Something I have not seen posted.

[Dirty Squirrel]

I believe the context of “give me a year” a year was without involvement of a third party, whether one agrees or not.

 

[EnFuego]

I believe the context of “give me a year” a year was without involvement of a third party, whether one agrees or not.

I called one of the organizing committee members and asked when they started their campaign. It was January 2015. DAC bought us in December 2013, so there was a whole year before the campaign started. In that year we lost ALL of our accrued vacation, 3% of our 401k contributions and our STIP. But we gained out of seniority upgrades! Kenn did have a full year with no Union and no organizing at Flexjet. And we lost ground the whole time. That's why the organizing campaign started AND why the majority voted for a Union.
Vote Yes IBT Airline Division!

 

[airman2105]

I called one of the organizing committee members and asked when they started their campaign. It was January 2015. DAC bought us in December 2013, so there was a whole year before the campaign started. In that year we lost ALL of our accrued vacation, 3% of our 401k contributions and our STIP. But we gained out of seniority upgrades! Kenn did have a full year with no Union and no organizing at Flexjet. And we lost ground the whole time. That's why the organizing campaign started AND why the majority voted for a Union.
Vote Yes IBT Airline Division!

Yes that is a fact and the vote was won on 15 December 2015. One of 2N's first moves(at start of his takeover) to show he was the boss was to tell us to sign a piece of paper and send it in within a week or our seniority would be gone. That says it all. IBT1108 will prevent acts of bravado from the boss. There was no need for him to force us to sign anything. It takes the "family" approach out out of the equation. Now I have to say the word family is being over used lately....is that supposed to make everyone feel secure? Remember you can't always trust some family members so why use the word!!!

 

[Bjtdrvr]

Remember that he wanted to purchase Citation Air just prior to Flex but didn't want the Citation Air pilots. He easily could have kept them especially since he was preaching fantastic growth upcoming. BUT again if he had taken them there would NOT have been a revote on the union because the combined FO and CA group (which included furloughees) would have been more than the 65 percent requirement for a revote. He has had an agenda from the beginning of the Flex acquisition and it had nothing to do with the betterment of the Flexjet pilots. They HAVE ONLY BEEN PAWNS in his game against the union from day one. If you think he has your best interests at heart think again. It is all business with him as demonstrated by his recent termination of the FA. Who cares if they were given a great severance package? Is that what we want in 5-10 years if we vote out the union? An industry leading severance package especially if we only have a couple of years left till retirement? A secured contract which denotes how a furlough will occur is paramount when the economy crashes again (and it will) He will have to increase wages to attract pilots now in this market. Let's get it put into writing now in a contract. He has also let slip that he has 12 million waiting to be distributed to the pilot group. Great! He can still do that with in the guidelines of our contract which is always amenable with an loa. In fact that is a great talking point for the new mediator.

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

12 Million? Just to make the math easy, let's say we have 600 pilots. That comes out to $20,000 per pilot. I'm $40,000 underpaid, so he better be ready to fork that out every 6 months. The Gulfstream guys didn't get their $ 80,000 in bonus either, but then again they gambled with Kenn's pay scheme and lost. Buyer beware.

 

[airman2105]

Just looked at a picture of 7 angry people with middle finger extended towards an IBT1108 van....what a class act! The union meeting was way more orderly and civil without animosity.....with many, many more than 7 but we are the thugs.
The picture only displays an agressive management style.

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

Sorry. It shows a desperate management style. How will they repair that damage before the company collapses?

 

[MOMOMOJO]

I believe the context of “give me a year” a year was without involvement of a third party, whether one agrees or not.

As others have pointed out CGF had a year before the campaign at Flexjet even started and look what they did with it.

As for the 2 1/2 years since the vote, if Mr. Ricci or management really wanted to prove we did not need the union or a contract they had many opportunities to show they are reasonable people only interested in the betterment of the entire company, pilots included. Instead they handled it almost the opposite of that message.

I'm not an anti-Ricci guy at all. I respect what he's done with his life and I'm grateful for the job and opportunities. However, I agree 110% as a professional my work should be honored with a contract the same way we have contracts with our owners and vendors. Why a union contract? Because Mr. Ricci himself, smart man that he is, said his entire business philosophy is to do what he wants, how he wants it and then let the detractors sue and have the courts figure it out. He has made a billion plus with this philosophy. He's good at it. You know who's not? Me. Sorry. I need someone who has the skillset, experience and deep pockets to protect me where I can't. I have medical insurance, car insurance, homeowners insurance etc... The IBT is career insurance.

While I am not anti-Ricci (the same way I'm not anti shark or anti bear) I have been completely let down by our management team. I am now strongly anti management. The daily RH rants have won more to the union's side than not. The latest where he feels the need to attack one of our own (in addition to violating some privacy concerns) was not just worrisome it was disgusting and pathetic. I sincerely hope regardless of the outcome Mr. Ricci is paying attention and will rectify the truly divisive elements that have reared it's ugly heads during the campaign. It might be too late to win my vote but I'd be impressed if Mr. Ricci immediately addressed this latest disgusting antic. It's just one of 100 from this repeat offender.

If the union wins and Mr. Ricci is looking for a scapegoat he need look no further than his management team, including certain instructors. The use of the bully pulpit and ranting style and tone of all management communications (including MS and JW) has been the biggest let down and eye opener of this entire ordeal.

What a mistake. Paint the union as thugs and we all expected it. Instead, we get pleasantly surprised when they're not. Then instead of being the kind benevolent management team we are promised if we vote no representation send out bullish, thugly communications, tactics and policy from your management team and we start to wonder why there's even a decert.

I thought these Ogletree Deakins busters were supposed to be professional and know what they're doing. I'm not impressed. I hope Mr. Ricci got some kind of guarantee for his millions.

 

[EnFuego]

The Handschuch rants are particularly divisive and offensive.

 

[Kermit_D_Frog]

Useful idiot comes to mind.

 

[MagnumPI]

Just looked at a picture of 7 angry people with middle finger extended towards an IBT1108 van....what a class act! The union meeting was way more orderly and civil without animosity.....with many, many more than 7 but we are the thugs.
The picture only displays an agressive management style.

Rick Handschuch is a real class act!

 

[DirtyBeech]

Here’s something I haven’t seen posted. Would any decert voter like to post the management proposals for the CBA that were better than or exceeded the union proposals? How about ones that were even close? This mgt team loves you. Surely, they had good things in mind and just couldn’t make the deal.

 

[realityman]

Good luck to everyone over there who is in favor of having a union.

Let me be crystal clear here. If you decertify you're done. Finished. SOL. There is NO union that will touch you ever again if that happens. You're only hope will be an in-house union which, I'm sorry to say, you simply don't have enough pilots to make it effective (unless you want to pay 10% of every paycheck in dues).

One of KR's big lies is that we at NJA decertified from 1108 and look how well we're doing now.
WRONG!!
We never decertified. We DISAFFILIATED. There's a whopper of a difference there. We never, not for one tiny second, were without a union. So when KR says look how well it worked out for us it's because WE HAVE A UNION! Always have. We NEVER went without a union for ANY period of time.

I worked for KR. He's a liar. Worse really, because most people who lie have at least a little remorse over doing so, feelings of regret they're not being honest. KR had no such moral compunction. He'll lie in person, with a straight face and a charismatic earnestness it's hard to deny, then turn around and bend you over using 80 grit sandpaper while laughing in your face about how stupid you are for having believed him.

By the way, this is a subject change, but I read somewhere earlier from an anti-union guy that union's protect the bad apples. Please remember, if you're a dues paying member the union MUST, by law, provide representation. Also, please note that a union isn't always there to keep you out of trouble. If you do something that clearly deserves punishment, more often than not the union isn't trying to keep that person out of trouble so much as insure punishment is applied uniformly to everyone. So if a FOK does something wrong and only gets a letter of warning, then if someone else who isn't a FOK does the same thing that person gets the same letter instead of a worse punishment. The union isn't necessarily about saving everyone's backside from their own wrongdoing.

At any rate, if the decert vote succeeds I truly feel sorry for all those who were against it. For those in favor, enjoy the fruits of your decision. They're going to be rotten. How many promises has KR already broken? Go back and make a list. Then ask yourself why his behavior will change if the union is voted out. With ZERO chance of you ever having a union again, why will be suddenly fell the need to become a benevolent boss?

Vote carefully. This is your one shot.

 

[EnFuego]

Aaaaannnnnnd another mic drop!

 

[DirtyBeech]

I just had a furloughed Flops guys on my jumpseat. Filled him in on the goings on at Flex and his reply was ....”same old Ken Ricci.”.

 

[MagnumPI]

Good luck to everyone over there who is in favor of having a union.

Let me be crystal clear here. If you decertify you're done. Finished. SOL. There is NO union that will touch you ever again if that happens. You're only hope will be an in-house union which, I'm sorry to say, you simply don't have enough pilots to make it effective (unless you want to pay 10% of every paycheck in dues).

One of KR's big lies is that we at NJA decertified from 1108 and look how well we're doing now.
WRONG!!
We never decertified. We DISAFFILIATED. There's a whopper of a difference there. We never, not for one tiny second, were without a union. So when KR says look how well it worked out for us it's because WE HAVE A UNION! Always have. We NEVER went without a union for ANY period of time.

I worked for KR. He's a liar. Worse really, because most people who lie have at least a little remorse over doing so, feelings of regret they're not being honest. KR had no such moral compunction. He'll lie in person, with a straight face and a charismatic earnestness it's hard to deny, then turn around and bend you over using 80 grit sandpaper while laughing in your face about how stupid you are for having believed him.

By the way, this is a subject change, but I read somewhere earlier from an anti-union guy that union's protect the bad apples. Please remember, if you're a dues paying member the union MUST, by law, provide representation. Also, please note that a union isn't always there to keep you out of trouble. If you do something that clearly deserves punishment, more often than not the union isn't trying to keep that person out of trouble so much as insure punishment is applied uniformly to everyone. So if a FOK does something wrong and only gets a letter of warning, then if someone else who isn't a FOK does the same thing that person gets the same letter instead of a worse punishment. The union isn't necessarily about saving everyone's backside from their own wrongdoing.

At any rate, if the decert vote succeeds I truly feel sorry for all those who were against it. For those in favor, enjoy the fruits of your decision. They're going to be rotten. How many promises has KR already broken? Go back and make a list. Then ask yourself why his behavior will change if the union is voted out. With ZERO chance of you ever having a union again, why will be suddenly fell the need to become a benevolent boss?

Vote carefully. This is your one shot.

Realityman, you are spot on. It’s amazing how Kenn, JW, JS, and RH ALL spout the same old spiel, “look at NetJets, they voted out the Teamsters and they did great.” But this as you said ithis s a disingenuous half truth on their part. Because NJ disaffiliated, they never decertified, which is a huge difference in comparison to what the decerters at Flexjet want. I couldn’t agree with you more, vote wisely because this is it. Stand or fall.

 

[EnFuego]

Here’s something I haven’t seen posted. Would any decert voter like to post the management proposals for the CBA that were better than or exceeded the union proposals? How about ones that were even close? This mgt team loves you. Surely, they had good things in mind and just couldn’t make the deal.

Lumpsum? Squawk? El raton? Where are you guys with all of the superior management proposals?

 

[airman2105]

Good luck to everyone over there who is in favor of having a union.

Let me be crystal clear here. If you decertify you're done. Finished. SOL. There is NO union that will touch you ever again if that happens. You're only hope will be an in-house union which, I'm sorry to say, you simply don't have enough pilots to make it effective (unless you want to pay 10% of every paycheck in dues).

One of KR's big lies is that we at NJA decertified from 1108 and look how well we're doing now.
WRONG!!
We never decertified. We DISAFFILIATED. There's a whopper of a difference there. We never, not for one tiny second, were without a union. So when KR says look how well it worked out for us it's because WE HAVE A UNION! Always have. We NEVER went without a union for ANY period of time.

I worked for KR. He's a liar. Worse really, because most people who lie have at least a little remorse over doing so, feelings of regret they're not being honest. KR had no such moral compunction. He'll lie in person, with a straight face and a charismatic earnestness it's hard to deny, then turn around and bend you over using 80 grit sandpaper while laughing in your face about how stupid you are for having believed him.

By the way, this is a subject change, but I read somewhere earlier from an anti-union guy that union's protect the bad apples. Please remember, if you're a dues paying member the union MUST, by law, provide representation. Also, please note that a union isn't always there to keep you out of trouble. If you do something that clearly deserves punishment, more often than not the union isn't trying to keep that person out of trouble so much as insure punishment is applied uniformly to everyone. So if a FOK does something wrong and only gets a letter of warning, then if someone else who isn't a FOK does the same thing that person gets the same letter instead of a worse punishment. The union isn't necessarily about saving everyone's backside from their own wrongdoing.

At any rate, if the decert vote succeeds I truly feel sorry for all those who were against it. For those in favor, enjoy the fruits of your decision. They're going to be rotten. How many promises has KR already broken? Go back and make a list. Then ask yourself why his behavior will change if the union is voted out. With ZERO chance of you ever having a union again, why will be suddenly fell the need to become a benevolent boss?

Vote carefully. This is your one shot.

Just have to agree with this. NO UNION WILL TOUCH YOU IF YOU DECERTIFY. You do it once and you will do it to the next union. Trust 2NN and you are SCREWED.

 

[DirtyBeech]

Lumpsum? Squawk? El raton? Where are you guys with all of the superior management proposals?

Here’s how the decert crowd will justify that. They will argue that the company doesn’t want a union and certainly doesn’t want to negotiate with one. Some of them, not most because they’d actually have to pay attention, will know that company trotted out the old contract ver batim and called it the merged contract. That was their proposal.

They willfully and intentionally failed to negotiate in good faith. Those aren’t my words but the findings of the NMB. That’s illegal btw. They intended to stall, force arbitration, and the worst contract possible and then blame it on the Teamsters while getting their decert campaign underway in earnest. Oh, btw, that’s illegal too. The company can’t sponsor it or interfere in anyway, and your a da*n fool if you think that union busting firm who’s listed on the filing is doing this pro bono or for a few pilots’ beer money.

And there you have the crux of the situation. Any means to an end. Safety, legality, ethics, employs welfare and lives be damned. That’s your mgt team’s philosophy. Bonus built around 8-9 + day rotations, aircraft utilization, hotel and mx costs? No hard days off? Pencil whipped maintenance? An emasculated training center? Pilot pushing? See and avoid BS? Illegal firings? And on, and on, and on. ANY MEANS TO AN END.

And that’s what you support if you’re after decert. No buh, buh, but’s from you. Everything I just posted happened, is happening and is going to keep happening and you KNOW it. For what? That $12M Bag of silver Ken is dangling before you if you’ll just get rid of his one impediment to his terrible management practices? What does that make you? A professional? No. Don’t even try to foist that nonsense on us.

So own it. Own your ignorance of what happened. Not a small amount of it was willful. Own that you are ok with an any means to an end methodology. Own that you’re ok with the illegalities. Here’s another query for the ill informed decert crowd. How many of the numerous lawsuits brought against Onesky by the 1108 were won by the company? No, really. I’m sure you kept up with it as closely as you kept up with the company’s contract proposals

I still have a ton of friends at FJ. Good people. I’m trying to get as many as possible out. Otherwise I’d just sit to the side with some popcorn and let the carnage ensue. But there are a lot of really good people who don’t want to leave for one reason or another who are about to get schwacked with this stupidity, and I’m not about to sit quietly and let that happen.

 

[airman2105]

You cannot work for 2NN without a contract. Just by his body language alone you can tell he is dishonest, just like a used car salesman. Anyone backing him up for decert must be crazy.