CAL COLA's

[Kugelblitz]

COLA is another name for pending furloughs in this job market. I had heard that the COLA announcement was rescinded and sure enough when I viewed it at work a couple of days ago it was "deleted" in the bulletin section of our CCS login page. I just saw the thing in there this morning with no "deleted" next to it so I suppose it must be viable.

Any CAL people out there hear about how many pilots they are hoping to attract with this COLA? Unless they are near retirement, and assuming a COLA doesn't mess up one's post- retirement income somehow, those are the only people that would bite on this. The one thing I noticed was that the duration was not terribly long as compared to the circumstances with our previous buy-out offer.

 

[catIIIc]

I have heard only 6, the union will have a blastmail out about it tomorrow.

 

[Kugelblitz]

Seems hardly worthwhile. I hope you are right, but such a low number sounds like wishful thinking. I have heard the same number as well.

 

[Homer Jay]

Go to Calforums...

 

[Kugelblitz]

I am not on there. Anything you could share publicly?

 

[IAHERJ]

I have been told that pilots inquired about COLA's in the neighborhood of 3-7 months back when the 18 month COLA was offered. There have been several people looking for shorter COLAs lately and the company camem out with this announcement aimed at those who would like to take the Summer off and travel or something like that....

 

[Kugelblitz]

I have been told that pilots inquired about COLA's in the neighborhood of 3-7 months back when the 18 month COLA was offered. There have been several people looking for shorter COLAs lately and the company camem out with this announcement aimed at those who would like to take the Summer off and travel or something like that....

I just e-mailed with another CAL employee/friend of mine and he stated the same thing. It would seem reasonable to think that furloughs are not part of the thought process behind this COLA offering, at least at this point. I wish I could go without pay for a year or so........... (and still keep my stuff!)

 

[CAL EWR B737]

[FONT=&quot]Today is Wednesday, March 11, and there are 7 items for discussion:[/FONT]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 1:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] COLA 11[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]“Our best days are ahead of us,”[/FONT][FONT=&quot] said Larry Kellner last Friday at the EWR CEO Exchange. Meanwhile, 1,500 miles away in Houston, Mr. Kellner’s own Flight Operations management team apparently did not get his message—as they issued the invitation for all pilots to sign up for another reduction in force. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]While Mr. Kellner told those in attendance at the Exchange that all of our plans were in place to accept all new aircraft deliveries on time and to proceed with every bit of our already-announced international expansion, his Flight Operations management team was figuring out how to put more of our fellow pilots on the street. Flight Operations, in keeping with their long-established tradition, provided no notice to our union that another COLA was being talked about, let alone issued. Our MEC chairman, Jay Pierce, called downtown when he heard the news and was told that management was looking for “about six pilots” to take advantage of this new “opportunity” to pay for their own medical, LTD, life insurance, etc., while helping management under-staff our flying even further for this coming summer.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Benjamin Franklin was wrong; there are three things certain in life: death, taxes, and management intransigence. How many times have we seen these same plays before? We are now in contract negotiations, and management has dusted off the old Lorenzo playbook they’ve used on us so successfully for years. We have senior pilots who are rightfully worried about another liquidity shortfall later this month due to management’s refusal to adequately “Fund the Future” of our frozen “A” plan, and we have junior pilots clinging to the bottom of our seniority list who are, as a whole, unified and not afraid to fight. Management has set the stage for a perfect “divide and conquer.” But before we walk into the same trap yet again, we need to remember one thing: The historical business practices of our senior management team have shown that the company will grow when it makes good business sense to do so and, conversely, will contract when it makes good business sense to do so. We, as organized labor, have little or no effect on that decision process one way or the other and should refuse to participate in it—especially on management’s terms. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]For those of you not familiar with Marty Levitt, now is a good time to make his acquaintance. Flight Operations management, or “The Friends of Fred” as we like to call them, really would not like you to know Mr. Levitt—and for good reason: He is the author of Confessions of a Union-Buster and has written extensively on the disgusting tactics employed by management during contract negotiations. Here are three YouTube links to Mr. Levitt’s presentations:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xiLsDLXvwY [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddjIJ-4y1mw[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbmJwWEgfzU[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In these videos, Mr. Levitt is not speaking specifically about airline pilot labor, and we do not think management would be so foolish as to try to break our union, but the principles of union busting and contract negotiations are the same regardless of the industry. Management has had consultants in the past (Mike Campbell) and has consultants today (Mike Bonds) whose specialty is instilling fear among organized labor groups—and COLA 11 is part of that campaign of fear. As you look at these videos, see if you can put a management name to the people depicted in the presentation; it won’t be hard.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]By the way, there’s good money in busting unions, crafting campaigns of fear, and putting pilots on the street: Last year Mike Campbell, now working the same job at Delta Air Lines as he held with Continental, pulled down a little over $6,000,000.[/FONT]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 2: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Captain Bill Borelli[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]From Captain Al Brandano and your new LEC leadership: “Special best wishes to Captain Bill Borelli who is recovering quickly, and will be back to flying status soon.”[/FONT]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 3:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Request for Committee Volunteers[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]All of our committees need volunteers. If you are interested in committee work or if you have special artistic talents of any kind, we want you to help your fellow EWR pilots. If you are interested or have previously expressed interest via e-mail or a phone call, please confirm your continuing interest in an e-mail to Captain Kaye Riggs, Secretary-Treasurer, LEC 170 at [email protected].[/FONT]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 4:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] EWR Pilot Appointed to the ALPA-PAC Steering Committee[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Captain Bill Sablesak was recently appointed to the ALPA-PAC Steering Committee. Captain Sablesak’s duties include guiding the fund-raising efforts of ALPA-PAC and helping to determine how best to spend the money collected. As we all know, in Washington, DC, money talks and Bill will make sure we are talking to the right people.[/FONT]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 5:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Colgan Memorial Service[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]On Saturday, March 7, a memorial service was held at the Newark Marriott Hotel for the crew of Colgan 3407. Many EWR-based Continental pilots, as well as pilots from other bases and other airlines, took part of their day to honor the memory their fellow aviators. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Colgan is the newest airline to join ALPA, and Captain Mark Segaloff, MEC chairman of Colgan, has expressed his thanks for all the help he and his pilots have received from fellow ALPA pilots, and especially the pilots of Continental, in the weeks since the tragedy of Colgan 3407. Please extend the hand of friendship and welcome to our newest brothers and sisters when you pass them in the EWR terminal.[/FONT]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 6:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Next Meetings[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Our next LC 170 meeting is scheduled for April 8 at 1100 at the Newark Airport Marriott. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Our next MEC meeting is scheduled to begin at our union headquarters in Houston on April 21 at 1300 and run through the 24. After the first day of the MEC meeting, business normally begins at 0900 but is subject to change based upon workload and schedule. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Please make plans to attend either or both of these meetings. Remember, Speakers’ Corner is held daily at 1300. This is your chance to address your elected representatives directly.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

 

[CAL EWR B737]

·[FONT=&quot]Item 7: [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Chairman’s Editorial[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Last week marked the 20th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines pilots sympathy strike in support of the Eastern Airlines Machinists Union. I remember it well from my perspective: I had just taken advantage of Continental’s first company-offered leave of absence, COLA I. I left Continental to join Braniff II, where my initial assignment as a new-hire pilot was in the training department as a B-727 second officer instructor. I had the distinct privilege of training some of the Eastern Airlines strikers who had just resigned their seniority numbers at Eastern to join Braniff II.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It was an interesting perspective since I had only heard one-sided horror stories from the slash-and-burn, scorched-earth Lorenzo managers I had worked under for the previous two years at a non-union/non-ALPA carrier: Continental Airlines. Texas Air Corporation management (Frank Lorenzo) had recently taken over Eastern Airlines for one reason: to pick Eastern apart. Lorenzo never planned to operate Eastern—he only planned to stand upon the carcass of Eastern like a vulture and pick the bones clean. Parts and pieces were all that mattered to Lorenzo. The lives he destroyed in the process were immaterial to him. My personal experience 20 years ago with the striking Eastern Airlines pilots left a strong and profound impression of not only some of the finest aviators I have had the privilege of working with, but also some of the staunchest trade unionists I have had the honor of meeting. They taught me virtually everything I know about being a trade-unionist—and they paid for the lessons.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]In 1989, the striking Eastern pilots held the line. They didn’t hold the line because of a contractual economic dispute such as we might have with Continental management after being legally permitted to strike by the National Mediation Board (NMB). No, the Eastern pilots went on strike to rid the airline industry of an airline-killer named Frank Lorenzo. I hold the highest regard for the former striking Eastern pilots, and I believe it is appropriate to honor them on this 20th anniversary of their historic strike as they endured the ultimate union sacrifice. Today, all within our industry have benefited because of their unselfish actions—actions that led directly to the banishment of Frank Lorenzo from the U.S. airline industry forever.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]To the former striking Eastern Airlines pilots, no matter where you are, wear your ALPA battle star pin with pride. I salute you and thank you for your unselfish and historic actions and wish you all blue skies and tailwinds forever.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]That’s all for this week.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Remember—know the contract, fly the contract, don’t fly sick, don’t fly fatigued, don’t fly hungry when crew meals are not provided, and remember our 147 hostages and their families.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Captain Jayson Baron, EWR Council 170 Chairman[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]First Officer Tara Cook, EWR, Council 170 Vice Chairman[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Captain Kaye Riggs, EWR Council 170 Secretary-Treasurer[/FONT]

 

[yessman]

The LEC Talk's About the 20th anniversary of the Eastern Airlines pilots sympathy strike in support of the Eastern Airlines Machinists Union.

But in the same Email

They Talk About adding a Eastern SCAB to ALPA - PAC

Captian Bill Sablesak

Sabelsak, William J EAL 89 68088, 8/87

I Know MY DAD was an Eastern Pilot.


Good old CAL


·[FONT=&quot]Item 4:[/FONT][FONT=&quot] EWR Pilot Appointed to the ALPA-PAC Steering Committee[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Captain Bill Sablesak was recently appointed to the ALPA-PAC Steering Committee. Captain Sablesak’s duties include guiding the fund-raising efforts of ALPA-PAC and helping to determine how best to spend the money collected. As we all know, in Washington, DC, money talks and Bill will make sure we are talking to the right people.[/FONT]