NetJets Union Disaster Unfolding

[n7715x]

The NetJets union is doing a deal with the company to terminate large groups of the furloughed pilots at once, totally out of agreement with the contract. The contract says that when recalls happen, when they get to the bottom of the list, the most junior pilot on furlough has to accept recall or be terminated from the seniority list. That is what the union has told us all long to expect. Then, out of nowhere, a few months ago, they had a "reinterpretation" of the recall rights, where they now say they will allow the company to terminate entire class sizes of furloughed pilots for each recall now that they've gotten to the bottom of the list. Why? This means if the company sends out notices for a 30-pilot class, and everyone defers, they will allow the company to terminate the 30 most junior pilots...not the single most junior pilot as the contract clearly states. It looks like this thing is going to result in a DFR lawsuit if it's allowed to continue...

Hansell has threatened recently to stop growth and furlough again if NJASAP doesn't take his contract proposal. Every NetJets pilot needs to be aware that their own union is totally selling out their recall rights. NJASAP needs to be challenged from every angle about why they are doing this. Is it hoping for negotiating capital for ridding the company of the obligation to take furloughed pilots back at their original pay longevity? Who knows. This needs to be brought out for everyone to see. They've been hiding it now for months. This past week, NetJets issued the 14 most most junior pilots "non-deferrable" recall notices...that term exists nowhere in the CBA. This is actually happening. Totally unsat.

The contract is crystal clear. When they get to the bottom of the list, the most junior pilot returns or is terminated, and any unfilled vacancies on each recall are staffed with new hires. Each time there are vacancies, they offer them to furloughed pilots, the most junior returns or is terminated, and any unfilled vacancies are staffed with new hires. This process repeats until the last furloughed pilot is gone. Pretty simple. Why is NJASAP decimating the furlough and recall language and opening themselves to a DFR suit? Why aren't more people talking about this? Why is NJASAP trying to force furloughed pilots who have other job obligations to come back to a company that is extremely volatile, where hostages are being taken day by day? Who's idea was this? What's going on with NJASAP? This is "unity"?

 

[T-1GUY]

I have been reading that they would be through all the recalls and be hiring off the street by the summer time, at least this is the general concensus. Hansell's threats are empty, another furlough would kill the company right now. I hope it works out for you. I personally would move on to another company, but that is just one opinion. The time is ripe to find a better pilot position.

 

[ghostrider64]

"Why is NJASAP trying to force furloughed pilots who have other job obligations to come back to a company that is extremely volatile, where hostages are being taken day by day?"

That's the crux of your fear, isn't it? Afraid to come join the fight? Come and fight, or don't, your choice. Nobody is forcing you, only you have the decision to make. But don't blame us that are there, fighting daily for a better life, that you hope to enjoy after the war is over.

 

[BentOver]

"Why is NJASAP trying to force furloughed pilots who have other job obligations to come back to a company that is extremely volatile, where hostages are being taken day by day?"

That's the crux of your fear, isn't it? Afraid to come join the fight? Come and fight, or don't, your choice. Nobody is forcing you, only you have the decision to make. But don't blame us that are there, fighting daily for a better life, that you hope to enjoy after the war is over.[/QUOTE

Hold on my popcorn is still popping

 

[imacdog]

The contract is very clear. It is quite disturbing that the union is not fighting for all members that the contract applies to. It is also sad to see other members of the union not caring about the rights afforded by the contract' as well. Never has there been a time that I have been more convinced that the majority of NJASAP members are "all about MEEEEEEEE!".

 

[realityman]

The contract is very clear. It is quite disturbing that the union is not fighting for all members that the contract applies to. It is also sad to see other members of the union not caring about the rights afforded by the contract' as well. Never has there been a time that I have been more convinced that the majority of NJASAP members are "all about MEEEEEEEE!".

You're kidding, right?

How many guys and gals gave up literally THOUSANDS of dollars before the furlough during the voluntary measures to try to keep everyone on property?

How many agreed to doing zero extended days while we had folks on furlough?

How many have argued the furloughed should have access to the message boards during their time on furlough?

How many donated to the NJFF knowing that money was available to help the furloughed pilots?

How many donated every year that we had the Christmas fund for the furloughed pilots' kids?

The list goes on. I realize the answer to each of these questions is not "everyone". That's a shame. But this is most definitely not a selfish union.

Now there's an interpretation the furloughed don't like and all of a sudden they've been terribly wronged by the union?

For the record, I don't agree with the interpretation either. However, given the integrity and intensity of our new leadership, I have no reason to believe the new interpretation is incorrect no matter how much I don't like it.

In the end, the furloughed pilots are being offered their jobs back, something they've been sorely waiting for, and they're now upset they can't stay away for longer. I don't get it. While I don't like the interpretation, I am far more displeased with the thought of furloughed pilots sitting out this fight and only returning after everything is settled. To me, that's just as bad as the folks who have stayed active the whole time but who are content to sit on the sidelines and let others do the hard work in this contract fight, then reap the rewards.

In addition, our contract allows the furloughed pilots to continue to accrue seniority while on furlough. I can't even begin to comprehend the division in our ranks caused if furloughed pilots defer for many years while the company hires off the street to meet demand, then the furloughed come back and can claim better seniority than a group that may have been actually on property and working longer than the furloughed pilots had. It's crazy, and probably also not the intent of how that section was written.

Jeez! They've got their jobs back and they want to sue the union for the ability to not come back!

Win or lose, it will be incredibly damaging to the union. Just for starters, it's going to create a huge division amongst us just when we're finally showing some serious solidarity. Thanks for helping the company out on that one! Furthermore, it'll be self-defeating in the long run because doing so is going to make a lot of people disinclined to work for large improvements in the CBA for the junior folks (who in this case will fit nicely into one of Yip's "minority" categories) and also a lot less likely to help out again if we ever encounter something similar to the voluntary measures we did before.

It's very unfortunate that this interpretation comes at a time of contentious negotiations, but this would be one that we're better off letting go of rather than pursuing. Who is really going to "win" with this? You've got your job back. If you don't want it then pass. Otherwise, we've got a huge battle ahead of us and we need to be unified to win. It's your choice.

 

[Willy21]

First, over the last 5 years every NetJets pilot, active or furloughed, has put some skin in the game. Some more than others. With that being said, in some ways it is about "me" and improving my quality of life. I would like to get a little relative seniority and be able to hold a schedule, vacation, PTO day, aircraft bid and maybe someday an upgrade that only comes with seniority. The furloughed pilots have put a lot of skin in the game, but they are not alone in their sacrifices.

Second, the contract has huge holes everywhere. Right now the hole that matters most to the pilots on furlough is the not so clear recall language. To the pilots that have been terminated, no recall rights there, it's something else that might get their job back. Name a section of the contract and I bet you can find somebody that is fired up about it because they are not getting the answers they want from NJASAP. By arguing that "the majority of NJASAP members are 'all about MEEEEEEEE!'," you are showing that you fit right in because it's all about you and your issue. We all have issues with the contract and current situation that we want fixed, it's important to everyone.

In the end it's about "us" and are we going to allow people to divide us into voting blocks or do we choose to understand that we all have issues with the contract that can only be fixed together. It is a fact the NetJets is short on crews. We need all of the furloughed pilots back ASAP. If your current job is better than NetJets, don't come back. If it isn't, I hope to see you on the line soon. It's time to move on.

 

[imacdog]

To both of the above, you do realize this issue does not affect me personally, right? Yet I still expect the union to fight for the rights of all pilots covered under our contract. They simply can't choose which sections to enforce - it's all or nothing. All laughable mentions of "sacrafice" have exactly zero bearing on the union's responsibility to the rights of its members.

 

[BentOver]

Leave it to some of the fine members of NJASAP to turn a simple and industry standard practice of bypassing recall (due to any number of situations) into a mess.

Big deal, you are in a contract battle... So now you are going to begrudge a furloughee that wants to keep NJA in his back pocket for a while because maybe he has something going on that is Infinitely better than going back to the bottom of a list and maybe stuck in a Phenom for 5+ years....

I can see if the company was trying to mis-interpret language to suit themselves and the union had no immediate recourse but to grieve it....happens all the time...

But to blame a guy for playing the field a bit and then saying he should be there to fight the fight....please...get over yourselves..

Any and all furloughees, during the Great Recession, have every right to work the system to their advantage..

God I am glad I don't have to sit in TEB or HPN with some of you

 

[pilotyip]

All laughable mentions of "sacrafice" have exactly zero bearing on the union's responsibility to the rights of its members.

The majority will define what "sacrifice" is the it sacrifice of looking out for yourself first to ensure the betterment of everyone or is it sacrifice of the lower end of the list to protect their personal goals. Time will tell.