Question to you Union folk out there...

[minitour]

Keep in mind as you read this that:

1. I'm not into polotics...at all. Don't care to discuss, read, listen about it or anything. Period.

2. I know nothing of how a union really works. Honestly. I'm willing to admit that, so if you know something...ANYTHING...please feel free to explain it to me and I'll listen to all information.

So onward we go to my question:

If the industry is going down the crapper, why doesn't the union just go on strike? Tell them what you want (better conditions) and if they don't want to pay up, you go out.

I realize that it probably isn't as simple as that...which is why I'm asking the question, so please, save yourself the time...if you're going to rip me because I don't know how it works...don't...we've already established that.

Thanks for any helpful information.

-mini

 

[CatYaaak]

Keep in mind as you read this that:

1. I'm not into polotics...at all. Don't care to discuss, read, listen about it or anything. Period.

2. I know nothing of how a union really works. Honestly. I'm willing to admit that, so if you know something...ANYTHING...please feel free to explain it to me and I'll listen to all information.

So onward we go to my question:

If the industry is going down the crapper, why doesn't the union just go on strike? Tell them what you want (better conditions) and if they don't want to pay up, you go out.

I realize that it probably isn't as simple as that...which is why I'm asking the question, so please, save yourself the time...if you're going to rip me because I don't know how it works...don't...we've already established that.

Thanks for any helpful information.

-mini

It's not just airline unions...it's because mass collectivist actions by free-thinking, non-coerced individuals, while do-able in theory, never work, or not for long. This is because individuals have different opinions as to what "good" conditions are, differing sets of priorities regarding job and family, differing expectations, varying degrees of diplomacy, and different thresholds tolerance. This doesn't even factor in the power-seekers and control freaks who inject another destabilizing element.

 

[jarhead]

Mini....

The RLA (Railway Labor Act) governs airline unions on the topic you asked about. Put simply, it is against the law to just "strike" because you feel like it. Their are certain protocols that must be followed prior to any job action (a strike) being taken. This takes a long time, and goes through many phases before a union could be released for a "self help" solution (a strike). Should union leaders call for an illegal job action, they would be in big trouble with 'da man with the long black robes. The union could be assesed large fines by the court, and the union leaders who called for the illegal job action could be held in contempt of court and even jailed.

Now, any individual pilot can do what he or she wants to as a "protest" That's called quiting. Individual pilots can not be stopped from refusing to fly. That results not in a court injunction, but a firing of you by your employer. The reason why individual actions by individual pilots is not effective to "raise the bar" or improve working conditions, is there are simply too many out there who will just step into the shoes of the fired pilot at the starting low wage for a first year FO. That does nothing to raise the bar.....it just enhances the keeping the bar low.

If you want to know all the details, you could have a very long evening reading all of what the Railway Labor Act consists of. This is the act of congress that governs pilot unions, as well as railway workers.

 

[~~~^~~~]

If the industry is going down the crapper, why doesn't the union just go on strike? Tell them what you want (better conditions) and if they don't want to pay up, you go out.

I realize that it probably isn't as simple as that...

-mini

Mini:

The answer to your question is - "because they can't, it would be illegal."

You probably know that monopolies are illegal under the Sherman Anti Trust Act. A union tries to be a monopoly on labor. This resulted in legal attacks on unions prior to Congress passeing the Clayton Act, and later the Wagner Act. The Wagner Act created the National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB ) to administer conflicts between unions and their employers.

Over the years, the Executive Branch, Congress and the Courts have tended to furter limit the power of unions. Republican administrations and their Judges have restricted the power that the employees have to withdraw their services.

Today, employees can not simply strike when they wish to do so. It requires a release from the NLRB. Obtaining a release to strike is not easy - a long process of negotiations has to be completed ( with the hope that the parties will reach an agreement without economically damaging the employer ).

If employees walk out without NLRB approval, they have broken the law, can be fired ( replaced ) and prosecuted.

It is not completely responsive to your question, but another way to look at this is by examining the morale and the turn over at the airline you are interested in. Most airline employees are not upset about the money ( it is pretty bad in some places and pretty good in others ). The real sore spot is the autocratic style of some airline management teams. Working six days on, one day off and having your schedule changed constantly is one huge stress factor. I have friends who have scheduled minor surgery around their wedding day because that is the only way to be guaranteed a couple of days off.

When you see an increase in the use of sick time ( which has reached pandemic levels at US Air ) along with an increase in employee turn over, you are seeing people "voting with their feet." Not much can be done to stop that.

But, as an organized group, unions have very little power these days. Judges threw out union agreements recently at US Air and United.

Presidential administrations focused on "economic recovery" are not likely to support the needs of workers over the needs of corporate management. The pendulum has swung pretty far to the right these days - hopefully it will return to the center eventually.

 

[FN FAL]

Keep in mind as you read this that:

1. I'm not into politics...at all. Don't care to discuss, read, listen about it or anything. Period.

...Thanks for any helpful information.

-mini

In a way it does come down to politics mini. The federal government has the Constitutional authority to regulate "interstate" and "international" commerce.

Regional, national and major airlines are involved in "interstate" commerce and may even be involved in "international" commerce. That's why you see legislation like the Railway Labor Act.

Since airline travel affects "interstate" commerce, even if there never was such an Act, the president would have had the power to put an end to a wild cat airline strike with a presidential order.

 

[minitour]

In a way it does come down to politics mini....

I kinda had a feeling...which explains why I know nothing about the situation since I don't really pay attention to politics...


One more question:

If the union can't go on strike because it's illegal, then what does the union do? I would think that without having that ability/authority, their power is kind of limited if not altogether removed...

I guess I should have paid attention to the people that were talking about starting a union where I used to work. I would have voted for it, but I didn't want to listen to what they were saying...at that time, anyone that talked or listened to anyone talking about it was being fired...what a shame.

Anywho, thanks for the good information guys, that does help explain it.

-mini

 

[jarhead]

mini....

You should not take everything as an absolute. No one told you that it is illegal to strike. It is illegal to strike when the procedures to take such action have not been followed. What it takes is following certain protocols that would enable the union to legally strike. Ya just can't do it on a whim or because you're upset with your employer or the slow pace of negotiating. The Comair strike in 2001 did not just "happen" one day. Many milestones and negotiations, along with some mediation were involved as I recall. When the strike was called it was because an impasse was perceived by the union leadership and the company, and the union had the legal right to ask the pilots to vote on whether they should strike or not. They did strike, and 89 days later a settlement was agreed to by the pilots with the company on the contract now in place. All the legal steps over several years of trying to get a negotiated contract had been exhausted. A strike is always the last resort; never the first choice. It can sometimes put the employer out of business as witness by the Eastern Airlines strike that was never settled with their mechanics. In that case both sides lost. No more company.....no more jobs.