talespin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2002
- Posts
- 129
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
Shortly after the ratification vote closes tomorrow at 1000ET, we will know whether or not we will be working under the new United Pilot Agreement, progressing towards a single, unified pilot group or remaining as two separate groups, working under our existing concessionary and bankruptcy contracts. For those of you who have taken the time to read the tentative agreement (TA), taken advantage of the publications, videos, Town Hall meetings, crew room visits or other tools to learn the facts about the TA and made an informed decision, I thank you.
As this is my last message while the vote is still open, and we still have pilots who have not yet voted or are still wavering about whether they want to change their vote, I ask for a bit of indulgence. I have intentionally been very careful throughout this process to avoid the appearance of “selling” the TA. I fully understand the history of our pilot group and understand the angst involved with the ratification process. That being said, I have been asked repeatedly what my opinion of the TA is and I would like to answer that question. So, to be clear, I believe this TA provides definitive value for our pilots and is worthy of a yes vote.
No one knows better than a Continental pilot that monetary value and wage rates, though related, are not the only or even the most important piece to a contract. We certainly learned the hard way that being industry-leading in wage rates while simultaneously having weak work rules is a recipe for a very unhappy pilot group. We made that mistake once; I urge you all to consider the net value of this contract and not fixate on a particular hourly rate or period of time where rates may be less than DAL. There is no getting around the fact that the initial wage rates are below DAL. That is not an accident or a mistake. The JNC made the conscious decision to hold on to or achieve value in other areas, such as the defined contribution retirement plan, vacation, trip rigs and insurance that continue in lieu of a one-time pay rate. The items we chose provide value throughout the life of the contract and in perpetuity should management slow play the next round of negotiations. It should be noted that even with the initial lag in hourly wage rates, we do catch and pass DAL during the life of the wage scales negotiated. In a world where pattern bargaining is the rule of the day, this will put DAL in a position to negotiate their next wages, benefits and work rules above that mark, which in turn, will give us another opportunity to surpass them, allowing a rising tide to lift all boats.
Few things affect your quality of life more than the scheduling rules we work under. As long as I have been involved in union work, I have heard our pilots lament the fact that we did not have a mature ALPA contract. Well, this TA is your chance. To Continental pilots, upon first reading, Sections 5 and 20 may as well have been written in Latin. As old as some of the language is, it may have been. With that age, however, comes experience and interpretation. In the preamble to the negotiating notes for the TA, both sides agreed that the language used, whether legacy Continental or legacy United, will bring its history with it. These scheduling sections, for the most part, work well for the pilots who have lived under them over the years. They are much different than the rules (or lack thereof) we have endured under any of our previous contracts. It is harder to quantify the value of work rules because each pilot group has a different history, different personality, different route structure and different equipment mix. What may be liked at one airline may be hated at another; what one management exploits at one airline may not be exploited at another. However, we can quantify the cost to the Company that work rules generate, and if you accept the concept that cost equates to value, I can say that the new work rules will lead the industry.
Moving to other areas, I firmly believe that should this TA become our new joint contract, your career will be better protected through the Scope section, with its more complete safeguards against threats to both our domestic and international flying. Your retirement will be made more secure due to the increased Company contributions, innovative approaches such as the RHA VEBA, and the preservation of the frozen A-Plan’s payment options. In summary, I believe that in the areas of compensation, quality of life, retirement and job protections, our pilots will lead the industry if the TA is ratified.
In closing, I want to thank of course the JNC, but also all of the pilots and staff who worked so hard to bring this TA to you for your consideration. No matter how this turns out, all of those involved in this effort should be recognized for their personal sacrifice, dedication and service to our pilots. I also want to again thank all of you for giving the TA your studied consideration. We have done our best to bring you a contract that meets your goals; it is now time for you to decide if we have succeeded.
If you would like to read the initial summary CrewsNews provided with the TA, please clickHERE. Complete information about the TA is also available at www.unitedpilotagreement.com.
Have a good weekend and Fly Safe.
One Union, One Voice
Capt. Jay Pierce
CAL MEC Chairman
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COMMUNICATIONS(CHAIRMAN CAPT. BRIAN BAGENSKI)
TA VOTE
Voting on the tentative agreement ends at 1000ET on Saturday, Dec. 15. Additional ALPA support staff will be available on Saturday morning to provide assistance with voting (such as password resets and addressing issues with access to the balloting site), but it is important that you not wait until the last few minutes to vote. Your vote is important.
Shortly after the ratification vote closes tomorrow at 1000ET, we will know whether or not we will be working under the new United Pilot Agreement, progressing towards a single, unified pilot group or remaining as two separate groups, working under our existing concessionary and bankruptcy contracts. For those of you who have taken the time to read the tentative agreement (TA), taken advantage of the publications, videos, Town Hall meetings, crew room visits or other tools to learn the facts about the TA and made an informed decision, I thank you.
As this is my last message while the vote is still open, and we still have pilots who have not yet voted or are still wavering about whether they want to change their vote, I ask for a bit of indulgence. I have intentionally been very careful throughout this process to avoid the appearance of “selling” the TA. I fully understand the history of our pilot group and understand the angst involved with the ratification process. That being said, I have been asked repeatedly what my opinion of the TA is and I would like to answer that question. So, to be clear, I believe this TA provides definitive value for our pilots and is worthy of a yes vote.
No one knows better than a Continental pilot that monetary value and wage rates, though related, are not the only or even the most important piece to a contract. We certainly learned the hard way that being industry-leading in wage rates while simultaneously having weak work rules is a recipe for a very unhappy pilot group. We made that mistake once; I urge you all to consider the net value of this contract and not fixate on a particular hourly rate or period of time where rates may be less than DAL. There is no getting around the fact that the initial wage rates are below DAL. That is not an accident or a mistake. The JNC made the conscious decision to hold on to or achieve value in other areas, such as the defined contribution retirement plan, vacation, trip rigs and insurance that continue in lieu of a one-time pay rate. The items we chose provide value throughout the life of the contract and in perpetuity should management slow play the next round of negotiations. It should be noted that even with the initial lag in hourly wage rates, we do catch and pass DAL during the life of the wage scales negotiated. In a world where pattern bargaining is the rule of the day, this will put DAL in a position to negotiate their next wages, benefits and work rules above that mark, which in turn, will give us another opportunity to surpass them, allowing a rising tide to lift all boats.
Few things affect your quality of life more than the scheduling rules we work under. As long as I have been involved in union work, I have heard our pilots lament the fact that we did not have a mature ALPA contract. Well, this TA is your chance. To Continental pilots, upon first reading, Sections 5 and 20 may as well have been written in Latin. As old as some of the language is, it may have been. With that age, however, comes experience and interpretation. In the preamble to the negotiating notes for the TA, both sides agreed that the language used, whether legacy Continental or legacy United, will bring its history with it. These scheduling sections, for the most part, work well for the pilots who have lived under them over the years. They are much different than the rules (or lack thereof) we have endured under any of our previous contracts. It is harder to quantify the value of work rules because each pilot group has a different history, different personality, different route structure and different equipment mix. What may be liked at one airline may be hated at another; what one management exploits at one airline may not be exploited at another. However, we can quantify the cost to the Company that work rules generate, and if you accept the concept that cost equates to value, I can say that the new work rules will lead the industry.
Moving to other areas, I firmly believe that should this TA become our new joint contract, your career will be better protected through the Scope section, with its more complete safeguards against threats to both our domestic and international flying. Your retirement will be made more secure due to the increased Company contributions, innovative approaches such as the RHA VEBA, and the preservation of the frozen A-Plan’s payment options. In summary, I believe that in the areas of compensation, quality of life, retirement and job protections, our pilots will lead the industry if the TA is ratified.
In closing, I want to thank of course the JNC, but also all of the pilots and staff who worked so hard to bring this TA to you for your consideration. No matter how this turns out, all of those involved in this effort should be recognized for their personal sacrifice, dedication and service to our pilots. I also want to again thank all of you for giving the TA your studied consideration. We have done our best to bring you a contract that meets your goals; it is now time for you to decide if we have succeeded.
If you would like to read the initial summary CrewsNews provided with the TA, please clickHERE. Complete information about the TA is also available at www.unitedpilotagreement.com.
Have a good weekend and Fly Safe.
One Union, One Voice
Capt. Jay Pierce
CAL MEC Chairman
return to top
TA VOTE
Voting on the tentative agreement ends at 1000ET on Saturday, Dec. 15. Additional ALPA support staff will be available on Saturday morning to provide assistance with voting (such as password resets and addressing issues with access to the balloting site), but it is important that you not wait until the last few minutes to vote. Your vote is important.
