ExpressJet Pilots Reach Tentative Agreement

[Nova]

Multiple seat flow guy? What the heck is that? 4 years of negotiations? Man where do you get this stuff. You seem to be making this all up as you are going along. And no, I'm not one of those that spews their career experience to woo simpathy for their cause sorry.

You live on your paycheck? Wow, you're the only one here that does that. Personally I'm doing this for play money.

Your attitude plays exactly into the hands of the company negotiators. Don't you think that when we started negotiating 2+ years ago that they planned to drag this out for years with the understand that 51% of the pilots would be so sick of negotiations that they would sign what ever was put in front of their face? I guess your position is one reason why the new guys can't vote on union issues so their "new guy" attitude doesn't skew the vote returns.

 

[rattler]

Hosed COEX "The new rate (2nd year FO) $32 hr. @85 hrs @12 months + 6.5% 401K match/B-Plan +7% Profit Sharing = $37,194.91." O.K. enough of the B.S. lets look at this for what it really is. Do you pay your bills at the end of the year? I don't, I pay mine month by month. So let's say $32/hr @ 83 hrs (the average a pilot flies per month) = $2656. $2656 before I pay taxes and insurance and all the other misc. deductions from my check every month. Below is a list of deductions for approx. $32/hr. (I actually used our current 4 th year pay 31.47)

Fed Tax 136.24
SS Tax 72.91
MedCr 17.05
401K 59.27
Med Ins 15.00
uniform Ex 20.00
LTD 5.28
Dental 8.92
Union Ds 21.96

Total 356.63 x 2 checks a month - LTD Post Tax only charged once a month (5.28). = $707.98

$2656 - $707.98 = $1948.02

Your first check will be roughly $900, and the second 1050 + per diem.

Also note, that as a commuter, in order to get a commutable line I also sacrifice high pay lines (85 + hrs) so I can get home at the end of the day. Some months only pay 75 hours, most are 75 - 80 hrs a month. So our new 2nd year pay is even less than I described for a commuter.

Hosed COEX added:" + 6.5 % 401K match/B-Plan". That's great I am truly happy we have it but it is not income. This is for retirement, not bill paying.

"+7% Profit sharing" great if you belive it. But again this comes at the end of the year, sure it's a nice "bonus", but it won't help pay the bills in July. I also think everyone I've talked to thinks the PS program won't pay out anywhere close to what we're expecting. If the company really want's to give us money they can put it in hard pay rate form. I don't think they want to give us any money.

So by my math here's the reallity:
2 nd year FO: $31,872 pre tax dollars + the hope of some company generosity at the end of the year.

or $23,376 after tax. Also for the record, per diem (NOT INCOME) will add about $5423 to that number. ($1.60/hr.)

 

[rattler]

By the way BAD DOG I am one of many Fools who will be voting NO!

 

[Nova]

Wow, thanks Rattler. That breakdown makes this deal seem even sweeter.

Perhaps a new USA Today ad should be taken out:

"$17,500 per year wasn't enough so now we offer $2,500 more."

 

[Air Biscuit]

Why didn't the negotiating committe petition for a different mediator. I'm not sure, but I think they can do this. We need a release and 2 Jack@sses from the NMB are holding us back. This is not acceptable for me to live with for the next 6+ years, my vote is still NO. Remember 9%=innopropriate proposal, but 11%=a fair deal. NO WAY!!!

 

[vectors2final]

Are you people STILL arguing about this? Just pick your vote and get over it. All this bitching and whining make me wanna hurl.

 

[BluDevAv8r]

Why didn't the negotiating committe petition for a different mediator. I'm not sure, but I think they can do this. We need a release and 2 Jack@sses from the NMB are holding us back. This is not acceptable for me to live with for the next 6+ years, my vote is still NO. Remember 9%=innopropriate proposal, but 11%=a fair deal. NO WAY!!!

I'm not so sure I understand what you mean by "petition for a different mediator." We were assigned 2 staff mediators by the NMB. They do their job and go home. They do not decide whether or not we get a release. That decision rests in the hands of the Board members themselves, who are political appointees.

That 9% company proposal had far fewer other provisions than the current 11% TA, to the tune of roughly $7 million more for the first year alone. The majority of the gains made since June were made in areas other than the rate itself. Furthermore, nobody Air Biscuit, is saying that this is a "fair deal." "Fair doesn't come into play in a labor negotiations process. We only get what we have the leverage to negotiate and the MEC has unanimously supported this deal because they believe that $31 million of improvements on day 1 (excluding the $30.6 million retro payout) is the right thing to do, given the current and possible future bargaining climate.

-Neal

 

[surplus1]

When is the vote gentlemen?

 

[350DRIVER]

"$17,500 per year wasn't enough so now we offer $2,500 more."

Priceless..

Hope ya'll vote this junk down and get what you deserve.

3 5 0

 

[Saluki Dawg]

The biggest problems aren't now but in 1 year time when the last Flowback is gone and the 112 have followed. Our seniority list could become more still than anyone can imagine after that. Now the current 3 and 4 year FO's are looking to be 5, 6, 7 or 8 year FO's.

It's important to look beyond cashing the retro check as whether this contract serves the needs of our most junior pilots as well as the senior for the contract duration. In 2009-10 will the FO's here be thankful that they'll have topped out at $44/hour and have waited 8 years to break $40k a year?

Stating that FO's have a future Captain slot to look forward to ease their financial needs is based on false hope and is petty. "I got mine so eventually you'll get yours" ??? It appears no matter how much the Captain ranks stated their intentions to not leave the FO's behind they still don't understand the struggles of 4+ year FO. Having not walked a mile in those shoes must have clouded their vision.

Nova,
I think that you might want to rethink your statement above. I was a 4+ year FO and just recently requalled after being downgraded for 2+ years. But, I have walked a mile in your shoes, and after attending a roadshow and getting the entire scoop, I am voting yes. I don't consider a yes vote as leaving you or any other FO behind. I know exactly what you guys make, because I made the exact same thing. The FO's as Neal has already stated are getting a much greater percentage of hard pay rate increases than the Captains are. So, how are the Captains leaving the FO's behind?