FLOPs Furloughing????

[CMHTroll]

I'm actually kind of surprised that NJA hasn't offered some kind of deal to FLOPS folks. We're all typed and rated in an aircraft they fly, all are CANPASS and TSA cleared, familiar with fractional flying, etc. If NJA offered home basing to the bottom half of the FLOPS seniority list, it would be a race for the exits. Honestly, it would probably shut FLOPS down because there would be no one left to fly the airplanes. The best case scenario would be NJA getting that pool of talent at pennies on the dollar, and FLOPS forced to spend 40k plus to replace each pilot. It would probably put them out of business on training and charter costs alone.

I imagine there is some gentleman's agreement in place to forestall wholesale pilot poaching.

I believe it is the UNion that wants to block any FLOPS pilots moving to NJA. Would look kinda bad, don't you think? It will be a very very long time before FLOPS has a contract. 28 months at best.

 

[gunfyter]

Union is not blocking anybody from coming to NJA.

 

[hammer2]

On that subject. If I were a FO at options I'd be running to NJA. It looks like they are copying Flex by going as cheap as possible. Run young man go to a better life go to NJA.

 

[netjetwife]

I don't think it's possible or fair to say how long it'll take to get a contract. As Gunfyter pointed out, a lot depends on the unity of the pilots and the ability of their leaders. Just getting the union on the property was no small task so clearly they have something going for them. Best of Luck to the Flt Ops pilots and their families!
NJW

 

[WrknStff]

The biggest difference is that I don't think at Netjets they were ever willing to sink the company in order to get their way with a contract regardless of how tough they talked (ie: get to the point of a strike). At FLOPS raytheon has too much control of the purse strings and I wouldn't put it past them to let the whole company go down the tubes rather than pass a decent contract. For them it would just be a tax write off on the bottom of one of their ledger sheets.

 

[netjetwife]

There does come a point, though, when a person/group decides that things are so bad they have nothing to lose by choosing to make a stand. When a whole host of less skilled workers are making as much money while being home every night, then it isn't surprising if the job is seen as not being worth it. Everyone has a limit of what they'll put up with before they demand a change. By voting to join 1108, it appears to me that the Options pilots have made their demand for a fair contract known.

There is a saying about bidding--He who cares the least, wins. The one willing to walk away from the deal will hold out the longest. When the job isn't worth it anymore the pilots will hold out for a fair contract or let it go. That's why 93% of the NJ pilots voted to strike.

The good news is, when you hit the bottom you have no place to go but up.

 

[RNObased]

I'm actually kind of surprised that NJA hasn't offered some kind of deal to FLOPS folks. We're all typed and rated in an aircraft they fly, all are CANPASS and TSA cleared, familiar with fractional flying, etc. If NJA offered home basing to the bottom half of the FLOPS seniority list, it would be a race for the exits. Honestly, it would probably shut FLOPS down because there would be no one left to fly the airplanes. The best case scenario would be NJA getting that pool of talent at pennies on the dollar, and FLOPS forced to spend 40k plus to replace each pilot. It would probably put them out of business on training and charter costs alone.

I imagine there is some gentleman's agreement in place to forestall wholesale pilot poaching.

Ok, NJA is going to offer homebasing to the bottom of FLOPS senority list while it is a direct violation of the CBA???? Not going to happen.

Also NJA wants control of who they hire. Just moving the bottom of FLOPS list to NJA won't fly.

NJA isn't going to cripple a portion of a company that they buy a lot of jets from. Not smart.

And this sentance of for CMH troll, why would the union cared who got hired at NJA??? It won't look bad at all if a bunch of FLOPS guys got hired. However I believe it will be a long time before they get a contract. I think 28 months is low.... 36 is my over/under number.

 

[AceCrackshot]

Ok, NJA is going to offer homebasing to the bottom of FLOPS senority list while it is a direct violation of the CBA???? Not going to happen.

Its called a Letter of Agreement. It would just be negotiatied and stapled to the back of the CBA. Happens all the time.

Also NJA wants control of who they hire. Just moving the bottom of FLOPS list to NJA won't fly

Obviously, they would interview and pick the applicants they want.
I'm saying that through a LOA, NJA could set a pref hiring program with conditions...i.e. the applicant would have to be current and qualified on a NJA aircraft, hold a Class 1 Medical and CANPASS authorization, be current on the 12500 security program, etc. If so, then these pilots could be authorized home basing upon hiring. Trust me, if the NJA MEC had half a brain, they'd go after this deal like a marlin after squid.

NJA isn't going to cripple a portion of a company that they buy a lot of jets from. Not smart.

Raytheon couldn't care less about us. They'd just make a deal to have NJA bought another 50 Horizons. Trust me, we'd (FLOPS) be cut loose in a second if RAC thought they could sell another hundred airplanes. We're the stepchild of the Raytheon family. Plus, NJA could use the threat as leverage. The only reason FLOPS exists now is to maintain the value of Beechjets and Hawkers on the used aircraft market. If we sink, RAC couldn't sell another 800xp or Bjet for 5 years. Though, what would probably happen is that the airplanes would go in ones and two to various dog-bollocks 135 operators that broker through Sentient. I'm sure Raytheon would give them a heck of a deal.

 

[NCaviator]

I'm about to send in my resume to FLOPS in 2 weeks. With the given situation how is this going to affect someone who is trying to get hired on right now?

 

[AceCrackshot]

I'm about to send in my resume to FLOPS in 2 weeks. With the given situation how is this going to affect someone who is trying to get hired on right now?

Standby to wait. We will not see another new hire class for a year at best, IMO.

We are in the middle of a training bubble to end training bubbles. With the draw down from 11 types to 4, we have a large number of guys sitting around, while the Beechjet and Hawkers are undermanned, in the case of the Hawkers, desperately undermanned. This is the basis for the whole Leave of Absence, Paid leave, potential furlough situation.

The good news is that word from CGF is that there is a bunch of interest in the Leave of Absence, but there was a bunch of interest in the Flex schedule, too.