Brian Wilson Endorses The ASA Coalition!

[FmrFreightDog]

If you answered no to any of these questions then, no matter how great DN and the MEC are as people, it may be tx for a change.

You know, I'm just too tired to get involved in this debate. The majority will speak, and I still have faith in the majority. If the majority proves me wrong and installs Johnny's coalition, I will have lost a lot of faith in this pilot group. I would wager that those of you pushing for blind change (even Brian Wilson's letter basically said, "What are they going to do? I dunno, but we should give them the chance to show us.") have never spent a day volunteering for an ALPA committee or educating themselves on the true labor-management dynamic that exists at this company. Pushing for a change without really knowing what that change hopes to bring is a truly desperate measure and it shows panic. Furthermore, in my opinion, it shows your lack of backbone.

Anyway... like I said, I'm too tired to get involved in this debate. Do what you want. I've done my campaigning. ALPA is already on the ropes on a national level. Voting in Lynn and company will mark the end of any real representation you have at this company. Think SAPA. If you're comfortable with your reps answering to management's whim, then these people are your guys. If not, research the candidates and make a choice for strong representation. If anyone cares, PM me and I'll be happy to tell you who I nominated and why.

But back to the original reason I posted a response.... ATLCRJDRIVER..... is it really that hard to type the word "time"? The "tx" is just annoying.

 

[atlcrjdriver]

Here is something for the "majority" to think about, IF this proffer is handed down from the NMB. Do you believe the CNC will allow the rank and file to review it and vote on if WE want to approve or reject it or will they say based on the mandates we will make the decision for you?

You say we should should all be quiet and stay the course, which course do you believe they will take?

 

[sweptback]

Here is something for the "majority" to think about, IF this proffer is handed down from the NMB. Do you believe the CNC will allow the rank and file to review it and vote on if WE want to approve or reject it or will they say based on the mandates we will make the decision for you?

You say we should should all be quiet and stay the course, which course do you believe they will take?

Sorry, that's not how it's done. You don't get to vote on whether or not you accept a proffer. Ask a member of Congress if you get to vote on every bill that comes before them...

I think some of you guys are thinking that a proffer equals a strike. That could not be farther from the truth. What a proffer gives us is leverage in the form of time pressure. Maybe I'm optimistic, but I think if we were pushed into a 30-day cooling off period we would have an acceptable TA at the 29-day mark. SkyWest may be happy to let us strike, but Delta would put their foot down and say settle this thing.

 

[John Pennekamp]

JP, do you believe that the NMB will hand down a proffer of arbitration? Do you have confidence in the this "Stay the Course" mentality that our present MEC has put in place? Do you believe that we can get the gap between proposals closer together if we don't actually sit at the table and communicate? If you answered no to any of these questions then, no matter how great DN and the MEC are as people, it may be tx for a change.

I do not think they will proffer us at this time, but I believe they'll send us back to the table with a git 'er dun mandate.

The gap can be narrowed without sitting at the table. All the MEC has to do is drop some of their more outlandish demands, and notify the mediator that they're ready to talk. I think the MEC is there, and waiting for the NMB decision so as to avoid negotiating against themselves.

And yes, I think we should "stay the course" (I can say that now that Bush has dropped it). It's too late in the game to fire the whole army, including the generals, train new ones, then resume the war with a bunch of FNGs!

That would be a very foolish move.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Here is something for the "majority" to think about, IF this proffer is handed down from the NMB. Do you believe the CNC will allow the rank and file to review it and vote on if WE want to approve or reject it or will they say based on the mandates we will make the decision for you?

You say we should should all be quiet and stay the course, which course do you believe they will take?

You already did get to vote. The MAJORITY voted 92.7% to strike. Sorry your team lost.

 

[FightingIrish]

I do not think they will proffer us at this time, but I believe they'll send us back to the table with a git 'er dun mandate.

The gap can be narrowed without sitting at the table. All the MEC has to do is drop some of their more outlandish demands, and notify the mediator that they're ready to talk. I think the MEC is there, and waiting for the NMB decision so as to avoid negotiating against themselves.

And yes, I think we should "stay the course" (I can say that now that Bush has dropped it). It's too late in the game to fire the whole army, including the generals, train new ones, then resume the war with a bunch of FNGs!

That would be a very foolish move.

So are you saying that the MEC knows it needs to come off some of the "outlandish" demands, but is waiting for the NMB to force them to do it? Why can't they just do it. Sounds like they are playing games. One way or the other, they are going to have to come of those demands. Why wait for the NMB to force them. Show some leadership and do what it takes to get the job done.

 

[FightingIrish]

You and your fellow hand puppets want change then vote for it. And if your change candidates don't win then how about getting on board with the majority and stop all your whining.

And if they do win, will you get on board with them?

 

[Tarzan]

Whats the point anymore. Even if it does come down to a strike, the Imperial Federal Government will not allow it to happen just as Mesaba will not be able to strike.

And before any W bashers start, Clintonoid disallowed an American strike just minutes after it started. So that dog, vote for a politician because he pays lip service to labor, won't hunt.

I just fail to see the point in all this any longer of even having a union if our biggest tool is taken away from us.

 

[John Pennekamp]

So are you saying that the MEC knows it needs to come off some of the "outlandish" demands, but is waiting for the NMB to force them to do it? Why can't they just do it. Sounds like they are playing games. One way or the other, they are going to have to come of those demands. Why wait for the NMB to force them. Show some leadership and do what it takes to get the job done.

If you will continue to spin my words, we'll have nothing else to debate.

As I said above, it wouldn't be smart strategy to negotiate against themselves. They should wait for the company's counterproposal first, since it IS THE COMPANY'S TURN.

And nothing is going to come from EITHER SIDE until the NMB rules on the proffer. That's pretty standard at every company. Once you request a proffer, you stand by for the result, because if you want a proffer, negotiating voluntarily will most likely cause the board to say there's no need for one. A proffer is made when there's an impasse. If you're voluntarily negotiating, there's no impasse. The union needs a proffer to set a completion date for negotiations. Until that happens, this company will not get serious. They will just continue stringing us and the mediator along by throwing out scraps.

Clearly you know nothing about NMB negotiations. I would suggest you stop embarassing yourself until you get some education on negotiating strategy. Contrary to popular belief, it's a lot more in-depth than buying a car!

 

[John Pennekamp]

Whats the point anymore. Even if it does come down to a strike, the Imperial Federal Government will not allow it to happen just as Mesaba will not be able to strike.

And before any W bashers start, Clintonoid disallowed an American strike just minutes after it started. So that dog, vote for a politician because he pays lip service to labor, won't hunt.

I just fail to see the point in all this any longer of even having a union if our biggest tool is taken away from us.

Just for your information, Clinton stopped the APA strike (American Pilots) because the AFL-CIO asked him to. The other labor groups at AA had asked the APA not to do it, and to get on board so as not to bankrupt the company, but the APA flipped them off and called a strike. The other groups had all taken their pay cuts, and felt it was unfair to let the APA take the company down. Apparently Clinton agreed, and did what the majority of the union workers wanted, not the minority.