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

 

[PiperDriver]

This profession and this country are so screwed...

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

You're welcome.

 

[Timebuilder]

Thanks, Floyd. I have never worked, nor is it likely that I ever will work for a 121 carrier.

I have been a member of several unions, all working for Fortune 500 companies, including the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) associated with the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG). So, I have just a wee bit of experience in union matters. One union was the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, an RLA union. I have written on and reported on unions, been a striker, and never crossed a line.

I have worked for two non-union charter operators, and have many a friend who flies corporate, fractional, regional, charter, and major.

So, when people ask me how I have permitted myself to speak on issues regarding unions, I think that I am qualified.

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.

Sounds like one of my recent employers. Trips are handed out based mostly on the whim of a young lady or two. I am told that they have had, and now have, relations of a "personal" nature with some of the pilots. If they like you, you may fly often. If the boss likes you, you may upgrade to larger equipment. If they both like you, you will make money on OT. I'm the guy that flys the Sunday trip. Yes, I am an at-will employee, too.

Now, I could complain and say that I wish there were a union, but if there was one, the company I work for would probably cease to exist. Either of the owners could easily say that 25 years is enough to have been in charter, and close the doors. The contract itself could make us so non-competitive that business would slow to a trickle, airplanes would be sold, and you'd have a handful of senior employees with jobs, while everyone else would be laid off. Is this starting to sound familiar? Earth to regional airline pilot, come in please! Yes, it sounds like what is happening at the "major" airlines. The senior guys have jobs, and the lower ranks are chumped to the curb, particularly at the wholly owneds. Higher costs of operation lead to a shrinking company where only the most senior guys can hold jobs. From the perspective of the Big Airline, the contracts at the regional partners look very attractive by comparison, ergo: Comair grows while Delta shrinks. US Air gives a flowback to furloughed pilots via j4j.

It doesn't have to be an adversarial relationship; that depends very much on the parties involved.

Agreed. And being a unionized worker is FAR from being a panacea, I can vouch for that.

So, from a certain perspective one could say that recent political chages are somehow "bad" for airline labor, or more specifically, airline labor unions. I'm not certain that I agree, since it has become patently obvious that our business is in great need of change, and it WILL change whether we like it or not. What we are faced with are not evil people that want to stamp out unions (I'm not one of that bunch) but an entire industry that is undergoing some very drastic changes in terms of labor and equipment, and how the public accesses air travel in general.

If one attribute of the changes in Washington is a process to provide for speedy agreements that lets all parties including passengers, owners, labor and management have a firm basis for expectations about the health and operation of unionized carriers, then my opinon is that is a good thing. Particularly when you look at what happens when we muddle through protracted negotiations with no regard to changing makets and competition, and end up in backruptcy.

We have to remember that the elephant can't dance if his feet are chained to the floor.