Buffett Bites Back at NetJets Pilot Complaints

[Mooneymite]

Somethign I agree with, sim time is aslmost impposible to get rigth now without the impact of replacing 100's of pilots.

If 3000 NetJets pilots are locked out, there will be plenty of empty sims since we won't be doing any recurrent/transition training.

We already have new-hire training in place, so they'll be able to expand it.

 

[BlueNose]

I suspect the NMB will get a little political pressure from the money-boys and NetJets will be released quickly and we will be locked out sooner than anyone is even guessing.

We are definitely better off preparing for a lockout rather than discounting it out of hand.

If Hansell gets 20% of the NetJets pilots to accept his terms (lots of money to be made by those who cross the picket line!), he can limp along with sell-offs and contract pilots (even EJM pilots on their off days) for long enough to hire and train our replacements. Generally NetJets' customers are not pro-union and will be quite patient if they think it will get rid of those "awful unions".

The key to a successful strike/lockout situation is the savings of the individual NetJets pilots (that's you and me!). If you haven't got savings that will last you and your family for 6 months, you need to. We'll need 100% of the pilots on our side of the picket line.

If the lockout doesn't happen, you've built up a nice nest-egg and gotten your financial house in order. Start saving!

I agree that you can probably expect release and a lockout if this continues on to that point. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, but you have to prepare just in case. My guess is Hansell's looking at the Northwest AMFA strike in '05 as the model. That was an independent union that struck in the face of concession demands. The mechanics thought they were too highly trained and valuable to the operation to be replaced. NWA management proved them wrong - they prepared, increased outsourcing while they hired/trained replacements, and ended up breaking the strike. The mechs took a bigger pay cut when they settled than the proposal they struck over. The cleaners & custodians got outsourced, most didn't get their jobs back at all. Effectively killed the union.

Hope your leadership is looking at this as a case study and preparing, I'd bet Hansell and his team are. Selling off lift while hiring and training replacements is all to viable a strategy, and from what you all say it doesn't look like he understands or cares that this would destroy the brand that you and RS built over the years. Maybe you can make the owners (customers) understand that before it progresses too far. There's a reason they chose frax over charter in the first place.

 

[T-1GUY]

No way could he limp along. That's replacing 2000+ pilots overnight. They can't even handle normal training amounts without a backlog. Netjets would come to a screeching halt.

 

[Hawkered]

There are not enough pilots to replace the ones we are losing now. This is a different time. Hansell is screwed!!

 

[Mooneymite]

There are not enough pilots to replace the ones we are losing now. This is a different time. Hansell is screwed!!

I do not agree.

Look back at the "early days". NetJets didn't hire ATP's with six type ratings. If you had the necessary licenses and passed the drug test, you were hired.

Hansell has no appreciation for what pilots do. He would have no compunction about hiring from the bottom of the barrel.

Throw a rock into a bush....fifteen "qualified" pilots will jump out ready to take your job....and Hansell will give it to them when he locks us out.

The fact that Hansell has only one qualification (busting unions) and is still running the place is reason enough to plan for the lockout.

Do the math. Hansell does not need 2000 pilots right away...especially since the work rules will be gone.

If we prepare and I'm wrong, no harm. However, if I'm right and we're not prepared, we ARE screwed.

Dump your debt and start saving....and get those job applications sent in today.

 

[BlueNose]

I'm just an outsider looking in, but what happens with your fight will affect the rest of the industry for years to come. So best of luck to you all. I would caution some of you to remember the old saying, "the graveyards are full of indispensable men."

Remember that the FAA requires only a 1500 hr ATP with a type for a "qualified" PIC, and a 300 hour Commercial with no type makes for a perfectly "qualified" right seater.

 

[Diesel]

Somethign I agree with, sim time is aslmost impposible to get rigth now without the impact of replacing 100's of pilots.

It's not sim time. The training center now has to be approved for our training course.

So we can no longer use sim's other than CMH and SAV. They can't even use them now to fill the backlog of pilot hiring.

Way to go training department.

 

[Diesel]

I'm just an outsider looking in, but what happens with your fight will affect the rest of the industry for years to come. So best of luck to you all. I would caution some of you to remember the old saying, "the graveyards are full of indispensable men." Out.

I'm not indispensable but I'm not going to live on my knees either.

 

[BlueNose]

I'm not indispensable but I'm not going to live on my knees either.

Never said or meant to insinuate that you should. Who here wants to see any other pilot's wages cut? Like I already said, best of luck to you. But how you plan and how you shape your message between now and the eventuality of a lockout makes all the difference. I just disagree with those who seem to think they can't be replaced. I tried to point out that they might not have all the leverage they think they will when the time comes, and so should plan accordingly.

 

[wacoflyr]

Wow. What great soap opera. I was an Avantair guy(oops) and I just thought I would check back here to see what's going on. I see emotions are rather hot right now.

Hope you guys win. Oh, about that brand new ATP? There is no way this side of Hell that the insurance companies will let a junior birdman fly a plane full of rich idiots around. If you don't have at LEAST four thousand hours, no well insured highly thought of outfit will let you see the left seat. As it should be.

Now, back to my popcorn!!!