Struck Work
Gentlemen, and Ladies...
I am a NetJets pilot. I say this because I want you to know it from the beginning.
But before I became a pilot for NJA, I was a charter pilot and I flew a lot of Part 125 and 135 work. I've flown the 172 in charter, different Lear's, the Golden Eagle and the Hawkasarous. I've spent many a night moving checks and staring at midwestern thunderstorms from behind the panel of a faithful old 310. I've marveled at the old Sabre 60 and sat bored in a CJ and Beechjet. I know what it's like to hide from the phone call, to sit all day in an FBO, and to wish the beeper would go to hell. I've had months go by where I didn't get paid for a single day of work, and I've spent months on the road at a time flying rock and roll bands around in old converted airliners. I've been asked to fly illegally many times, and have been threatened with losing my job if I didn't go do the flight. So, I guess what I'm saying is that after 15 years of doing it, I'm not a stranger to your world.
I see the question asked a lot about why, considering the low pay, I don't just leave the job; or why, considering the low pay, did I take the job in the first place? The only reason I personally have is because (a) it WAS a job in avaition in the period shortly after 9/11, (b) it offered stability, as in a regular paycheck (not contract work), benefits, and a schedule. I knew the pay was low, but we were all promised it would increase greatly real soon and I figured I could put up with it for a while.
But that "while" is over. Just because the job pays poorly doesn't mean it should, nor does it mean a person shouldn't do what they can to make it pay better. In the non-unionized world we all know it meant negotiating with the manager/owner to try and get a pay raise. For us, it means a new contract. I suppose the easy thing to do is take everyone's suggestion and leave for another job... but I _like_ this one. And I want to make it better, not only for myself and my union brothers, but for the rest of the industry as well. As such, if asked to walk a picket line I will stand up and do my duty.
And so, let me get to the point. I am one of the union volunteers and I serve as a committee chairman. While I do not speak for our union leadership, I do have knowledge of what goes on and I want to address this "scab" issue.
There was a post by someone on the other forum about what might happen if the NetJets Pilot's Union does go on strike. What all of you need to understand is that it was just that, a post by an individual. For now, the "official" position has not been totally defined, but I can tell you this. The union leadership felt that someone flying a QS tail, or someone flying a NetJets trip from one of our sister companies that fall under the "single carrier" scope issue (NJI, EJM) would be considered as flying "struck work". But that was all... or at least we thought it was.
We have been undertaking the process of removing our membership from the truck drivers local it was in, and creating a local of pilots working for pilots. Creating a local is a large task for any group; doing it while in the midst of heated contract negotiations is even more daunting. And to add to our pleasure, we have been contacted by a significant enough number of the Flight Options pilots asking for our help in organizing that we cannot ignore their request. And with every step we take in this process, we are learning something new; names, policies, politics, and even the "struck work" issue.
We have received information and guidance from the national level which may be re-defining the issue of "struck work". Because the Shared Aircraft business has never seen a strike, the issue of what exactly is "struck work" is poorly defined; a problem that is being looked at by all of the different aviation union bodies as we speak. However, irrespective of what has been posted by others in this, and the fractional, forum all of you should understand that the major aviation unions have pledged to support our cause and decisions.
I think every one of us understands that regardless of whether the NetJets Pilot's Union wins or loses in this battle for a fair and just contract, the outcome will have a significant effect on the industry as a whole. We are all pilots and it is not our desire to see others harmed as a result of our actions. We are only asking that you try to understand some of the issues we face in this uphill battle, and at least not help to make the hill steeper for us.
It is my hope and desire to see everyone stop and take a deep breath before going on with this issue. Like I give to my fellow union brothers and sisters, the best advice I can give is to just wait and see what happens.
Respectfully submitted.
