ALPA fails at JB

[Blue Dude]

When is "next time around"? Who will represent us? With what financial backing? Don't you realize that even if ALPA did us wrong we'd still at least have an agent that we could fire and replace... on their dime, not ours? Now we have exactly nothing, and nobody is going to waste their time and money trying to organize this limp-wristed, Goldilocks pilot group again.

 

[$$$4nothin]

So this might be a long shot or crazy thinking for a FI post. It is a possibility that the company will see how close the vote was, and realize that makeing our QOL better through the DR will be much cheaper than haveing a union voted in a year from now. There for addressing all the issues that we have and makeing our QOL better. As much as nobody on FI wants to admit it, this might be a big turning point for us and the company. Just a crazy idea that the company might do the right thing here. JB has kind of been known for doing the right thing and fixing there mistakes over the years. A happy pilot group=happy customers=happy investors. I think Dave Barger understands this cocept.

 

[Blue Dude]

Bull$hit. How long have you been here? Were you even working here during the last vote? This time around they didn't even bother with the "We've heard you" and "Give us another chance" lines. That's because last time around they made certain promises regarding "workarounds", "transparency", and "process", all of which were either ignored, watered down, or forgotten when the threat of a vote had passed. The one accomplishment of any note - the 2009 pay raise - was followed by a process of keeping us "average" in pay, though the process was never defined, voted on, approved by pilots, or as far as I know, even written down. Result: "de minimus" pay raise skipped, the 2010 pay scale calculated in 2011, retro forgotten, then reinstated when the word got out during a card campaign, still no word on 2011 or 2012. And pay is the easiest item to adjust. Retirement, M&A, benefits? We can expect nothing, and we'll probably get it.

 

[jonjuan]

When is "next time around"? Who will represent us? With what financial backing? Don't you realize that even if ALPA did us wrong we'd still at least have an agent that we could fire and replace... on their dime, not ours? Now we have exactly nothing, and nobody is going to waste their time and money trying to organize this limp-wristed, Goldilocks pilot group again.

Love the gay bashing.

 

[Blue Dude]

Love the gay bashing.

Not intended to be a gay reference. Would "weak sisters" work better for you? How about simply pouting children who won't do anything until mommy makes it just right?

 

[Lake Alice]

We were talking about M&A. I'm telling you that ALPA doesn't appear to help. Here's a list of recent wins that ALPA has been a part of;

1. USAIR and Am West. - Disaster

2. TWA and American. - Sued and Convicted of DFR

3. AirTran and SWA. - Steamrolled and on the verge of a staple

4. CAL and United - Jury is still out. Not looking rosy.

You must be a member of Jetblue management because you share their ability to spin the truth. Let's clarify for the kids at home:

1. USAIR and Am West. An arbitrator made the decision. The USair MEC pushed for date of hire. The mediator, who was also the arbitrator, specifically told the USair MEC that straight date of hire was an unachievable goal. ALPA national made it very clear that asking for date of hire was not an acceptable goal between two ALPA carriers. Ultimately the MEC had the final decision.

2. TWA and American. TWA's ultimate integration was 8-1 and ended up with a 52% staple. Jetblue's current PEA guarantees a 50% staple. TWA was on the verge of liquidation and still accepted a 52% staple. Jetblue, who is a healthy company, would guarantee it's pilots a 50% staple.
2% difference.

3. Airtran and SWA. No where close to a staple. The list has still to be finalized but since you kain't read so good I won't bog you down with details. In the end Airtran has a right to vote no, proceed to mediation and ultimately arbitration.

4. Cal and United. Not completed and "rosy" is conjecture.

In the end Jetblue pilots voted against ALPA because of misunderstanding, hatred and spin. Conservative estimates put the range of pilots who voted in favor of the direct relationship at 5-10%.

Try and get your facts straight next time.

 

[waveflyer]

True about Glass-Steagal, along with NAFTA and all the other tactics that have been used to break the middle class and bust the unions.

That being said, ALPA sh*t their own nest for so long that I seriously doubt that it will remain a viable entity much longer. You reap what you sow.

I am curious about how the company reacts. Although the percentages imply that this was a "big" win for the company, the underlying anti-ALPA resentment and simple election math really show that this was much closer than it appears:

If 157 pilots would have voted the other way, we'd have ALPA on the property.

157 out of 2100 isn't that many to sway next time around. The company has to know this and unless certain issues get addressed, there will be a next time.

In my opinion, if the company is smart, they throw a few million $ towards the JBPA and say: "Here. Organize. We'll codify everything in the current relationship into a CBA and this headache goes away".

I'm not optiminstic, though.

The company can't help you organize or fund any form of collective bargaining:
http://www.nmb.gov/documents/rla.html

Fourth. Organization and collective bargaining, freedom from interference by carrier, assistance in organizing or maintaining organization by carrier forbidden; deduction of dues from wages forbidden

Employees shall have the right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing. The majority of any craft or class of employees shall have the right to determine who shall be the representative of the craft or class for the purposes of this chapter. No carrier, its officers, or agents shall deny or in any way question the right of its employees to join, organize, or assist in organizing the labor organization of their choice, and it shall be unlawful for any carrier to interfere in any way with the organization of its employees, or to use the funds of the carrier in maintaining or assisting or contributing to any labor organizabion, labor representative, or other agency of collective bargaining, or in performing any work therefor, or to influence or coerce employees in an effort to induce them to join or remain or not to join or remain members of any labor organization, or to deduct from the wages of employees any dues, fees, assessments, or other contributions payable to labor organizations, or to collect or to assist in the collection of any such dues, fees, assessments, or other contributions: Provided, That nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a carrier from permitting an employee, individually, or local representatives of employees from conferring with management during working hours without loss of time, or to prohibit a carrier from furnishing free transportation to its employees while engaged in the business of a labor organization."

ALPA is not the enemy. They aren't a 3rd party- they are an organization created in the image and likeness of our pilots and have grown too beaurocratic. Problems yes- but our responsibility-
IMO- independent unionization might work at JBlu- but probably not as effectively as alpa-

 

[spitfire1500]

Where the F' have you been? In-house was tried and failed. Now this. What's next? Teamsters? No thank you.

Actually we have Teamsters and it hasn't been so bad.

 

[MINIME]

My suggestion, get a representative body protected by the rules of the RLA. If you don't like ALPA, so be it. But do get one. Barger isn't going to give two ratts' rear ends when, and if, AMR or SWA come knocking. He will take his millions and sail away on his yacht.

You guys have a very desirable route structure that many would love to have. No airline can get enough of New York. It is the highest yielding market in the U.S..

Otherwise, I suggest you start an attorney fund right away. If a merger is in your future, at least you'll have some money to half way defend yourself. If it does not happen, at least you'll have an emergency fund.

 

[DonVerita]

Dont be ALPA sucks. they would sell you guys down the river in a NY minute.

And your suggestion for an alternative with extensive aviation experience and vast resources would be whom?