Remember, we singed a contract when the purchase went through. It guaranteed a lot of things. Most of them were things we already had. Some people are saying this s only valid for 1 year. I read mine again yesterday several times. No where does it say it is only valid for 1 year. In fact there are several sections that we have to vote on as a group before it can be changed.
Sounds like we got the best of both worlds. A say in our working conditions without having to put up with a union. Sounds like a win/win.
These types of employment contracts are a form of what's called union nullification. The idea behind them is the employer goes to the employ group and says, "Hey you don't need a union,
I'll give you a contract." It's a standard union avoidance tactic and it's used all the time, because lot of people are gullible enough to buy into it's false promises.
I find it interesting that you refer to things you, "already had". But let's be real, you've really never "had" anything. Because you work at-will everything you think you have can be taken away with an email to the pilot group. Case in point from your "Employee Agreement:
(a) Seniority: During the Employment Period, You will serve as an active Crewmember of the Company, with the same level of seniority as you had immediately prior the effective date of this agreement. For reference, see the attached addendum entitled ?Crew Seniority List 2013?, if another crewmember does not sign a Crewmember Employment Agreement their seniority will not be protected which may positively impact your seniority. You will have the normal duties, responsibilities and authority of the flight crews, subject to the Company right to expand or limit such duties, responsibilities and authority and to override you actions.
So first your seniority number and by inference you continued employment was threatened if you failed to sign this so-called "agreement". In the second sentence, the companies, "right to expand or limit such duties", is explained.
This "agreement" you were forced to sign is a sham. It's riddled with loopholes that favor the company, says explicitly that you remain at-will, and gives the company the right to change most of it at their discretion. Beyond that, as with any contract, without any real mechanism for enforcement it isn't worth the paper it's written on.
