of Reserves/Junior Captains who have fallen for the fearmongering posted here and on the Alaska ALPA board.

FURLOUGHS!
DOWNGRADES!
90 HOUR LINES!
EASY VSA!
LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS!

Oh my.

The 85% number represents lineholding Captains and F/Os who evaluated the TA and understood how the new framework would benefit their status and quality of life.

Democracy in action! You gotta love that. Of course, like Republicans, we'll be treated with a lot of whining and gnashing of teeth written in the largest darkest font available from the 15%. And like the anti-Age 65 crowd, it won't change a thing.

Let the finger pointing and name calling begin. That won't change anything either. But, if it makes YOU feel better, go for it. Just understand, 85% of us don't care. I suggest if you don't like the result, run for LEC/MEC Officer or volunteer for the Negotiating Committee.

 

[Fubijaakr]

I was warned not to come here by and old United pilot and now I finally get it....A raise will only happen if no one wants to work here because the pay is so lousy.

That's called supply and demand. Alaska seems to have no problem attracting qualified pilot recruits.

By accepting this TA by 85% we have just told the company that they gave too much. They could have said new hires would get no pension and only 3% in their 401K's and it would have easily passed.

That would qualify as a "condition of employment" just like the B-scale did when I got hired. I knew what the pay was when I signed on. New hires will know that their retirement is a Defined Contribution plan as opposed to a Defined Benefit plan. If that's a deal breaker, they will go somewhere else. Guess what? We will STILL have plenty of candidates.

If I was them I would come out with a wage freeze next time and stall until the mediator threatened to release the union. That will waste about 2 years, then you throw a 5-4-3-2-1 % raise over five years at them and dare them to turn it down. By now the reps phones will be ringing off the hook with guys screaming at them to take it because the economy somewhere in the country is bad. Maybe then they can get 50% + 1, which is their goal.

If "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts, we'd all have a Merry Christmas. Can I use your crystal ball when you're finished?

Hey, maybe Alaska will buy Air Tran, we'll staple all those rubes to the bottom of our list and YOU can be the #1 Captain in Orlando overnight. That's just as possible as YOUR doomsday scenario.

The bottom line is if this contract is SO intolerable you can always resign and one of our furloughed guys will GLADLY take your place. Good luck in your job search. I won't hold my breath waiting for that resignation letter though.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

Fubi, do you need any extra salt or maybe some help twisting the knife?

 

[Fubijaakr]

"Never take counsel of your fears." - Andrew Jackson

 

[Ocity]

"Never take counsel of your fears." - Andrew Jackson

Listen. Pandoras box isn't even open yet. Frankly, you don't know what you have agreed to because this company has a long history of forgetting agreements.

Six years from NOW, we will be earning LESS money, (not even accounting for inflation, but a simple lower number of dollars) than we earned 5 years AGO. For this reason alone, I voted No.

We just voted, by a landslide, to take another huge paycut. I'm not saying there weren't some good things to be had, but I think you need to check your attitude a bit...SWA still makes $30k more a year than you do and they're losing more money.

Personally, I'm happy to move on from the Kasher years. However, I think we could have done better.

 

[Fubijaakr]

What do you use to polish that crystal ball? Minwax? Pledge?

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

What do you use to polish that crystal ball? Minwax? Pledge?

I dunno, maybe the same stuff you use for your rose-colored glasses?

 

[av8instyle]

I'm a 15%er

I am one of the few who was willing to take a stand against a mediocre contract after taking it in the shorts by a company making millions. I, like many others, will pay a dear price for this contract, not this year, but over the next couple. And four years from now I hope you can say you were right and I was an idiot, I truly truly hope so, but I am afraid that's not the way it will play out.
We did not get a contract that was fair and equitable to all. We got one that benefited the 55+ ers.
How's Vision 2010 treating you so far? There are even less pilots on the property now than when Bill Ayers first brought his "vision" to us. I am counting the months. 7 more and I will be a CAPTAIN just like Bill said!

 

[Old School 737]

I'm think of making up some stickers that say I'm a 199er. How Bout U.

 

[CGHercster]

I'm think of making up some stickers that say I'm a 199er. How Bout U.

I want one. I think we're going to regret this big time down the road, but I can only hope we don't. Three and a half more contracts like this and I'll be retiring! Thanks guys!

 

[av8instyle]

I'm think of making up some stickers that say I'm a 199er. How Bout U.

I'd take one. However, I had a couple of Mike's "I voted NO" stickers and they didn't do me any good.

 

[Ocity]

I'd take one. However, I had a couple of Mike's "I voted NO" stickers and they didn't do me any good.

The funny thing is in two years, when the reality of this contract settles in, you're going to see 1000 "i voted no" stickers.

Hopefully I'm wrong on this, but this company has never failed in disappointing.

 

[Capi_Cafre']

All of the discussion seems to be on payrates. What about the important stuff like language preventing something like Alaska Air Express operated with Republic EMB 190's? Isn't Horizon already doing a lot of flying that Alaska used to to?

 

[navigatro]

Anyone have a guess how long the furloughed pilots will be on the street?

 

[Baze]

From what I know, for a furlough to be economical, you have to keep the furloughees out for at least 12 months.

But then, we're dealing with AAG, so we might be back by June of next year to fly the Summer schedule.

Anyone have a guess how long the furloughed pilots will be on the street?

 

[tico]

Anyone have a guess how long the furloughed pilots will be on the street?

[FONT=&quot]MEC Update[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]www.ALAPilots.com[/FONT]​

Tuesday, June 2, 2009​

Fellow pilots,

Management today presented your MEC with a letter stating they anticipate they will need to furlough up to 80 additional pilots by October 1 in response to a number of factors negatively affecting our company’s financial performance. In the letter they went on to say that in addition to the 9% block hour reduction in 2009, they intend to reduce total hours by an additional 3% in 2010. That letter is attached to this message.

Upon receiving the notice, your MEC officers, Negotiating Committee and Membership Committee chairman immediately met with Vice President of Flight Ops Gary Beck, Managing Director of Labor Relations Elizabeth Ryan and members of Alaska’s Crew Planning department to review staffing data reflecting not only the net reduction in planned flying for 2009 and 2010, but also the impact of a significantly downsized instructor pilot force related to the completion of our transition training to a single-type fleet.

While it is highly likely that a significant number of the planned staffing reductions will need to be made through involuntary furloughs and downgrades, the new contract mandates that three programs designed to mitigate furloughs—a voluntary Furlough Program, a (voluntary) Reduced Bid Block Program and a (voluntary) Reduced Reserve Schedule Program—will be triggered. Additionally, the new contract requires the discussion of other furlough mitigation programs during a 30-day window, which begins on the day of notification to the Association of the anticipated need to furlough. These discussions began this afternoon with your Negotiating Committee and representatives from the company meeting to explore any additional opportunities to mitigate furloughs.

We realize that there will be pilots who are convinced that management’s announcement is the result of staffing efficiencies obtained through new work rules. Our answer now regarding pilot staffing is the same as it was when we addressed these questions at our road shows: Any planned adjustments in staffing will be the result of net changes to block hours. This is especially the case now, as we are still in the implementation phase of the new contract, and it is impossible for management to base staffing needs on anything other than current manning formulas. It also should be noted that our flight attendants also will be experiencing another round of furloughs this fall.

We remain committed to representing every member of this pilot group at this stressful and challenging time. We will continue to keep you up to date as programs are implemented and new information is available.

 

[Old School 737]

We are shrinking are way to profitability!!

 

[whymeworry?]

You guys voted in a contract that will NOT bring back your hostages? Where's the sense in that?

For an airline that is so tough at the hiring/ recruitment process, you guys sure demonstrated a lack of ignorance with respect to your situational awareness for staffing growth.

Thanks for lowering the bar for the rest of us.

AK= Weak Pilot Group

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

You guys voted in a contract that will NOT bring back your hostages? Where's the sense in that?

For an airline that is so tough at the hiring/ recruitment process, you guys sure demonstrated a lack of ignorance with respect to your situational awareness for staffing growth.

Thanks for lowering the bar for the rest of us.

AK= Weak Pilot Group

And I thought they were being stupid and here you are complimenting them.

 

[Singlecoil]

You guys voted in a contract that will NOT bring back your hostages? Where's the sense in that?

For an airline that is so tough at the hiring/ recruitment process, you guys sure demonstrated a lack of ignorance with respect to your situational awareness for staffing growth.

Thanks for lowering the bar for the rest of us.

AK= Weak Pilot Group

Aside from the typo, this is completely true. The same group that was happy to keep the bar low for years under binding arbitration is still keeping it low. Management was smart to hire former Braniff, Eastern, and Continental pilots, many of whom had been on strike before. I have a feeling that many of these folks called their status reps and told them that they would not strike so they had better settle.