Polar Air Cargo, 30 days out from possible strike.

[CSY Mon]

POLAR STRUCK WORK INSTRUCTIONS FOR ATLAS AIR

Furloughfooder:

You don't work for Polar or Atlas?

But you keep passing information and instructions to the board.

Why...?

Curious minds would like to know...?

 

[mar]

Finally!!!

Furloughfooder:

You don't work for Polar or Atlas?

I've been resisting the urge to ask this very question myself. What's up?

I understand you have friends at Polar. So what? Why do you have a copy of the struck work rules and why is it in your interest to post it on the internet?

 

[B747FR8DAWG]

Atlas Fleet Size

So Polar has 12 planes and Atlas has 30. How many pilots does each group have?

Polar DOES NOT have 12 planes, they had 12 planes. Atlas has taken back all of the planes dry leased to Polar, I believe the Polar fleet total is around 6 or 7 planes. The last fleet count at Atlas was 19 Classics and 12 747-400's.

 

[furloughfodder]

I've been resisting the urge to ask this very question myself. What's up?

I understand you have friends at Polar. So what? Why do you have a copy of the struck work rules and why is it in your interest to post it on the internet?

The struck work rules were given to most all cargo airlines....including FedEx and UPS. It is public information, there is nothing secret about it.

To answer your question CSYMON and MAR: I do have a vested interest in this. So do you. SO DO WE ALL. We need to stand behind these guys. While the rest of the industry is taking huge paycuts, or accepting the first offer on the table from management (like -300 would do) these guys have the cajones to stand strong and united to make a difference. I, for one, am proud of these guys.



It’s a shame what has happened to this industry in the last few years, but it doesn’t have to be this way. I know many of the Atlas guys are just drooling over the fact that they might be able to upgrade faster, etc….but management is going to try and screw you guys also in January so you had better be behind these Polar guys now. I would expect every last Atlas guy to refuse to cross any line that Polar has set up. IT IS TOTALLY LEGAL and it is IN YOUR CONTRACT that you DO NOT HAVE TO CROSS A LEAGAL PICKET LINE. If you guys would show some balls this thing would be over tomorrow. I understand one Atlas guy refused to cross the line in front of the training center in MIA…now that is true support…follow his lead!!!

Good luck to the Polar pilots, stay united!

 

[CSY Mon]

To answer your question CSYMON and MAR: I do have a vested interest in this. So do you. SO DO WE ALL. We need to stand behind these guys. While the rest of the industry is taking huge paycuts, or accepting the first offer on the table from management (like -300 would do) these guys have the cajones to stand strong and united to make a difference. I, for one, am proud of these guys.

Yeah, we all have a vested interest..

The last smart strike however was Comair meh thinks.
Them guys were united and had their sh!t together when times were ripe.

As far as this Polar strike: I have a lot of sympahty and warm and fuzzy feelings for them guys, plenty of old friends from Tower Air and Evergreen over there, I do however agree with -300 that the timing and logic might be wrong and that the Polar guys may be out of a job fairly soon.

10.5 % plus the old work rules seems like a pretty good deal these days, oil prices, ch. 11's and all.

Go for the big kill next time, or strangle the golden goose this time around.

 

[furloughfodder]

Ahhh, Evergreen. I did some time in The Zone as well!

 

[Whale Rider]

Ahhh, Evergreen. I did some time in The Zone as well!

You must know the "History Professor"......

 

[mar]

Fair point

The struck work rules were given to most all cargo airlines....including FedEx and UPS.

Ok. Fair point. But I'm still not "feeling you" as the kids say.

I'll say this: The Polar guys *do* have balls. You and I agree on that much.

 

[B747-300]

It took balls to ASK for 31%, but its pure stupidity to strike *at this time* when you didn't get it.

Lots of fuzzy math coming from the Polar folks. "The revenue is so high THEY MUST BE MAKING MONEY". Pure nonsense.

As for the guy who honored the picket line at the training center, he'll be terminated. And I don't think there's an arbitrator in the world that would overturn his termination. Why are there pickets there? I didn't see that on the list of what's considered struck work.

You guys are too much. You're on here talking about unity and support from Atlas crews at the same time you're on your own ALPA site trashing us. When you say; "F#*k Dave B*****" (our MEC Chair), we know about it. When you say; "The next Atlas guy who flies another airplane is a scab", we know about it. When you say; "I do believe if Alpa kicks their sorry useless butts out of the union, because they are now scabs they will forfeit their employment", we know about it.

Taking pictures of Atlas guys who report for duty to fly Atlas planes and Atlas cargo is a big mistake. Having one of your guys go to our homes (while we're away) and tell our wives that we are scabs is a big mistake. Threatening to put us on the master scab list because we have flown Atlas planes full of Atlas cargo while you are on strike is a big mistake. Falsely accusing us of jumpseat violations is a big mistake. Your beef is with AAWW, but you're taking it out on Atlas crews. You had some support, but that's disappearing fast.

Here's the new Atlas motto:
WE DON'T CROSS PICKET LINES........WE GO AROUND THEM

You brought this on yourselves!

 

[furloughfodder]

Here's the new Atlas motto:
WE DON'T CROSS PICKET LINES........WE GO AROUND THEM

Ahhh! Spoken like a true scab.

 

[Whale Rider]

Here's the new Atlas motto:
WE DON'T CROSS PICKET LINES........WE GO AROUND THEM

Thats not an Atlas Motto, thats your own personal motto. You're all alone.

 

[B747-300]

Flying Atlas cargo in an Atlas plane doesn't make any of us scabs. What you believe doesn't count. ALPA National has made it clear what work is considered struck work. Sorry if you don't agree. Your problems are with AAWW and ALPA, not the Atlas crewmembers.

Avoiding a confrontation with your strikers by avoiding their picket lines doesn't make us scabs either. Sorry, but we're camera shy.

For the benefit of the general public who might be reading along here, here's what the Polar crews turned down just moments before their strike began:

1. 10.5% pay increase retroactive to 7/1.
2. 11 and 12 year longevity steps added to contract.
3. The establishment of a profit sharing plan equal to the one at Atlas.
4. The cancellation of 9/9 furlough notices.
5. The reemployment (with back pay) of everyone terminated since 8/23.
6. The return of up to three planes to Polar.
7. The immediate merger of Polar Air Cargo and Atlas Air and their seniority lists.

That seems like a decent offer to me. You guys must be insane to strike with an offer like that on the table. What were you guys thinking? This will always be remembered as one of the biggest blunders in ALPA history.

 

[B-atch]

B747-300 wrote:"Taking picture of Atlas guys who report for duty to fly Atlas planes and Atlas cargo is a big mistake. Having one of your guys go to our homes (while we're away) and tell our wives that we are scabs is a big mistake. Threatening to put us on the master scab list because we have flown Atlas planes full of Atlas cargo while you are on strike is a big mistake. Falsely accusing us of jumpseat violations is a big mistake. Your beef is with AAWW, but you're taking it out on Atlas crews. You had some support, but that's disappearing fast."

Being B747-300......BIG MISTAKE!!!!

 

[B747-300]

Well, it's been a week already. How's it going on the Polar picket line? Other than alienating all the Atlas crews, what have you accomplished?

On the Atlas side things are going great! The planes are very full (and on time) and most guys are earning above guarantee. What little support you have remaining will be gone when the pay hits the bank! Many of us are now secretly hoping you never come back.

It has been very quiet here lately, so I assume you're all in full "damage control" mode. Please try to post some more of the Polar MEC "rah-rah, take no prisoners, hold the line" rhetoric. We all need a good laugh.

 

[Capt.LongThrust]

747-300,

You are a true piece of 5hit. Enjoy your pathetic life catfish.

 

[heilhaavir]

Going very well indeed -300, just as planned, waiting for the doors to close. Can't wait to go fly these airplanes elsewhere.

 

[B747-300]

You wont fly those planes (or any others) anywhere else because you'll always be remembered as the dufus who went on strike (against your recently bankrupt company at a time of record fuel prices) when you didn't get a 31% raise. Do you think any hiring department will view your actions as heroic? You'll be an ALPA martyr working at Wal-Mart, if you're lucky.

Capt. LT, I know it seems harsh, but that is exactly what these guys deserve. They went on strike against AAWW, but they directed their hostility towards Atlas crews. You wouldn't believe some of the nasty things their strikers have done.

 

[furloughfodder]

-300,

It is clear you are management attempting to divide the pilot group. I feel like I shouldn't even respond to your flame-bait postings, but I just wanted to see how you would answer this one question. I just can't imagine an actual pilot that would post the things you are posting. It is really making the whole Atlas pilot group look very bad, and most of them are really good guys doing the right thing.

I just have to ask you this one question:

If your contract says you are "not required to cross a lawful picket line", and the struck work rules #2 say "You Will Not Cross a Polar Picket Line", how do you justify what you and many of your Atlas brothers are doing?

I will post that portion of the contract LOA and the struck work rules below:

------------------------------

Contract (LOA):

1. The Association, through its Atlas Air, Inc. MEC, agrees that during the term of the Agreement there will not be any complete or partial strikes, picketing, slowdowns, unfair labor practice strikes, refusals to cross picket lines, sympathy strikes, work stoppages, secondary boycotts, withholding of services in whole or in part, concerted refusal to work normal overtime, or other cessation of work or disturbances economic or otherwise unless and until the parties’ rights to self-help mature under the Railway Labor Act, provided, however, that nothing herein shall be construed to limit the Association’s right to engage in otherwise lawful informational picketing. This paragraph shall not alter or limit the Company’s right, if any, to obtain a court order enjoining such conduct by the Association and or the Crewmembers both collectively and individually. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed, however, to limit the rights of the Association or the Atlas crewmembers to refuse to cross lawful strike picket lines established by or on behalf of pilots represented by any union lawfully certified or recognized pursuant to the Railway Labor Act.

Struck Work Rules #2:

#2. DO NOT CROSS A POLAR PICKET LINE!

 

[B747-300]

Simple. You don't have the right to impede the normal day-to-day operation of any airline other than your own. Using your logic, why not form picket lines outside the location where United, Northwest, UPS and FedEx pilots report for duty and demand they honor your picket line?

Secondly, labor law has long recognized the right of an employer to establish an alternate entrance to a work site for use by employees of a non-striking company. This is done for the protection of employees not involved with the strike.

Atlas is a separate company and we have the right to feed our families by flying Atlas planes full of Atlas cargo.

 

[Craven Morhead]

"It is clear you are management attempting to divide the pilot group. I feel like I shouldn't even respond to your flame-bait postings, but I just wanted to see how you would answer this one question. I just can't imagine an actual pilot that would post the things you are posting. It is really making the whole Atlas pilot group look very bad, and most of them are really good guys doing the right thing."



Yo, Furloughfodder, please dont chartacterize the whole Atlas group because of one headcase. Btw, not one Atlas pilot has crossed a Polar picket line!!