Breakthrough at Comair?

[crjdxr]

Leaders of Comair’s pilots union will vote tonight on an agreement that would temporarily avert a strike of the regional airline’s 1,600 pilots.
A lawyer for the airline, John Gallagher, reported during a hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court this afternoon in New York City that Comair and the union had made progress in negotiations. He asked Judge Adlai Hardin to delay a decision about whether to block pilots from striking.
J.C. Lawson, the chairman of the union, said the measure to be reviewed by the union’s governing committee was not a new contract for the pilots but rather a time extension to negotiate further. He declined to give further details until later today.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061228/BIZ01/612280315/1076/BIZ

 

[crjdxr]

More....

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=AP&Date=20061228&ID=6150342

If the union -- the Air Line Pilots Association -- ratifies the tentative agreement Thursday evening, the judge's ruling on whether to block a strike may be moot for now. If it does not, Gallagher asked Hardin to expedite a ruling Friday morning.
The tentative agreement calls for a deferral of 45 days as the sides negotiate and allows Comair to erase a $3.5 million obligation to a defined-contribution plan. It also leaves pilot pay at its current level for the 45-day period.

 

[spinproof]

Sounds to me they pretty much have a deal. They just need time to do road shows and vote plus let the company "slide" on the "snap-back".

 

[wmuflyguy]

Word is it is not a TA, just the union letting the company slide on the Snapback and the DB contribution for 45 days while more negotiations take place.

It is BS, this thing needs to end now. They have had 8 months to do this, they don't need another 45 days to good off. Either way, impose and see what the judge has or get a full TA.

Just another 45 days so DL can farm out more fo the flying CMR does, so if we ever strike they already have other airliens on the route so it won't get stuck as "struck work".

 

[ex j-41]

Just another 45 days so DL can farm out more fo the flying CMR does, so if we ever strike they already have other airliens on the route so it won't get stuck as "struck work".

Bingo

This is all code for "We need 45 days to get skywest to do our flying".

 

[stratus72]

Sounds like your union caved. Why not just strike?

 

[FDJ2]

Sounds like your union caved. Why not just strike?

Because the judge, given recent judicial decisions, will in all likelihood impose an injunction against any strike. Unfortunately, the bankruptcy code and RLA will be used to allow the company toss out the Comair pilot contract, allow the company to then impose terms of employment and then prevent the union from striking. It is really a pathetic situation which can only be resolved through judicial action.

If pilots want to do something about this situation they are going to have to realize that politics is an important part of defending our profession and we need give financial support to pro labor politicians by supporting ALPA-PAC and electing pro labor congressmen and senators.

 

[9rj9]

good idea

old JC and his infinite intelligence. Lets push this into the slow travel season and then try negotiating. They might just have it all farmed out by then.

 

[Traumahawk]

If pilots want to do something about this situation they are going to have to realize that politics is an important part of defending our profession and we need give financial support to pro labor politicians by supporting ALPA-PAC and electing pro labor congressmen and senators.

And flying "Safe"...
If you intend to strike, and would shut down the company anyway, why not play the few cards you hold as they play theirs every single time???
Sickouts, by the book operations to a T, stop cell phone use and stop picking up overtime(if you have a lot of people doing it).

T-Hawk

 

[crjdxr]

Just my opinion - This could also be a play to hold off the war until the judge in the NW F/A appeal makes his (her?) ruling. The hearing for that appeal was on Nov. 28, IIRC. If the judge rules in favor of the NW F/A's, then the strike card is back in play with a much lower chance of judicial interference.

Also, according to the deal, the Comair pilots get to hold on to their current pay until a deal is reached ("Union leaders agreed late Thursday night to a deferral until Feb. 2, and both sides will continue to negotiate in an effort to reach a consensual deal. The agreement also leaves pilot pay at its current level during the deferral period."). 45 days at current pay might help soften the impact of a work action if it comes to that.

http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/ap/2006/12/29/ap3287311.html

Although, on the T.V. news last night, Denke did say that the union was not sure of management's motivation for putting this deal on the table (as in the union doesn't know the "why" behind the deal).

 

[PA44Jockey]

So let me get this straight. If the judge says that pilots can't strike then it's illegal right? When the pilots decide not to come to work is the judge going to call the police to go drag each pilot from his home to go to work. Doubt it!

 

[The Drizzle]

When the pilots decide not to come to work is the judge going to call the police to go drag each pilot from his home to go to work. Doubt it!

The union, and in extreme cases, the pilots can be fined into the millions.

 

[PCL_128]

old JC and his infinite intelligence. Lets push this into the slow travel season and then try negotiating. They might just have it all farmed out by then.

"Old JC" got it right on this one. Waiting until early February puts the potential self-help right at the start of the advance-bookings for the spring season. That hurts Delta a lot more than striking right after the holidays. A very smart move.

 

[Texx]

"Old JC" got it right on this one. Waiting until early February puts the potential self-help right at the start of the advance-bookings for the spring season. That hurts Delta a lot more than striking right after the holidays. A very smart move.

You give him too much credit.

 

[Skaff]

Bingo

This is all code for "We need 45 days to get skywest to do our flying".

You mean ASA.

 

[Tarzan]

You mean ASA.

Wouldn't surprise me a bit to be an unwilling accomplice in this mess. Skywest gets the flying and says to us, "Here, it's not so bad to be a whipsaw."

Just for the record, there not to many pilots that are pleased about what's going down right now. Please don't look at us like we are the bad guys in this deal. We've done our part to keep the bar up.

 

[Clark W.]

Sounds like your union caved. Why not just strike?

Because the guys on the MEC need to get a plan into effect for their retirement. Then when they get whats right for them, they will bend over the new hires and let their pay get hacked down to the level of Mesa.
If the Judge sees that they're making $50mil in the last year, then throwing out the contract saying that the airline can't afford to pay the pilots....then the Judge should take over the airline, set the ticket to the price where the airline CAN afford to pay the pilots, hence Regulation.

If the Union was really going to strike, they would have struck....not delayed negotiations.
And you say it sounds like ComAir's Union has caved....does this mean Pinacle, Mesa's and TSA's Unions are still strong? Get bent, ALPA hasn't done squat for decades.

 

[buscap]

Hope

My hope is you guys cut a decent deal and get to keep your planes.


Sickens me every time I fly into CVG and see all those parked airframes.

 

[Skippy]

Comair made money this past quarter did they not (50Mil) ? so someone tell me why the ************************* do they need concessions.

UNbelievable! Dont fall for the hype guys and girls, they dont need the concessions-- they need to be held accoutable , it's not the cost of labor, its the LACK OF LEADERSHIP... man thats so true.

 

[PowerRanger]

You mean ASA.

Same difference now...

 

[crjdxr]

Comair made money this past quarter did they not (50Mil) ?

Yep, Comair was/is projected to make $50mil this year. At least that's what Bastain said under oath.

 

[Indy319FA]

If pilots want to do something about this situation they are going to have to realize that politics is an important part of defending our profession and we need give financial support to pro labor politicians by supporting ALPA-PAC and electing pro labor congressmen and senators.

Might interest you to know that this judge was appointed to the bench in 1995 by Bill Clinton. Last time I checked he was pretty pro labor.

 

[CFIse]

This is nt a breakthrough - just a delay. Now the union KNOWS the worse case scenario because the judge has laid it out for them. Therefore any old crap they can negotiate that's better will look good - and the pilots will vote it in.

See Delta, Mesaba and probably a few others I can't think of.

 

[wolfpackpilot]

Lawson will never ever call for a strike.

1. He has no other ballgame to play in.
2. His son works there and needs the time.
3. He really works for Management (check out his Maule he hides down in Louisville, got that one after the cuts he sold in 2005).

J.C. Lawson does what is "ALWAYS" in his best interest, if that benefits the pilots, even better.

 

[PCL_128]

Lawson will never ever call for a strike.

1. He has no other ballgame to play in.
2. His son works there and needs the time.
3. He really works for Management (check out his Maule he hides down in Louisville, got that one after the cuts he sold in 2005).

J.C. Lawson does what is "ALWAYS" in his best interest, if that benefits the pilots, even better.

Every MEC Chairman is accused of being in bed with management. It's an unfortunate characterization that goes with the job. Unless you have some real proof to back it up, then it's nothing but a bunch of hot air. I haven't seen anything from JC that would lead me to believe that he is doing anything other than what he feels is in the best interests of his pilot group.

 

[172driver]

I haven't seen anything from JC that would lead me to believe that he is doing anything other than what he feels is in the best interests of his pilot group.

How about bringing us a BS proposal to vote on last year that took our pay rates from the top of the industry to the bottom without any recommendation as to how we should deal with it. Furthermore, it was explained by JC himself as DCI average pay rates, which was true but extremely misleading to many of our pilots. He conveniently failed to mention the fact that our two year longevity freeze (that he recommended to us) would remain in effect.

The result is that, while our pay rate tables are in fact DCI average on paper, we as individuals have to subtract two years of seniority to find where we fall on that table. As a fourth year FO, I am still on 2nd year pay, and will never regain the two years I lost...meaning I would be $1 above a Mesa FO with the same seniority, right at the bottom of not only DCI, but the industry as a whole. Same holds true for CA, FO, 50, 70.

JC brought this to us and represented it as average. Absolutely untrue, misleading, and dishonest. Had the group known the truth about how their pay would compare to the industry, I have no doubt it would have been shot down handily. It could just as easily been represented as what it was --bottom of the industry rates. Why was it not? Why was there no recommendation given? Was he really looking out for us?

 

[spinproof]

Every MEC Chairman is accused of being in bed with management. It's an unfortunate characterization that goes with the job. Unless you have some real proof to back it up, then it's nothing but a bunch of hot air. I haven't seen anything from JC that would lead me to believe that he is doing anything other than what he feels is in the best interests of his pilot group.

Hmmmm.... this might change your view......
http://www.rjdefense.com/2006/lawson_xscript.pdf

 

[PCL_128]

Hmmmm.... this might change your view......
http://www.rjdefense.com/2006/lawson_xscript.pdf

No, I've read that before. Nothing in there leads me to believe that he's in bed with management as the previous poster suggested.

 

[ohplease!]

Every MEC Chairman is accused of being in bed with management. It's an unfortunate characterization that goes with the job. Unless you have some real proof to back it up, then it's nothing but a bunch of hot air. I haven't seen anything from JC that would lead me to believe that he is doing anything other than what he feels is in the best interests of his pilot group.

I have NEVER, EVER heard ANYONE suggest Dave is, was or EVER would be "in bed with management". But hey, thats just here at ASA. I don't know about EVERY other MEC Chairman.

 

[PCL_128]

I have NEVER, EVER heard ANYONE suggest Dave is, was or EVER would be "in bed with management". But hey, thats just here at ASA. I don't know about EVERY other MEC Chairman.

Dave's still new. Wait a year or two and then the allegations will start. The membership always likes to attack the guy at the top for some reason. Notice all of the fawning over Captain Prater right now. Everyone loves him because he's the new guy. In a couple of years, they'll all be attacking him just as they have been attacking Captain Woerth. It doesn't matter how good of a job he does, or how hard he fights for the profession, the guy at the top is always getting attacked.