ATTENTION NJA PILOTS: Captain overide pay!

[CatYaaak]

What grizz thinks is that if this new initiative is successful than the new MEC will have less bargaining power. Here is his thought. If there is another FO initiative to earn bypass pay than pilots on the outside might more willingly accept a job here. The would be applicant might think that he too can take part in another initiative to raise his pay once he is hired. This would increase people’s interest in working for NJA and therefore decrease the strength available to the new MEC at the negotiating table.

When in reality, providing leadership and persuading people to unite again for the same cause would give the MEC more bargaining power.

After the first bid-maneuvered wage victory, I remember the claim that it sent a "huge message". Now taking the same steps hard on the heels of the first one would be somehow be detrimental? Hardly, it would send an even bigger message and signify strength, which is the position you want to bargain from.

After the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan and we sent a huge "message", the Ministers of Japan met and voted to continue the war. Good thing Griz wasn't advising Harry Truman on whether to drop the second one.

Just a thought...if Griz and gang aren't supporting this initiative on the grounds that prospective employees will expect a likewise maneuver, and this act of signing-on for employment will undermine the union's power, how is that any different than people like Griz taking the the job in the hope that the next contract will do the same? Isn't that tantamount to admitting that he undermined his own MEC and stagnated his own wages when he committed the same act?

I think I see a boat, and some pilots just scrambled up a ladder out of the water while leaving some others behind. Now those in the water still treading have spotted the ladder in the water and are swimming towards it...whoops! the ones steering the boat just ordered to have it pulled it up and announced "Let 'em swim!"

 

[luvu]

MEC sponsored pre-bid is proper solution

If a bid overide campaign became the MECs officially sponsored strategy for every open bid it would represent proof of a huge organizational capacity and demonstrate a fearsome ability to flex the collective muscle. You are talking about organizing to target just one open seat per bid. Not much of a sacrifice.

Simple ongoing format for solution that can be implimented within 24 hours and satisfy all parties. All MEC needs to do is host a pre-bid on the union board. In this case the highest three bidders on the pre-bid would be given green light to place official bid with company. The fourth bid would go to designated junior candidate.

This solves the problems in a real organized fashion. It eliminates PIC wannabees who ordinarily wouldn't be senior enough to hold bid from weaseling into the seat just because a large number of more senior pilots have a more enduring sense of honor and faithfulness to fellow union pilots.

You might find under this system that jpilot, for instance wouldn't even be close to the top three bidders if a system of pre-bids were devised to let all honorable pilots bid, with the understanding that three seats are indeed available while still preserving the overide campaign.

Give me one good reason NOT to impliment the organized pre-bidding on every single open pilot seat from now until contract ratification. Once you commit to the strategy there is nothing herculean about executing it for each bid.

 

[luvu]

sweetening the pot on organized pre-bidding

Once you have a system to positively identify who the 4th most senior bidder is who is actually the single pilot that would be making the sacrifice to the junior man, you could create a prize to show your appreciation.

The prize could be $10,000 tax free. The prize money would be gathered by dividing $10,000 by the number of pilots stepping up to Captain's pay because of number four's identifiable and verifiable sacrifice.

In this month's bid we are talking about $30 bucks per overide Captain and they would be held on their honor to send it in when they get their first upsized paycheck.

Even if the number of overide Captains fell to as little as 10 pilots and their individual share added up to $1,000, they would still come out ahead after a month on the new salary.

You could make the awarding of the $10,000 a huge rallying point with photo opportunity and huge industry wide cheering each time.

Give me one good reason NOT to make this happen. Everybody truly wins and if jpilot draws number 4, sacrifices his bid, collects $10,000 and many heartfelt thanks from junior members, tell me that wouldn't make him feel better about things than the course he is now considering.

 

[FrontierFan]

I think this could be the best idea that everyone can get on board with. Time will tell.

 

[gordon24]

Yea, I'd go for that idea.

 

[tripacer]

Griz,

When did the company do away with the training contract?

 

[Grizz]

They haven't as far as I know. They proposed to get rid of the as part of the failed TA but as far as I know, training contracts are alive and well.

Now as to whether they are legal or not, that's another question. One left to more astute legal minds than this broke down ol' pilot.

 

[netjetwife]

One good reason---

The bypass pay system is a part of the contract that is now under negotiation. The last effort didn't make any fans (of bypass pay) in the company. Look at what you're proposing from the company's viewpoint--would you vote for it?

My family is one of the 116 that received bypass pay. I was one of those that posted on here about the huge message that it sent to the company, and would love to see it happen again. However, my husband is good at pointing out the practical aspects (he helped make the calls last time) of any other efforts in the near term. He told me that there are guys like jpilot out there who held off and must be given their chance; there may be more who think like that than you realize. One of the reasons that it was successful last time doesn't exist now. That group of pilots had been given "promises" in their interviews that were not kept and many of their fellow pilots thought that was wrong. Such was not the case for the pilots hired afterwards.

It is very unfair to criticize SU for not backing another bypass effort right now. Those people have their hands full, and are fighting for ALL of the pilots and families! The efforts of volunteers need to be directed at winning a good/fair contract for everyone. Many of the SU supporters (like my husband) feel very strongly about helping the FO/FOs. They are working hard to get them wages that they can support their families on while they wait for an upgrade. THAT is the right way to solve the problem of a low payscale. Let's all work together for a permanent solution! Fights on! Netjetwife

 

[Ditch-LRDriver]

Override pay?

Thanks for all the support from the various posts! Obviously there are many ways to interpret this cause and perceive it.
Couple of notes for everyone;
The union can't officially back this effort for contractual reasons, but neither did the last MEC members. We obviously wouldn't jeopardize their mission, nor expect to put their positions at risk. It was confirmed with Strong Union that such a cause would be independent of their duties and responsibilities.
Being that said, the movement has been scaled back for time constraint reasons. We had less than two weeks to make the push, but gave it our best! We will wait for the results and hope for the best. One major difference this time around, potential bidders were not asked to forgo captains pay because they had already been receiving it, from the last successful campaign.
We look forward to a future were back-door politics won't be necessary to achieve what all professional pilots strive for--FAIR WAGES.

 

[SquirrelDog]

I guess the motto is "I got mine, screw you guys/gals".

Everyone knew what the pay was starting ( If yo didn't then You are an idiot and can't read), but that doesnt mean one can't try and increase their pay at every opportunity.

"jpilot" YOU CAME TO NETJETS FOR AN UPGRADE AND PIC TIME, HA HA!
Over the last several years Netjets uprgrade has almost been nil many companys have had a lot quicker advancement. For one Pinnacle-off the street captains and multiple cargo jobs offering quick upgrades due to the fast turnover. That's a good one try again!\

Here here to FrontierFan and CatYaaak

Fly safe SD