FO's can go screw themselves....

[netjetwife]

Necromonger, for the sake of the Flex pilots and their families I hope that turns out to be the case. Keep talking it up and passing out the cards. As you say, the company is doing their part to convince your fellow pilots that joining a union is in their best interest. :smash: For those in your group who haven't sent in a card, I wonder just how bad they need things to get?

 

[Going2Baja]

As a San Diego Charger fanatic and season ticket holder, I certainly hope that Rivers can "cowboy up" and get the job done at QB. He's got some big shoes to fill, and the general feeling around town is that he isn't up to the task. Hopefully, PR will prove everybody wrong.

Sorry for the thread creep.

Arch - I think we will see A LOT of handoff's to LT. Might be a few years till' we're back in the game so to speak.....

Oh yeah - Leave NJW alone - she's trying to help!

Baja.

 

[Dep676]

It amazes me on this board how a discussion about a fractional can end up with a guy talking about the NFL draft.

Peter Griffin--I agree with most of what you say. It is amazing how many guys work at Flexjet that worked in the miltary for 10 years and then flew for Delta Airlines for 27 years and now they are working at flexjet. DIE ALREADY. The guys that do this are greedy jerks and are taking the place of someone starting out that really needs the job. Their reasoning is that they "love flying" Well you know what, GO RENT A 172 or GO BUY A BARON. These guys make me sick to my stomach. Look at all the independence guys on the street and here we have a guy that is almost 70 years old flying for us. This really ticks me off and, they are the ones keeping us from going union.

Well most of them have 5 wives that they need to support because they did not know how to keep their zipper closed while they were on the road. The rest have wives that can not stand them being around so they come out and make our lives he!! because "they love to fly".

I agree they need to worry about their next tee time instead of taking jobs from that really need them. You ever notice most of the older guys will do anything the company asks them to do? They do not care about MX or the reg's.

 

[Hogprint]

Just to put your mind at ease, when I reach the 55-60 age, I'll be look'n for a boat slip and a beer cooler. Not a cockpit and ham samich crew meal. Just thought I'd share that so you wont worry!

P.S. My back is already kill'n me from from hump'n bags...don't know if I'll even make the 55 mark!

 

[hammer2]

Think of all the capt. that have to spend years repairing the damage incured while being an f.o. e.g. credit. It really is a little much to put up with, considering trainig, regs, risk, & b.s.

 

[netjetwife]

Look at demographics. Couples are waiting longer to have children which puts those kids in college when the pilot parent might have been retiring. Anna, now 5, will be in college when my husband, 49, is in his 60s. That was one of the reasons he chose to fly for NJ.

 

[blzr]

To quote a few of you... Hey nobody forced them to take the job. Who cares if the family qualifies for food stamps or the inlaws are still clothing their children. They knew what the terms of the job were when they accepted it. All of these pro-union posters need to take a giant leap and stop fighting for these weak causes. If the guy could really make more being a waiter at Bennigan's and needs it, he should go work there...

This crappy attititude is rampant among management and unfortunatly more us pilots than I care to admit. FracCaptains need to be just as concerned for the FOs sitting next to them as they do for themselves. This carries over into the lack of enthusiasm for a union drive from the upper half of the seniority at flex. To take on the attitudes like the ones described above sucks. To not care about their situation -- whethere financial or otherwise -- is not only evidence of $h!tty humanity but could be dangerous as well.

It's a "I've got mine so why fight" attitude. I don't know about you, but the last thing I want the guy sitting next to me thinking about is how if he doesn't eat today they can buy the big case of Pampers at Sam's club versus his wife going to Stonebriar and loading up on the freebies or the guy dodging calls from his wife all day becuase the electricty got turned off and he doesn't have the money to fix it till the expense check (already a week late) deposits cuz he already maxed out the cards to pay the water and car payment. Or the guy who might miss a mortgage payment but never a car payment becuase he realizes he might need to live in that car one day should the ecomony just take one more nosedive. (All true story BTW)

The fact is as pilots we are dreamers and gamblers. We have a tendency think it'll all work out and the sacrifices will be short and worth it. If anyone over told me in my 20's when I started this crazy business that at 45 I'd still be making less than 60k a year I would have laughed and went back to daydreaming about my beach house and porsche. I see it every day...

You took the job because you truly believed "Oh it's just 1 year to the upgrade" or "All your crew meals are catered, so your perdiem will bring you and extra 8k." OR you thought if you could just get you foot in the door and fly you a big ole jet, your employment prospects would go through the roof. You never think about what's gonna happen when Timmy needs braces, the family riots over one more PB&J dinner or your sobbing wife greets you at the door with a bright blue EPT cuz you got a unplanned mid-rotation night home last month.

Just because management (and some thrifty owners) want to exploit these people doesn't mean we should to just becuase we are finally upgraded or making bucks. I NEVER in a million years thought I would be supporting a union drive. I have seen how worthless they have been in many arenas. NJW is a little much for me too sometimes (no offense NJW). But the fact is a union -- and a frac wide union if possible -- is really the only pony we have in the race that will improve our QOL and in my opinion, make our industry stronger and more competative. And if you don't want to do it for yourself take a look back and try and put yourself in a new hires shoes and see if still think it really so fair.

Flex guys, send in your card... www.ibt1108.org.flexjet

Thanks.

Shouldn't they, the FO's be trying to better their situation? Netjetswife, surely you know the whole "squeaky wheel gets the grease routine".

Do you hear parents telling their kids, "my childhood sucked, and yours is too, nothing you can do about it."? Most parents try to make life a little easier for the next generation. Those FO's know they are living on substandard wages now, but by pressing for better pay may improve the quality of life for everyone now and for future new hires.

 

[AceCrackshot]

deleted for rant.

 

[netjetwife]

Absolutely the FOs should be sending in their cards and organizing. I never meant to suggest otherwise. I was just helping to explain why the fracs are an attractive flying option to older pilots and those that plan to work past age 60. I dare say a search for my posts using the words "stand up" and/or "FOs" would generate a long list to read.

 

[Necromonger]

come on ACE...We love readin' a good rant.

Thanks BLZR... we need these new FO's to see the light... Most are coming from Airline and Military, so it may take them some time to see the TRUE Frac culture out here. Especially after the song and dance they got in training.

Just talk to the crews out here. We'll tell ya how it really is. Then, you'll see it day after day after day of taking it up the A$$!!!!!!!

We can change things. We do not have to sit back with lube in hand. We are not going to leave over a couple of bumps in the road. We are at the mercy of inept management for now.

Just send in your card, and let the masses decide.