November 8, the other “1108”

[Hobbes]

I also never heard any such rumor. I am very in touch, and would have heard about it. It was fabricated by management to try to discredit the union. Funny thing, the union members are the only ones who have acted 100% of the time with pure, unblemished integrity, yet the managers are the ones who are caught time and time again in lies and deception. It even appears this time, as I would expect, that the first mention of something shady comes from where? The mouths of management. No one from the union has EVER suggested we do something illegal. Just playing by the book is plenty to make this management team unable to make ends meet. They are the ones padding their pockets off of my families misfortune, while we strive to cut costs at home at the expense of comfort....keeping the heat turned off....recycling clothes...etc. etc. You know those bums aren't having to worry about anything in their big fat homes, driving their Mercedes to work off of our backs.

 

[NJAPLT]

The union has made a public response to this allegation, I have copied it below without personal comment.



On October 12, 2007, Shirley Kaufman, Vice President, Human Resources sent a letter to Jonathan C. Wentz, Outside Counsel for International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 1108. In her letter, Ms. Kaufman claimed Flight Options was in possession of communications distributed by Local 1108, communications attributed to Local 1108, and communications distributed by persons claiming to be Flight Options line pilots advocating, supporting or encouraging an unlawful job action. The letter also claimed that management had received reports from line pilots alleging that they are being pressured by individuals in the Union’s leadership to file false reports about management personnel and the safety of Flight Options’ aircraft.

Mr. Wentz responded to Ms. Kaufman’s letter the same day. He requested that management provide the Union with all of the information in the Company’s possession relevant to the allegations in her letter. On October 19, 2007, Ms. Kaufman, Robert Tyler, Vice President, Flight Operations, and Marc Espisito, Outside Counsel for Flight Options, met with Mr. Wentz and other representatives of the Union to discuss the allegations contained in Ms. Kaufman’s letter.

Management presented your Union representatives with copies of several stickers, including stickers referring to a “Withdraw of Enthusiasm (W.O.E)” and “Crews Responding to Excessive Economic Pressure (C.R.E.E.P.)” The stickers contained the website address of Local 1108 and other markings related to the Union and were apparently mailed to the Company anonymously on customer satisfaction survey cards. Mr. Wentz informed management that the stickers were not produced or distributed by Local 1108. Management did not provide any evidence to the contrary.

During the meeting, management also said that individual managers had received calls from individual pilots claiming that a sick out is planned for November 8, 2007. In addition, management said that individuals have complained to the Company about harassment from union representatives in connection with maintenance write-ups. Finally, management said persons claiming to be Flight Options pilots have engaged in similar conduct on public internet message boards.

The Union asked management for more specific information so that it could conduct its own investigation, including the names of the pilots who had called management, the names of the managers who have spoken to them and all union representatives who allegedly engaged in misconduct. Management did not provide the Union with the requested information, thereby limiting the Union’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation of the Company’s allegations. Nonetheless, your Union’s position on the issues raised by management has always been clear and it bears repeating.

The Union has not engaged in any unlawful conduct. The Union does not advocate, support or encourage pilots to engage in a sick out on any day, including November 8, 2007. To the contrary, the Union has consistently counseled pilots as to their rights and obligations under the Railway Labor Act, including the obligation to refrain from applying economic pressure of any kind against the Company until and unless the Union is released from mediation by the National Mediation Board and the statutory dispute resolution mechanism is exhausted. Moreover, no person, including line pilots or managers, is authorized to use the website address, name or logos of the Union for any purpose without permission.

Finally, the Union does not advocate, support or encourage pilots to file false reports about management personnel or the safety of Flight Options’ aircraft. To the contrary, when it comes to maintenance write-ups and the safety of aircraft, your Union has consistently fought for the right of pilots to exercise their own professional judgment under the FARs, without interference from anyone, including management. The Union’s message has never wavered: do nothing illegal for or against the Company. Any statements, in any form, inconsistent with this official communication made by persons claiming to speak for the Union, whether they are line pilots or managers claiming to be line pilots or union representatives, are hereby disclaimed.

Your Union remains focused on the goal of securing a good contract for Flight Options’ pilots and their families. Before we secure a contract, there will be more rumors and misinformation spread by individuals with their own agendas. It is an unfortunate part of the process. Don’t get distracted from the mission. Keep your eyes focused on the goal of reaching a contract, support the Union 100 percent, get involved in Union activities, encourage your co-workers to do the same, and we will reach our goal that much faster.

Fraternally,

Mark Luthi
Vice President
Executive Board
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Local 1108

 

[Whoosh!]

"What's the message?"

Are you furking serious, Bob? What do you do for Options again? I'll tell you what... start treating the pilots right and you won't have any "messages" to worry about.


"The Company has not refused to consider Union proposals on wages, vacations, health and welfare benefits, sick time, job protections, schedules, or any other subject."

Gee thanks for so generously "not refusing" to "consider" some of these things for us. Lest we forget the grand history of Options repeatedly screwing the crews? You had a chance to change all this way before the Union was ever voted in.....but you didn't do sh1t. You're going to have to do a little more than "consider". We know dam well the only way we'll get what we deserve is by fighting.



"In fact, neither party has even made a proposal on wages, vacations, benefits, 401(k) or even sick time. The parties have spent most of the table time in recent sessions discussing, at the Union’s request, Crew Bases. The Union initially had proposed a completely criteria based system for identifying crew bases for all current pilots as well as future new hires. The Company countered with a proposal that would grandfather all of our current pilots, allowing them to stay in their domiciles regardless of whether it meets the criteria, and to retain their current rights to move between existing domiciles. In October, the Company agreed to the Union’s overall concept of a criteria based system for new pilots (details are yet to be hammered out) and the Union agreed to the Company’s proposal that our current pilots will be grandfathered. The negotiation process requires give and take from both sides."


Well, that's very nice. Wait a minute... didn't the union get denied extra bargaining sessions? What was the reason for that again? And, if I recall correctly, the union offered to negotiate those things first but the company denied that too saying "we need to negotiate the small stuff first so we know how much to offer when the big items come around."

GET THE CONTRACT DONE and you're little world over there on Curtiss-Wright Pkwy will be a much better place.

 

[skyismyoffice]

I'm definitely in the loop with the Union initiatives and can honestly say that the first time I heard of this was from Bob? Maybe Bob is suggesting a sick out??

Was this a ploy used by NJ management during their negotiations?

 

[Hobbes]

I don't know about NJ, but I am convinced that the whole idea was dreamt up by Ford and Harrison to discredit the union. It is very telling in my opinion, that the first mention of something shady comes to my ears from Bob Tyler and NOT from the union or anyone associated with it. The ONLY message I get from the IBT is to do nothing illegal for OR against the company.

 

[dime line]

Thanks for telling us about a sick out Bob, none of my friends knew about it, so thanks for telling us. How much charter did you buy for Nov 8th?

 

[Guitar Guy]

Was this a ploy used by NJ management during their negotiations?

I don't remember NJ's management concocting such a bizarre message during the '04-05 timeframe.

I wonder if the union-hating B19 will be disappointed or happy if 11/08 (the day) comes and there's no massive sickout. Will he suggest that, somehow, the union wasn't strong enough to pull it off or will he, in some illogical manner, suggest that the pilots are breaking from their union masters and going to work?

FLOPS pilots: operate safely, legally, and with ice water in your veins.

 

[learflyer]

The hebrew highway will be a quiet one on that day.

 

[PCL200Capt]

since when did fractionals fall under the Railway Labor Act?

 

[Guitar Guy]

since when did fractionals fall under the Railway Labor Act?

Since their inception.

What is the RLA?

The Railway Labor Act was drafted by labor and management and passed by Congress in 1936 without amendment. It differs from the National Labor Relations Act passed in 1926 in that it prevents labor groups the ability to go on strike at will. The intent is to ensure that interstate commerce is not affected due to labor unrest. The RLA outlines the processes in which we bargain.

Why do we bargain under it?

An operator that possesses an Air Carrier Certificate dictates that governance under the auspices of the RLA.

You can read the whole article at: http://www.ibt1108.org/cs/union_info.html