ASA pay scales

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IFF:

The RJDC's list of supporters is confidential, so I really don't know the answer to your question. The only things I have heard is surprise that a few Delta pilots were on direct deposit, but there were no names mentioned. Based on the financial requirements it would appear the number is well in excess of 10% and I have yet to actually meet a pilot who feels like you, or past MMO.

You are very correct that Delta Connection is past the scope limits without the re-set provisions. Unfortunately ALPA has never bothered to share their data with the ASA MEC where Connection is with regard to the limits. The scale back in Delta's international flying threw the RJDC's calculations off after September 11th. The RJDC is working on calculation of the block hour allocation as we speak and will report in the next several weeks. It is long, mind numbing work to go through the schedules.

In any event, Delta not honoring its contract is not a "win" for anybody. The central issue of this litigation is equal and fair representation, which includes the rights of ASA pilots to negotiate and ratify contracts that affect their working conditions.

If ASA goes past 1,700 pilots, that is a pretty clear indication that things have changed on Virginia Aveune and Delta is going to willfully violate their contract.

The Delta contract stipulates that their scope will be re-negotiated when certain financial limits are exceeded. It could be that scope has been re-negotiated - who knows. Of course our MEC has been locked out of these negotiations - so we don't know what is happening with our jobs and working conditions...

Last time scope was negotiated in February of 2000, ASA immediately reacted by stopping hiring. The public announcement of the scope changes was not until almost June, although most of the details were leaked out of the Delta MEC from February to April. So it could be that Delta has re-negotiated section 1 of the Delta contract and the word is not out to the Delta pilots yet (this is pure conjecture on my part)

TIM47:

You are correct, the suit is against ALPA,NOT DALPA, Delta pilots, or Delta. ALPA has the duty to represent Comair pilots, which they breached.

However, before you feel guilty about a Delta pilot paying dues to defend the lawsuit - remember that the Delta MEC's litigation against Comair (Comair flying Delta Express routes) the Pan Am litigation and various sexual harrassment settlements arising from activities of DALPA leaders - all came out of ALPA's funds which we pay. Like you, I don't want to cost the Delta pilots a dime, but at the same time they have cost this union over 20 million, so I am not too sympathetic to their concerns about what defense of RJDC litigation is costing ALPA.

With regard to the Pan Am pilots - ALPA settled the claims brought by RJDC attorney Mike Haber. Another suit was brought on behalf of pilots with different circumstances and ALPA eventually won that second law suit.

The settlement is confidential, but you are correct, it required the mortgage of ALPA's property to pay. You and I help re-pay that settlement with our dues to this day.

 

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IFF:

You suggest that if I upgraded and held a CRJ line then I would not longer support the RJDC. Your assumption is understandable since the harm to my career would be gone.

But - I have written before that if Delta hired me today I would still be an RJDC supporter. Kindly allow me to explain why:

(1) Alter ego airlines and whipsaw harm all pilots, including the Delta pilots.
(2) By imposing artificial limits on aircraft acquisition Delta can not grow as well as they could if they were allowed to operate the right aircraft in the right market. (If scope really works, why not make all Delta flying 777's?)
(3) ALPA is not a union when it separates employee groups. The strength of the union is that it brings all employees together for collective bargaining purposes.

One Level of Safety was an excellent program that raised the stadards of the Regional Airline industry. I believe it is time for One Level of Representation . ALPA "jacks up the house" by building on each contract with improvements that benefit pilots. Having separate alter-ego airlines only serves to lower the standards. Thirty years ago our flying was mainline flying in DC-9-30's. Today you and I make less than pilots did thirty years ago. Why?

If all Delta brand flying was performed by Delta brand pilots, we would have a higher standard. The Delta pilots would no longer have their growth threatened on the bottom end by Connection and on the top end by international code share.

 

[Tim47SIP]

IFF stated:
"Ahh, but new rumors (after all, we never hear anything official, except official disinformation) are that the Brasilias are going away afret all. Word is that keeping them was a post 9/11 plan to temporarily boost the bottom line. Now that the financing has gone through, the jets are coming and the E120s are leaving. That would negate the need for new pilots unless we were still getting all of the new jets we were promised. If this happens, we will quickly hit the scope limits, maybe even exceed them. I don't see the jet lines or jet upgrades staying as bad as they are. "

I agree with most of what you are saying but I am not convinced the E-120's will be gone. Skip just a few weeks ago said the reason that we are now keeping the 28 is because of the new ramp space over at D, additionally, if we are getting rid of all of them, then why new hires now? There is no way the training department can accomidate all of the E-120 guys as well as the new hires and upgrades. Even the last V1 states that we will only loose 11 in the second quarter. With the current hiring, we will be over the 1700 mark by Aug/Sept providing DALPA hasn't negotiated away our aircraft. But who knows? If you dont like what is happening at ASA right now, just wait a minute, things will change.

Metro - Thanks for the correction. I had looked at some training classes a few months ago and I saw seniority numbers in the 1500's. That might be just before the new hire classes were cancelled and what I saw were future position projections. Have they posted the seniority numbers? Were did you get the info? Thanks.

Fins, I wasn't talking about the dues that Delta pilots pay for ALPA to defend themselves because as you stated, we are paying to. What I was refering to was any monitary award to the plaintiffs must not come from Delta pilots through assesements or extra out of pocket expenses. As I have stated earlier, I believe that there is no intent to recoupe any monitary funds except for court costs. But I think that is ALPA's problem as they are the ones that hired 3 more lawyers outside of ALPA at a rediculous cost for this "frivilous law suit" (quoted from ALPA).

 

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As I have stated earlier, I believe that there is no intent to recoupe any monitary funds except for court costs.

Yes, you are right.

Sorry that I did not make it clear that I understood what you were addressing.

ALPA has hinted that they would like to settle with the four Comair pilots who brought the litigation without making any changes to the representational structure or scope problems in our union. The only thing left to offer was money and and position within the ALPA power structure, along with another committee to study the problem. No Thanks!