Managements actions have been repeated numerous times and well known.
Unions actions have not.
Should a CBA ever come there will be a bitterness within the pilot group exponentially higher than the old FLOPS-RTA merger and the company will be able to just watch and laugh. Only the 1108 can do anything to unite the groups and I would be surprised. This industry is like no other and no one had the foresight to predict or plan for an economic downturn while focusing on NJ CBA and following Captain United who was not smart enough to see how stupid Sh*tfinger was in believing the pilots would not disrupt the owners and cardholders when in fact many did while the union officially did not condone their actions but unofficially probably did and I believe that came way of Capt United.
Do I have to explain the result? If you were Mr/Mrs Big and Rich would you even look twice at FLOPS?
This company now has a deserved reputation and IF it survives they will need to be twice as good to be thought of being half as good as the competitors. That is not a pessimistic view it's just a realistic one.
It will be embarassing to see the number of votes cast as compared to the number of pilots on the seniority list, I'll wager much less than the initial vote for the union. That vote incidently,from a good source was stategically timed just prior to the company's announcement of pay increases.
There will be no recalls or growth or even status quo of flying unless forced action is taken and if that means a strike threat than so be it, without the real threat of a strike this company will continue to wither slowly away to nothing and every furloughed pilot that stays in aviation flying will enjoy being the senior crewmember to his/her former senior peers. I'm afraid there will be some real bruised egos.
Both side have run out of options at this point(no pun intended)
I wish all the FLOPS pilots luck, they will need it.
Fracjack,
First off...... are you new here? Do you even work at Flops?
Your statement about the "strategic timing" of the union vote is laughable. The union drive had been underway for over a year due to the draconian changes implemented by Scheringa in 2005. Have you forgotten his decision to abandon Tier 3 domicile crews? Elimination of the travel allowance, except for those living in CGF. Repeated 14hr duty days followed by min (10 hrs) rest in a "Quality Inn" 29 minutes away from the airport. Duty on at 0500 am at the fbo with no trips scheduled, huge increases in health ins premiums, etc, etc.
AFTER they discovered a union vote was imminent, management began the "we love our pilots" campaign. You remember that right? The VP of OPS, Program Managers, the Chief Pilot, and the director of HR attempting to buy as dinner and "talk" while we were off duty at TEB, PBI, LAS etc. Way too little, too late.
Without a CBA, ANY raise, ANY benefit they may have offered could and would be taken away with a simple e-mail. "Policy of the week" reigns supreme. Witness the elimination of the 401K match this year.
The majority of the pilots here at FLOPS decided that when you're dealing with a manager intent on destroying careers, working without a contract is foolhardy.
Was there a write-up campaign? Of course not. The union leadership, esp Dubinsky, made a point of stressing that "no job action was to be taken". The aircraft hadn't been maintained and the crews quit carrying write-ups, its as simple as that. Scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.......
As far as "Captain United".....considering our foes (the various management teams as well as F&H), I want an experienced, aggressive advisor in my corner. What do you propose? "Trust"?
You have posted your complaints about the union. Again, I will ask you. What solutions do you offer?
Meanwhile, FLOPS management continues their delay tactics.
Tick tock, tick tock.........