Despite union opposition, Flight Options moved forward...

[993_Pilot]

I actually feel that ksu is not a fo or a flex pilot. He or she was saying that no matter if the Union did work in the best interest of the collective but not in the best of the individual that it was not good form to divide the membership. That is not the way to bring about unity even if there are those who dislike the IBT but still realise that there needs to be a Union.

And I am saying that it doesn't matter if he has a dog in this fight or not, KSU obviously doesn't fully understand the implications of the VSP as originally offered by management. I totally get the emotional and myopic viewpoint of those getting furloughed instead of a VSP, but anyone else should be able to objectively look at all the facts and become "informed" before posting an opinion based on limited information. Until then, maybe he/she should be asking questions instead of giving opinions. The unions job is, and always has been, to look out for what is best for the collective, not necessarily the individual.

 

[Dooker]

I don't know what a VUH is, I'm not with FO. My point is, and always has been, that it isn't the best strategy to put the union in a position to be perceived as against the membership. I'm not saying get rid of the union or be anti-union. I'm saying this was a bad move.

You have no idea what you're talking about and if you're not even employed at Onesky I have no idea why you'd even feel the need to post on this subject but since you have I'll try to feed you some learnin'.

The VSP was shoved down the Union leadership's throats with no warning whatsoever on a Friday afternoon when our leaders thought they were showing up to negotiate fences. The management guys who handed it across the table basically said, "We need an answer on this ASAP!" And when Efrem et al said, "Why the urgency all the sudden?" the answer was basically, "Because," and then management stormed out of the room in a fit of faux-righteous indignation.

The company KNEW ALL ALONG the Union would never accept this because the Union has a fiduciary responsibility to bargain on behalf of its members. And MANAGEMENT CANNOT BARGAIN DIRECTLY WITH WORKERS IN A UNION SHOP! They knew they couldn't, they knew the Union would oppose it, would in fact have no choice but to oppose it.

So why'd they even offer it, you ask? Simple. To sow disaffection among pilots--particularly those pilots who aren't shrewd enough to recognize when they're being played.

I hope that helps give you some context, KSU. In the meantime, I suggest you confine your opinion to subjects you have some freaking clue about.

 

[993_Pilot]

^^^^ Well Said, Dooker.

 

[doh]

Dooker, that is perfect.

 

[Bjtdrvr]

This company's management has a history of trying to circumvent the Union and negotiate directly with the pilots. Take for instance the example previously given about pilots moving from the hawker down or the Citation X down. The company told them ok you have to bump down but we will let you keep your pay. They did not go to the Union and negotiate that. At first glance this seems to be a reasonable thing but what it did was first make a side deal then second it created a situation where there were now some senior pilots making less for the same position. The Union asked the company to make it legal by negotiating an loa and by then matching the pay for those more senior pilots. The company refused even though the pay match was only going to be effective for a few months due to those pilots pay raises coming! That one instance sowed huge amounts of discord! That seems to be a very strong recurring theme with this Onesky management!

 

[doh]

Remember, management has a VSP for both Flex and Options in their hands right now. They shook on the deal. All they have to do is sign it. It took us less than one day to negotiate that deal. Less than one day! But now management are sitting on it. Why? Haven't they been squawking about how important this is?

 

[BlueNose]

This company's management has a history of trying to circumvent the Union and negotiate directly with the pilots. Take for instance the example previously given about pilots moving from the hawker down or the Citation X down. The company told them ok you have to bump down but we will let you keep your pay. They did not go to the Union and negotiate that. At first glance this seems to be a reasonable thing but what it did was first make a side deal then second it created a situation where there were now some senior pilots making less for the same position. The Union asked the company to make it legal by negotiating an loa and by then matching the pay for those more senior pilots. The company refused even though the pay match was only going to be effective for a few months due to those pilots pay raises coming! That one instance sowed huge amounts of discord! That seems to be a very strong recurring theme with this Onesky management!

It sowed huge discord because it was a crappy decision, your revisionist history above notwithstanding. Pilots who had bid up to their seats by seniority were being displaced through no fault of their own. The company offered to do what it had always done in these cases, beyond what the contract required, and not make them take pay cuts. But the 1108 leadership at the time, including some BJ drivers who never bothered to bid up when they could have and some former large-cabin guys who had benefited from this very policy in the past, decided to hold the line and effectively take money from their own members' pockets. Bypass pay was a non-starter because of the huge extra costs involved, and anyone capable of rational thought knew it. And the 'fairness' argument was crap. Company management has been guilty of many things, but the screwing the affected pilots received in this case came from their 'brothers' in the old leadership, not from KR. Thankfully most of that group is now gone and it appears that the new leadership is taking a better approach. Don't know why you decided to open an old wound and bring this up as an example when there are plenty of better ones from recent company actions.

 

[BlueNose]

Remember, management has a VSP for both Flex and Options in their hands right now. They shook on the deal. All they have to do is sign it. It took us less than one day to negotiate that deal. Less than one day! But now management are sitting on it. Why? Haven't they been squawking about how important this is?

Why indeed? Why the sudden reluctance now that they have a VSP that can actually be implemented? I'm sure the ones who were on here attacking the union for shooting down the previous VSP offer are now blowing up management's inboxes and Yammer asking why, right?

 

[shanes123]

The union is standing in the way of our happiness.

 

[Imissmypilot]

The union is standing in the way of our happiness.

And based on the schizophrenia of all One Sky pilots these days caught in the middle of a well played but ethically disastrous game by management (who apparently can lemonade out of turds) who really knows if this is sarcasm or their new reality after catching a case of the igms.

 

[doh]

And they are appealing...smh...I can only hope the appellate court hands out some sanctions for this frivolous act.

This is the everyeth time Onesky management has been proven wrong in court...

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

Some people are slow learners.

 

[Imissmypilot]

Wow. When I made my earlier comment I didn't know about the latest events. The problem is most pilots will not take the time to educate themselves on the facts and assume it was a close call (just like the election etc...) and the company has some merit. The PR spin machine is up and running, making lemonade out of turds and Red Label pilots and other assorted IGMs will belly up to the bar like it's all you can drink ladies night.

Apparently Kenn is willing to spend OneSky profits to fight his employees, not even lining his own pockets but spending it in legal fees and judgements. He could easily disperse half of this to his employees and it's win-win but his pride won't let him.

This is all so familar I wonder if Cleveland puts dope in their water every June. What happened this time last year? The same attitude was on display with the STIP and a few months later when he was losing the PR battle he ginned up a fast, expensive recovery plan. Oh, and a nifty video. I wonder now what magic awaits us this fall given his predictable cycle.

This is who we work for: a group of feckless, irrational little tyrants. I hope they get their a$$ handed to them by the appeals judge.

 

[shanes123]

When is the investors gonna put their foot down and kick KR and his puppets out the door? It's happened before. Will history repeat itself? The turncoats have to be nervous by now.

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

The people in the office like to talk. Like a true narcissist, KR has build a literal wall around himself to isolate him from reality. He adds the cost of litigation to the pilots' salaries to come up with the cost of his pilots. The money spent on lawyers would be better spent on his employees.