Colgan - Teamsters NMB Vote

[DoinTime]

Your point is that regional "lifers" should just accept the fact that their own union is working to limit their careers...and if they don't like it they can leave and go to "big leagues"....That proves that you don't understand the mindset of the regional "lifer".....Until you and the rest of the ALPA cheerleaders understand that....you won't have the Cumbaya moment you are looking for....

So let me get this straight...your position is that mainline pilot groups should be forced to give up the job security they bought and paid for at the bargaining table so that companies like yours and mine can grow? Thats ridiculous.

Every career path for pilots has its limitations. Regional pilots are limited to the business that their managements are successful in securing (sometimes that means that no flying is even available to bid on or that some current flying goes away). LCC pilots are usually limited narrow body flying. Cargo pilots are usually limited to flying at night. Mainline pilots are limited in terms of seniority progression. Career limitations are nothing new.

If Skywest Inc decided they wanted to consolidate their United and Delta contracts by having Skywest do the DAL service and ASA do the UAL flying....guess what Joey? Your airplane just got painted grey and now you have to commute to ORD. There isn't anything you (or your Union) can do about it but I'm sure you'll find a way to blame ALPA anyway though. The contract pilot will always be limited to the types and quantities of outsourced flying available on the market. This outsourced flying will always be subject to marketing demands and the pilots that negotiate with the mainlines willingness to give up that flying.

I don't have a "hidden agenda" here.....My agenda is to advance MY carrier...and grow it....I will oppose my union if it attempts to limit my carrier.....It is ALPA that has a hidden agenda....It is pretending to represent ALL of us when that is impossible under the current situation.....

I think just the opposite is true. It is because of the willingness of DALALPA to allow some outsourcing that your job even became available in the first place let alone it growing into the type of job where a decent living could be had. It seems that now that the outsourcing cat is out of the bag you seek to keep the flood gates open until the career expectations of the regional pilot are homogenized throughout the entire industry.

 

[DoinTime]

Bingo! And the Majors represented by ALPA brought us the regional jet.

Actually, a non-ALPA canadian mainline carrier brought us the Regional Jet.

 

[DoinTime]

It's the manner how ALPA has handled it. Live to fight another day?

Sometimes (not all the time) "living to fight another day" is sound advice.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Actually, a non-ALPA canadian mainline carrier brought us the Regional Jet.

And mainline was too good to fly those.

 

[Nevets]

Willing to forget about the past? You have pilots who have flown for their entire professional career. Many have gone back to 1st year pay MULTIPLE times. Many of these guys have meager retirements saved up partly due to WEAK contracts and countless personal sacrifices made in the name of this "profession."

And you're asking that they just brush the past away to make ANOTHER sacrifice for someone who hasn't contributed anything (300hr GLA SuperPilot) to the industry yet?

Good luck with that.

This mentality is exactly what I'm talking about. Why should I care about the 300 hour GLA SuperPilot if I can effect change on the magnitude that the 300 hour GLS SuperPilot would be irrelevant.

Like I said, pilots have to abandon the attitude that since I went through hell everyone else must also. That is what I mean by forgetting about the past. The wounds of the past should only be used to motivate people to effect change so that no one else endures those same hardships. And it may also take having to make one more hardship to make that happen. And that is why pilots need to abandon the "whats in it for me right now" attitude as well.

Of course! Because contracts are permanent and set in stone!

You guys have your heart in the right place...but your head up the wrong place.

Exactly why that language can be included on any contract. Once you have the language in place, there is nothing management can do, short of BK, to take it away if the other party is unwilling.

If there is a will, there is a way. It sounds like you are not against anything we are talking about buy just believe that it isn't possible. It is possible. This is a man made problem that can be fixed if enough of us want to fix it. This isn't like trying to defy any laws of physics.

Why aren't the pilots participating? One would think if they REALLY believed in the system, then they'd participate, right?

I can say the same thing for the US government. Why aren't the citizens participating? ONe would think if they REALLY beleived in the sytem, then they'd participate, right?

And the AUDACITY of those GA pilots wanting to benefit from all the airway/airport infrastructure ALPA helped usher in...bunch of damned free loaders!!!

I am indifferent to the Skywest pilots.

The difference is that most GA pilots are not trying to make their living more safe. Most GA pilots can elect not to fly if they feel its too dangerous where as airline pilots had to deal with pilot pushing.

But even if you did earn a living in GA, there are other organizations you could contribute to to make it better such as AOPA, EAA, NAFI, SPA, HAI, NBAA, etc.

Look, my comments about ALPA stem from the fact that there is a very obvious disconnect between large carriers and small. Large carriers WILL drive the agenda at ALPA. It will take the wills of many smaller carriers to go ahead and WORK together towards common goals to make them heard. But until you get Chip and Skyler out of the mindset that their job at XYZ Regional airlines is just a "tour of duty" you won't be able to achieve a "minimum" type of contract that should be in place at every regional airline...meaning that certain work rules and certain pay should be a "minimum"...not THE minimum.

I think that may have been a fair comment in the not so distant past. Keep in mind also that almost half of ALPA pilots are from non-major carriers. Also, keep in mind that half of the Executive Vice Presidents on the Executive Council are from non A list carriers (DAL, UAL, FDX, CAL) and that one of the national officers is a regional pilot as well.

The Fee for Departure Task Force is working on exactly what you are talking about. They are banding together to come up with minimum contract standards which will include seniority transportability. You should look into it and try to help.

But let me ask, assuming I could vote: I'm supposed to elect people that will do these things. And then they don't do these things that I want them to do. I only get to elect a few people at my line pilot level. What's my vote mean beyond those people? Besides, even if the person I get to vote in is trumped by the agenda of the others, who's ultimately responsible? Me and my fellow line pilots or the other people WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE NATIONAL UNION?

The only other alternatives are to not vote/participate OR to run for an elected representative position.

Scope is probably the biggest example. ABC's scope clause immediately impacts XYZ regional's operations.

I say, have all the major airline pilots scope in all regional jet flying for themselves.

 

[CopilotDoug]

This mentality is exactly what I'm talking about. Why should I care about the 300 hour GLA SuperPilot if I can effect change on the magnitude that the 300 hour GLS SuperPilot would be irrelevant.

Like I said, pilots have to abandon the attitude that since I went through hell everyone else must also. That is what I mean by forgetting about the past. The wounds of the past should only be used to motivate people to effect change so that no one else endures those same hardships. And it may also take having to make one more hardship to make that happen. And that is why pilots need to abandon the "whats in it for me right now" attitude as well.

***There was a mistake in my previous post, it meant to say 300hr GIA super pilot**

Pilots have to abandon this attitude? How about pilots have to provide for families and retirements? Like it or not, this attitude WILL NOT change. It doesn't mean I agree with it, but I can certainly appreciate this attitude when:
-Retirements are slashed
-Pilots lose their medical well before 65
-Multiple furloughs
-And concessions
It's not necessarily rooted in "I went through hell, so do they" as much as it is "What's in it for me right now, because tomorrow is promised to nobody?"

 

[Nevets]

***There was a mistake in my previous post, it meant to say 300hr GIA super pilot**

Pilots have to abandon this attitude? How about pilots have to provide for families and retirements? Like it or not, this attitude WILL NOT change. It doesn't mean I agree with it, but I can certainly appreciate this attitude when:
-Retirements are slashed
-Pilots lose their medical well before 65
-Multiple furloughs
-And concessions
It's not necessarily rooted in "I went through hell, so do they" as much as it is "What's in it for me right now, because tomorrow is promised to nobody?"

Pilots don't have to abandon providing for their families and retirement to make this profession better. They don't have to have retirements slashed, lose their medicals (more of which would without ALPA), furlough, or give concessions. Those things that happened in the past don't have to happen again just because we want to make things better now and for the future. We are talking about Longshoreman theory being introduced in the professional pilot industry and maybe making some sacrifices today for the betterment of the industry tomorrow since nothing is promised anyways.

We also have to get rid of the attitude that "its not possible."

 

[JoeMerchant]

Nevets....the problem is that "fixing" things at this point will cost negotiating capital from the rest of the contract....Most pilots are willing to "pay" for things like brand scope, single lists, etc....

 

[CopilotDoug]

Exactly why that language can be included on any contract. Once you have the language in place, there is nothing management can do, short of BK, to take it away if the other party is unwilling.

If there is a will, there is a way. It sounds like you are not against anything we are talking about buy just believe that it isn't possible. It is possible. This is a man made problem that can be fixed if enough of us want to fix it. This isn't like trying to defy any laws of physics.

The highlighted words are KEY. Because it also works to managements favor. I believe the idea of a strong Union CAN work...but you need solidarity among the pilots (even if only in ONE group) to work. Right now...I don't see that and it doesn't look like many pilots are buying into it now.

 

[CopilotDoug]

I can say the same thing for the US government. Why aren't the citizens participating? ONe would think if they REALLY beleived in the sytem, then they'd participate, right?

Alot of people are disenfranchised by the government today. Seems like you gotta pay to play...if you don't have the money...get outta the way for the next person who does.

The difference is that most GA pilots are not trying to make their living more safe. Most GA pilots can elect not to fly if they feel its too dangerous where as airline pilots had to deal with pilot pushing.

But even if you did earn a living in GA, there are other organizations you could contribute to to make it better such as AOPA, EAA, NAFI, SPA, HAI, NBAA, etc.

I'm all for stomping out pilot pushing. I am not for watching pay and benefits dwindle.