Polar Air Cargo, 30 days out from possible strike.

[Whale Rider]

Hey -300, Sounds like you're loosing alot of sleep over something you shouldn't even be concerned about. RELAX! Hahahaha!

 

[B-atch]

B747-300 wrote:

"You guys had what you claimed was a good QOL contract. You had furlough protection!! You would have had much more power had you remained in the cockpits. But no, you did exactly what management wanted. The planes and flying will be shifted to Atlas and you guys will have the longest strike/lockout in history."

You know it's A-HOLES like you that have put this profession in the Substandard category that we find ourselves in. If flying with you'r KIND is all I can look forward to, I will take my chances elsewere....Good luck MORON!!! you'r turn comes up in 6 short months...........Who knows, you'r sory ARSE might be yanking gear for me sooner than you think..

 

[B747-300]

"You know it's A-HOLES like you that have put this profession in the Substandard category that we find ourselves in."

Wrong again! It's guys like Bob F. (the former MEC chair at Polar) that you can thank for the current situation. Management owns the guy and he did everything they asked him to do. Let's review the history one more time for you slow minded guys:

Bob F. put the knife in Atlas crewmember's backs when he said Polar crews had no choice but to fly struck work because of the wording in the Polar CBA. He did this during end game contract negotiations and it's the main reason Atlas crews don't have a good QOL contract.

Polar crews accepted a pay increase and a contract extension (last time) rather than be at the bargaining table at the same time as Atlas crews.

I think the next Atlas contract will be much better with Polar out of the picture. You guys have been successfully manipulated into ending your own careers. Bye!

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

"You know it's A-HOLES like you that have put this profession in the Substandard category that we find ourselves in."

Wrong again! It's guys like Bob F. (the former MEC chair at Polar) that you can thank for the current situation. Management owns the guy and he did everything they asked him to do. Let's review the history one more time for you slow minded guys:

Bob F. put the knife in Atlas crewmember's backs when he said Polar crews had no choice but to fly struck work because of the wording in the Polar CBA. He did this during end game contract negotiations and it's the main reason Atlas crews don't have a good QOL contract.

Polar crews accepted a pay increase and a contract extension (last time) rather than be at the bargaining table at the same time as Atlas crews.

I think the next Atlas contract will be much better with Polar out of the picture. You guys have been successfully manipulated into ending your own careers. Bye!

Last I saw, Polar was supported by Atlas/Gemini/A-star/Fedex/United/NWA and a few others and there is a well defined ruling of what the struck work will be.

Not my fight here, but I have friends in the battle...are you saying that you will scab and fly the struck work 300? You wouldn't happen to be one of the 22 left over from the big "E" unpleasantness years back would you?

 

[B-atch]

It certainly speaks volumes of him (300)!!

 

[Whale Rider]

Unity is our Strength!

Special thanks the Pilot groups of: Atlas Air, FedEx, Northwest, United, Astar, Gemini and Kitty Hawk.

 

[waazzuuuup!!]

B747-300,

Cato ƒucked you guys with that piece of $hit contract, and now your willing to scab for him even after he decided to tax you guys for travel and hotel.

You are a two legged animal with a corkscrew soul, a waterlogged brain, and a
combination backbone made of jelly and glue as well as $hit, and carries a tumor of rotten priciples.

 

[B747-300]

Wow! You guys are lightning fast with the scab label. Too bad your opinion doesn't count.

AAWW owns/leases the planes. They have the ability to utilize and register them as they see fit. I really expect many of the -400s will be leased (long-term) to UPS very soon. They'll put UPS tail numbers on them and use them to fly UPS cargo with UPS crews. The remaining planes will be re-registered with "MC" tail numbers. These planes will be flown by Atlas crews to service the massive amount of military flying recently awarded to AAWW. Are the crews scabs in either case above? I think not. They're flying an all white plane that is registered to their own company, full of non-struck cargo.

It looks like your MEC blinked. They dropped their demand for a 31% pay increase down to a 19% increase (spread over time) in the last few moments before the cooling-off period expired. They must have realized (too late in the game) that what you were asking for was totally unreasonable in the current environment. It is very unfortunate that this mistake has cost you all your jobs.

 

[furloughfodder]

It's sad to see people like -300 who cave in and take the first thing management offers in negotiations. Unfortunately there are a lot of pilots out there now like him. "Just happy to have a job".

People like him are the reason this industry is in the tank. Talk about blinking! If management offers you a 30% PAY CUT next time you will sign off on it faster than a blink, and then thank them all day long just for having a job.

...OR...

You ARE management, which is probably most likely judging from your posts in the past.

 

[B-atch]

747-300 you are a piece of work..... I am quite certain that you are a MINORITY amongs you'r ranks..Most Atlas folks that I have spoken to are behind us 110%....It must be LONELY being you!!......Now go crawl back into you'r little SHELL.

 

[furloughfodder]

I agree B-atch. Luckily this guy doesn't represent most Atlas people.

There is one in every crowd.

 

[B747-300]

I'd strike if my company tried to reduce my pay, my retirement or my medical benefits.

Would I strike at a time of fierce competition, record pilot unemployment and record high fuel prices because my (recently bankrupt) company wouldn't give me a 31% increase in pay? NO WAY! What you guys are doing is one of the dumbest things in union history. I think most rank-and-file members would have taken the 10.5% and returned to the negotiating table in 18 months.

You have the support of the Atlas MEC, not the line pilots. Big difference!

 

[Jolly]

Since the Polar pilot's are only asking for the same pay rates you ALREADY have that supposed 10.5% pay raise would in fact BE about a 20% pay CUT for you (not including the 60% cut in retirement contributions it would be).

The company has enjoyed paying the Polar pilots at their old rates for the two and a half years negotiations have dragged on with no retro pay back to the ammendable date making for quite a windfall for the company already.

As for negotiating again in 18 months you are ignoring the fact that what would be negotiated would be a Transition agreement which is not a normal section 6 process. The transition agreement has MANDATORY BINDING ARBITRATION at the end of it.

What makes you think the company will have completed your section 6 negotiations by that time? All the company has to do is string you along until the Transition Agreement to force you and Polar into binding arbitration and then ask the Arbiter to decide between the contract with your current pay rates and the (New) Polar one with 20% LOWER rates. Even if you retained your higher rates of pay you are looking at 5-10 years of steadily eroding wages due to inflation.

You are a demonstration of the problem that has plagued pilot groups for years. You are focused on today and the past while Management is planning 5-10 years ahead.

I'd strike if my company tried to reduce my pay, my retirement or my medical benefits.

Would I strike at a time of fierce competition, record pilot unemployment and record high fuel prices because my (recently bankrupt) company wouldn't give me a 31% increase in pay? NO WAY! What you guys are doing is one of the dumbest things in union history. I think most rank-and-file members would have taken the 10.5% and returned to the negotiating table in 18 months.

You have the support of the Atlas MEC, not the line pilots. Big difference!

 

[B747-300]

You could have had Atlas pay rates long ago if you would have accepted the full Atlas CBA!

"As for negotiating again in 18 months you are ignoring the fact that what would be negotiated would be a Transition agreement which is not a normal section 6 process. The transition agreement has MANDATORY BINDING ARBITRATION at the end of it."

You are currently maintaining the status quo provision (as required by the RLA) of the last CBA extension (with pay raise) you agreed to rather than negotiate at the same time as the Atlas crews. Who are you trying to b.s.? You would have already taken a trip through binding arbitration if what you are saying is true.

Remember, a CBA doesn't expire, it just becomes amendable. You could have continued forever with things the way they are. Or you could have accepted the extension and the 10.5% pay raise. Or you could have gotten the Atlas rates by accepting the full Atlas CBA. Instead, you decided to strike because the company wouldn't give you a 31% pay increase and maintain the good terms and conditions you currently have. Really stupid, considering the current situation the company and the industry are in. What were you guys thinking?

The biggest problem that has plagued pilot groups for years is GREED. You spent too much time worrying about what other groups have and not enough time appreciating what you have. You do have a good QOL contract and a 10.5% increase would have been a decent improvement. Now your membership is out of work and their jobs will likely be lost forever. The union membership will shrink. How is that good long-term planning?

It's an issue of timing. You really missed the mark on this one.

 

[Whale Rider]

You could have had Atlas pay rates long ago if you would have accepted the full Atlas CBA!

"As for negotiating again in 18 months you are ignoring the fact that what would be negotiated would be a Transition agreement which is not a normal section 6 process. The transition agreement has MANDATORY BINDING ARBITRATION at the end of it."

You are currently maintaining the status quo provision (as required by the RLA) of the last CBA extension (with pay raise) you agreed to rather than negotiate at the same time as the Atlas crews. Who are you trying to b.s.? You would have already taken a trip through binding arbitration if what you are saying is true.

Remember, a CBA doesn't expire, it just becomes amendable. You could have continued forever with things the way they are. Or you could have accepted the extension and the 10.5% pay raise. Or you could have gotten the Atlas rates by accepting the full Atlas CBA. Instead, you decided to strike because the company wouldn't give you a 31% pay increase and maintain the good terms and conditions you currently have. Really stupid, considering the current situation the company and the industry are in. What were you guys thinking?

The biggest problem that has plagued pilot groups for years is GREED. You spent too much time worrying about what other groups have and not enough time appreciating what you have. You do have a good QOL contract and a 10.5% increase would have been a decent improvement. Now your membership is out of work and their jobs will likely be lost forever. The union membership will shrink. How is that good long-term planning?

It's an issue of timing. You really missed the mark on this one.

Appreciate what you have? Greed? If your version of Greed is asking for a payraise that will still make you the lowest paid 747 operator, you have a serious problem! I sure hope you're not negotiating the next CBA for the Atlas Pilot group.