FLOPS Aircraft in MIA

[GerryG]

Several points - and I am short on time tonight so I will be short in response.

My comment about union negotiations and strikes being about ego was about ego on both sides. Very rarely, is it an ego just on one side.

I am no fan of unions (though if you read my posts I was one for a few years). But there is something wrong when most union executives make several times as much in salaray and benefits and perks than the members. You will say so do the corporate executives -- but they work for the shareholders and the shareholders are usually fine with the compensation. Over time, many of your former working colleagues become very comfortable when they switch to a full time union job and no longer have to do the same work as the rest of you. While now your local of the union may be interested in you, do not forget all of the years you had a different local/leadership and all of your dues supported many non-pilot aviation members. Was it 20 years? You were only granted your own local after the threat of leaving the union.

The argument which appears on this board weekly that fractional owners are rich and won't miss a few extra dollars is the single worst assumption that can be made. The majority of "ultra wealthy" people I know are much cheaper than the "non ultra wealthy". If you do not believe me, just ask the waiters at a local fine restaurant. I know many an "ultra wealthy" who have spent 30 minutes arguing over a $1 local call in a hotel even though it was posted trying to argue it was unreasonable. Please, do not confuse the two.

Fly safe.

Just a point of order. No 1108 officer is paid a dime to do their job. All are volunteers.

 

[NJAowner]

Just a point of order. No 1108 officer is paid a dime to do their job. All are volunteers.

That is very commendable. For long term success, try to keep it that way.

Fly safe.

 

[dime line]

Just a point of order. No 1108 officer is paid a dime to do their job. All are volunteers.

That is very commendable. For long term success, try to keep it that way.

Fly safe.

How would you like to be a pax flying into Telluride with a low time pilot and no turbine time. That is what is happening at FLOPS

 

[netjetwife]

Just a point of order. No 1108 officer is paid a dime to do their job. All are volunteers.

Actually, some NJ 1108 leaders (who put in enough hours) now receive a stipend to help offset the income they lose from being pulled off the line and missing out on overtime, extended days, holiday pay etc. Not to mention personal time spent working for the membership. It's only fair and it goes toward ensuring that 1108 can draw talented leadership from the pilotgroup. The IBB contract proves that the pilots are getting an excellent return on their money and you'd be hard pressed to find any NJ pilot unsatisfied with the work performance of 1108.

From a personal perspective, because of my husband's volunteer service we have lost a significant amount of income and family time. I'm sure other leaders/volunteers can say the same. Personally, I think it would be very hypocritical for the pilotgroup to treat their own leaders with less respect for their talent than they insist on receiving from the company for their own experience/skills. The stipend is a concrete way to show appreciation for the burden carried by volunteers and their families and it helps alleviate burn-out. It's a smart practice and the right thing to do. NJW

 

[netjetwife]

How would you like to be a pax flying into Telluride with a low time pilot and no turbine time. That is what is happening at FLOPS

My husband tells me that frac flying is more challenging than the airlines and that's one of the more difficult approaches even for the experienced pilots. Luckily NJA made the right decision when they were faced with the choice of having to raise wages or lower standards. Surely Options will do the right thing as well?! After all, lives depend on it.

 

[B19 Flyer]

Actually, some NJ 1108 leaders (who put in enough hours) now receive a stipend to help offset the income they lose from being pulled off the line and missing out on overtime, extended days, holiday pay etc. Not to mention personal time spent working for the membership.

It's not volunteer then, is it?

If there is any kind of compensation, then it can't be voluntary.


It's only fair and it goes toward ensuring that 1108 can draw talented leadership from the pilotgroup.

This must mean you feel that just any pilot can't be a leader, and the "stipend" means that only the talented deserve the additional pay.


The IBB contract proves that the pilots are getting an excellent return on their money and you'd be hard pressed to find any NJ pilot unsatisfied with the work performance of 1108.

From a personal perspective, because of my husband's volunteer service we have lost a significant amount of income and family time. I'm sure other leaders/volunteers can say the same.

Personally, I think it would be very hypocritical for the pilotgroup to treat their own leaders with less respect for their talent than they insist on receiving from the company for their own experience/skills.

What a huge insult to the pilot group at NJ.

The stipend is a concrete way to show appreciation for the burden carried by volunteers and their families and it helps alleviate burn-out. It's a smart practice and the right thing to do. NJW

So it's clear that you have a personal interest in the success as your husband is involved in the union and enjoys the stipend. How much is the stipend, is it really enough to to cover time lost from flying?

What percentage of dues go to the national IBT? How much of the $$$ goes to the big business of belonging to a union?

It is a business, make no mistake about it.

 

[nomore]

I am SO Happy

That Bob Tyler oops I mean B-19 is on my ignore list!

 

[dime line]

What percentage of dues go to the national IBT? How much of the $$$ goes to the big business of belonging to a union?

It is a business, make no mistake about it.

how was that meeting last night?

 

[netjetwife]

Gerry, you are correct that service in 1108 is not a requirement for membership. It is strictly voluntary.

To continue our conversation: While some leadership positions are filled by election, there are plenty of committees to serve on and interested pilots can invest their free time to be trained as a Steward so that they can be qualified to represent pilots in contractual matters. Stewards must be willing to spend a week in CMH as the Steward on duty. The SOD program is so beneficial to operations that it was made part of the contract. The Company and the Union share the expense; NJA pays the base salary and the Union stipend partially makes up for lost earnings. There is also a Virtual SOD who handles calls from home on their week "off". Stewards are on both rotation lists. Elected leaders, committee chairmen, and those serving on joint Company-Union committees also get pulled off the line regularly and spend huge amounts of their "off" time working for the greater good. The stipend doesn't cover that but it is a well-deserved token of the membership's appreciation for dedicated service on their behalf.

'Owner, your reference to Local 284 highlights the reality that not all leaders are of the same caliber. Because of their work ethic and commitment to the pilotgroup the StrongUnion movement attracted some of the best and brightest willing to step up and put service before self. The NJ pilots will tell you that the difference between the Union under 284 and 1108 is like night and day. 1108 pilots are justifiably proud of their Union and the accomplishments of their leaders/volunteers. I regularly receive PMs from pilots expressing appreciation for the dedication of my husband and our family. My thanks to everyone who has written. It means a lot to us.

Shared perspective from a volunteer's wife to NJ pilots: On his last tour my husband got stuck overnight in Chicago (bad wx) coming home from CMH. There was no extra money for that; it goes with serving on a joint committee. His committee responsibility means that he is always available to the pilots and/or the Company and he rarely has a true day off. During IBB my husband missed a lot of flying and lost out on additional earnings. The IBB team worked a 5/2 schedule away from home last summer with no overtime pay. As you can see, the aptly-named stipend only covers a fraction of lost income and free time, but it is important recognition that a volunteer's work/sacrifice does not go unnoticed and thus it helps keep those responsible for the smooth running of the Union from getting burned-out in the process. Kudos to the rank and file members who came up with the stipend idea and posted their support of it on the NJ message board. Burn-out is down and a sense of being appreciated has gone up.

In regards to the speculation of a splinter group: If the NJ pilots ever vote to leave Teamsters you will have even more money to do good things for your own group like a mutual aid fund. If it were up to me, I'd give IBT the boot. I think NJ pilots are ready to solo.

 

[fischman]

Just a clarification of NJW's post.

The elected 1108 officials do get paid out of union dues to compensate for the incredible sacrifices they make for the pilot group. These men and women have spent countless hours of their own PERSONAL time and in several cases tens of thousands of dollars from their own checkbooks to help benefit MY family.

These people do NOT buy beer in my presence. :beer:


Volunteers for 1108 are just that. They go above and beyond the call of duty and care desperately about the pilots at NJA. They do not receive additional money from the union. Since we are volunteers we give what we want when we want. (I am proud to be an 1108 volunteer)