New Alaska Airlines base

[densoo]

Must be nice to belong to a company planning for the future.

Alaska Airlines plans to add a new base to its system on June 1. Last week, the airline issued a bid creating a Portland, Oregon, base. The bid also contains an increase in first officers in Anchorage and a decrease in the number of pilots in Seattle and Los Angeles. Currently, Alaska’s pilots are based out of Seattle, Anchorage, and Los Angeles.

 

[StopNTSing]

Didn't they close the PDX base just a few years ago?

 

[AK737FO]

No, the PDX base will happen on June 1, even though the SEA LEC reps and the LAX Capt Rep want to kill it. 3 of the 6 voting reps want PDX to die in order to save all the lines they can for SEA. The SEA reps position is "to heck with the other bases, we want every line we can grab for ourselves, regardless of what we have to give away to secure it." The LAX Capt who voted for SEA ETOPS must be smoking crack, because there is no logic behind his gut feeling that if LAX no longer has to do ETOPS, then the company will grow the base into mexico. I might ask, with what extra jets? With what extra pilots? LAX will shrink, the company has told the MEC it will shrink, if there is a SEA ETOPS base, and LAX pilots can thank their own Capt rep for giving it to them for FREE.
Our contract says that we had to talk, in good faith, with the company about SEA ETOPS. These three guys (Both SEA reps and the LAX Capt rep) were determined to give away anything and everything in order to save as many lines as they could for SEA.
It is sad to see our MEC come to this - gloves off, roll call and BS casting the tie breaker. Why do some of us want to give away the farm? Suck it up SEA. When this thing comes to Mem Rat, and it will - vote NO and send these three whimps packin.
To the new PDX base - make sure you get your own council because these SEA guys want to slit your throats!

 

[GuppyWN]

Sounds like us and Dallas, I mean Mecca. After 10 years I still find the occasional alarm clock in Florida or LA set to central time.

If I never hear "well in Dallas we..........." it will be too soon.

Gup

 

[SRMairlines]

Whatever this agreement is it will be with us for a number of years.

It would very smart to vote in a POS knowing that.

 

[N1atEcon]

Sounds like us and Dallas, I mean Mecca. After 10 years I still find the occasional alarm clock in Florida or LA set to central time.

Wait till you find one with the alarm going off at 4 a.m. central under your bed.

 

[HAL]

Guys, every airline I've worked for had the same arguments; "I want all the flying in MY base, and to heck with the rest of you." Yet when the new base opened, it ended up being a good thing for everyone, as it provided that most rare commodity - choice. More choice in domicile, aircraft, seat, routes, are all good things in your career. Don't throw it away by being short sighted.

HAL

 

[Mookie]

No, the PDX base will happen on June 1, even though the SEA LEC reps and the LAX Capt Rep want to kill it. 3 of the 6 voting reps want PDX to die in order to save all the lines they can for SEA. The SEA reps position is "to heck with the other bases, we want every line we can grab for ourselves, regardless of what we have to give away to secure it." The LAX Capt who voted for SEA ETOPS must be smoking crack, because there is no logic behind his gut feeling that if LAX no longer has to do ETOPS, then the company will grow the base into mexico. I might ask, with what extra jets? With what extra pilots? LAX will shrink, the company has told the MEC it will shrink, if there is a SEA ETOPS base, and LAX pilots can thank their own Capt rep for giving it to them for FREE.
Our contract says that we had to talk, in good faith, with the company about SEA ETOPS. These three guys (Both SEA reps and the LAX Capt rep) were determined to give away anything and everything in order to save as many lines as they could for SEA.
It is sad to see our MEC come to this - gloves off, roll call and BS casting the tie breaker. Why do some of us want to give away the farm? Suck it up SEA. When this thing comes to Mem Rat, and it will - vote NO and send these three whimps packin.
To the new PDX base - make sure you get your own council because these SEA guys want to slit your throats!

So much for solidarity. I didn't know any base "owned" any flying at all, although I'm sure not too many guys in the lower 48 will be pining for the arctic stuff anytime soon. we're obviously not good enough pilots to handle it.

This is starting to sound like all of the DCI regionals arguing that it's THEIR flying (for delta) out of ATL, SLC, CVG, etc. it feels like highschool.

Mookie

 

[Going2Baja]

No, the PDX base will happen on June 1, even though the SEA LEC reps and the LAX Capt Rep want to kill it. 3 of the 6 voting reps want PDX to die in order to save all the lines they can for SEA. The SEA reps position is "to heck with the other bases, we want every line we can grab for ourselves, regardless of what we have to give away to secure it." The LAX Capt who voted for SEA ETOPS must be smoking crack, because there is no logic behind his gut feeling that if LAX no longer has to do ETOPS, then the company will grow the base into mexico. I might ask, with what extra jets? With what extra pilots? LAX will shrink, the company has told the MEC it will shrink, if there is a SEA ETOPS base, and LAX pilots can thank their own Capt rep for giving it to them for FREE.
Our contract says that we had to talk, in good faith, with the company about SEA ETOPS. These three guys (Both SEA reps and the LAX Capt rep) were determined to give away anything and everything in order to save as many lines as they could for SEA.
It is sad to see our MEC come to this - gloves off, roll call and BS casting the tie breaker. Why do some of us want to give away the farm? Suck it up SEA. When this thing comes to Mem Rat, and it will - vote NO and send these three whimps packin.
To the new PDX base - make sure you get your own council because these SEA guys want to slit your throats!

No offense AK, but as a friend of mine says "SUCK IT!" The LAX Capt rep is doing the best he can to save LAX seats...Below is his reply to his vote:

Baja.

************************************************************

ALA C-63 Pilots,
Earlier this week your MEC decided, by a vote that was not unanimous, to send one last counter offer to management regarding the Seattle ETOPS base. Since then a number of statements have been circulating that grossly mischaracterize our offer and ignore the position we are in.
First and foremost, it is important for you to understand that the purpose of the meeting was to provide direction for a counterproposal, and NOT to ratify any deals. It is also important for you to realize that we were ending up in the position we are currently in regardless of how your C-63 representatives voted on this issue. Either by majority rule, split decision-tie breaker, which is what happened, or Roll Call vote the outcome was going to be the same. If management accepts our counterproposal, your MEC will next vote whether to make it a Tentative Agreement. Should that happen, it will then be sent on to you for membership ratification.
So, why should we do anything? Unlike Section 6 negotiations, this is not a choice between a SEA ETOPS base or status quo, and change, driven by operational and marketing goals, is coming to our base regardless of the actions we take. The company wants to find a more efficient way to fly the ETOPS trips than LAX currently provides. Two options are, ANC, and a possible SEA ETOPS base or ANC and PDX. This is a business decision they are going to make and they are going to proceed one way or another. The new base in PDX serves as a clear reminder that management can open bases and move pilots with few restrictions.
You can be assured that over the course of these negotiations we have proposed many options to improve the quality of flying in our base as well as the quality of life for all Alaska pilots, including those on furlough. Since we are still in negotiations those details can’t be shared at this time but rest assured we have offered proposals containing growth, retention of partial ETOPS flying, base size protection, and recalls, just to mention a few. Although it is obvious at this point some of those goals won’t be met we continue to work on others. I know that just like Section 6 negotiations, it is extremely frustrating for you to not know the details of agreements that can have such a huge impact on your lives. I understand your frustrations and hope that in the near future you will have the details to vote on. In the meantime, I want to reassure you we are working our hardest to deliver you the best possible T/A to vote on.
These ETOPS negotiations have been a very long and often frustrating and emotional process, and we know a great many of you are very concerned about how you and your family might be affected not only by ETOPS but also our new PDX base. As was the case with Section 6 negotiations, it is your continued trust and patience that will ensure that we reach as successful outcome as possible.
If you haven’t already please take the time to read the latest Negotiators Notepad below.
As a reminder our next regularly scheduled C-63 LEC meeting is march 25th. A meeting notice will be coming out confirming the time and location.

***********************************************************

 

[AK737FO]

The LAX Capt rep is not doing the best he can to save LAX seats - he is actually giving seats away as fast as he can! Call the LAX FO rep - find out the truth! If LAX looses ETOPS, then LAX will shrink. PERIOD! The LAX Capt rep flopped on his decision, and actually voted for the quickest way possible to shrink the LAX base.
Keep in mind, the MEC was under no obligation to do anything, except to meet in good faith and discuss SEA ETOPS. The SEA guys are in a panic, doing everything they can to kill or at least shrink a PDX base so as to keep as many lines of flying as possible in SEA. The LAX Capt rep flops on his position and somehow comes up with the idea that no ETOPS in the LAX base would be a good thing for the base. I just don't get it. The ANC reps actually tried to call the meeting to a close - the MEC could have just walked away from this and let it stew for a bit - but the SEA reps jumped on it and rather than close the meeting peacfully, they pushed for a roll call on getting this POS sent to the company ASAP. Why? Power / line grab, pure and simple. The company will accept this offer - why shouldn't they ? It gave them SEA ETOPS for free. The PDX base will still open. The MEC will probably hang again on a 3 -3 split, but eventually it will come to Membership Rat - then we get to hopefully turn this mess down and do what is right for the whole pilot group, not just SEA. I'm sure LAX and ANC will do the right thing, the question is - will SEA ? We will find out in about a month.