More bad news for airline labor!!!

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SHAKEUP IN THE SENATE: LOTT TO HEAD AVIATIONSUBCOMMITTEE}
There has been a huge shakeup in the Senate Aviation Subcommittee-it
appears Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchinson will NOT become
the next chairman of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee. Aviation
Daily reports that subcommittee will be chaired by none other
than labor foe Republican Trent Lott, who is pushing to implement
baseball style arbitration. The move was decided yesterday in
conference. Lott is expected to be the chairman of the full
Senate Rules committee in addition to chairing the Aviation Subcommittee.
Lott used his seniority to displace Hutchinson, who will likely
be pushed down to the surface transportation subcommittee, which
she has chaired previously. CAPA Executive Director Mike Cronin
offers reaction to today's surprising announcement.

{CRONIN:} The speculation even in Aviation Daily was that high
on Senator Lott's agenda is amendment of the railway labor act.
We saw an indication of this last year with Senator McCain's
bill on arbitration which Sen. Lott supported. So, we're now
concerned that with Senator Lott as chairman of the Aviation
Subcommittee, there is likely to be or at least a strong possibility
of action on the field. CAPA is working with our lobbyists and
colleagues and other unions to see what we can do to head that
off. We do not believe that any change to the railway labor
act is warranted. We're putting together a campaign right now
and we're presenting that campaign to the board later in the
month for their approval and getting started as soon as possible.
There is going to be a hearing tomorrow on the state of the
airline industry before the Senate Commerce Committee. The statements
made by airline management and by the Senators will be a strong
indication of what's likely to come. So, I and our lobbyists
plan to attend and take careful notes.

 

[VFR on Top]

This profession and this country are so screwed...

To everyone who voted GOP in the last election, thanks...thanks for nothing.

 

[Timebuilder]

You don't want to hear how "wonderful" I found my union experiences to have been. I'll bet a good number of regional pilots have felt that they have been left out of the grand design of their unions, too.

If we can put money (their money, I might add) back into the hands of those who build buildings, buy airplanes, and put people to work, then I will be happy to accept your thanks for my voting since the fall of 1994.

I must also beg your forgiveness for my voting record up until that point.

Sorry. I really thought we were right, when we were left.

Ooops. I told myself I would resist sharing these ideas.

Sorry.

 

[Dieterly]

I'll bet a good number of regional pilots have felt that they have been left out of the grand design of their unions, too.

And how many of them wants to work for a non-union carrier??

 

[Timebuilder]

And how many of them wants to work for a non-union carrier??

That, my friend, is an excellent question! Considering how they have been represented by labor, that question may come out differently than we might expect.

 

[Dieterly]

Timebuilder,

Again, it shows you don't know what you are talking about. I bet you have never worked for a regional non-union carrier, just like the majority of todays regional pilots.

 

[CA1900]

That, my friend, is an excellent question! Considering how they have been represented by labor, that question may come out differently than we might expect.

As someone who currently works for a non-union airline, I wouldn't be so sure. Our work "rules" can and do change on a day-by-day basis, our pay scale has gone up a whopping 20 cents over 10 years ago, and seniority means very little with respect to scheduling and reserve call-outs. The most senior pilot is still required to work Sunday trips he can't commute to, even though there are plenty of less-senior pilots to work those days. We're at-will employees and can be fired for no reason if management wishes.

Unionization may not be panacea, but working under a contract provides considerably more stability than working (or not working) at the company's whims. It doesn't have to be an adversarial relationship; that depends very much on the parties involved.

Work as a pilot for a non-union regional, and I think your views will change substantially.

 

[Floyd94]

Timebuilder has never even worked for a 121 carrier period.

 

[AAflyer]

It is not so much a union or non-union thing. It is about corporate culture. Take a look at the darling of the aviation industry "SWA".

Heavily unionized but a strong relationship with managment, they have found the rewards of a fruitful relationship. SWA treats their employees very well, always have, but they have a union. That doesn't fit with the regular business paradigm.

The corporate culture will impact the way the employee is treated and the way the employee wants to help the company, an esprit de corp so to speak (SP). That culture needs to be feed from both sides. It requires pilots not to step on their d1cks with sick-outs, work slow down, and no overtime flying, it requires managment to speak to it's employees instead of saying screw you this is how our attorneys read the conract.

I thought the events of 9-11 would help that, but it didn't. It has actually worsened the realtionship. I can always hope.

The pilots at SWA are well paid, infact with the total compensation package you would be very surprised that the difference in pay between them and mainline 737 flying paycheck is not that different. So why are we tagged as greedy, and the SWA guys are defined as entrepernueral(Sp). This can be fixed but it will take the unions and managment to honestly work together.

AAflyer

 

[Sphincter Boy]

This profession and this country are so screwed...

To everyone who voted GOP in the last election, thanks...thanks for nothing.

Your a pretty shallow guy if you vote for the POTUS and Congress based on whether they are Union friendly. There are more important and pressing issues than organized labor facing this nation. Quit you're whining. Republican control of both houses of Congress is the best thing that has happend to this country in a long while.

Jason