Southwest Airlines questions

[bluestreaking]

Red dog...you were in and chose to leave. You did what you had to do. I stayed made less but got a guartanteed retirement. You made your bed, I made mine. Live with it! I am not part of the problem with the union. The greedy guys who say they won't sign for less than 5% they are the problem. I am happy, working less and making more than ever before.

This is why SWA hires guys like you. If you think about it, it's brilliant. No matter what the company offers, you're a guaranteed "Yes" vote. Helps keep their costs down forever, meanwhile keeping the rest of us from getting a pathetic 5% raise.

 

[Reebo]

Red dog...you were in and chose to leave. You did what you had to do. I stayed made less but got a guartanteed retirement. You made your bed, I made mine. Live with it! I am not part of the problem with the union. The greedy guys who say they won't sign for less than 5% they are the problem. I am happy, working less and making more than ever before.

Kernal please :angryfire

 

[Snaab]

I have read the previous posts on this thread, and I'm still a little cloudy on exactly what's up for vote, etc... I know there is no growth projected for '09, and some of the labor groups in contract negotiations, but please explain what's up for vote. I've got my app in and just want to stay 'up' on what's going on... Thanks!

-Snaab

 

[waitin]

We're still in negotiations. There is nothing up for vote yet.
Some people just like to get all riled up over rumors and speculation...

 

[Whataburger]

I have read the previous posts on this thread, and I'm still a little cloudy on exactly what's up for vote, etc... I know there is no growth projected for '09, and some of the labor groups in contract negotiations, but please explain what's up for vote. I've got my app in and just want to stay 'up' on what's going on... Thanks!

-Snaab

We're trying to get a large contingent to text-in Dancing with the Stars to get Warren Sapp back into the swing of things. I personally want to see Brook Bourke back in Playboy.

Actually our contract is being negotiated right now, and a big hang-up is everyone's opinion on what the pilots, union, and company should allow on the section of our contract regarding Codeshare. Allegedly there is a TA on the language and that, along with the contract will be up for vote sooner than later.

 

[SWAdude]

I am not part of the problem with the union. The greedy guys who say they won't sign for less than 5% they are the problem. I am happy, working less and making more than ever before.

Actually Benhuntn, you are.

An approach of what this profession deserves is not anywhere close to your own personal situation. A union negotiates a contract for all of its members and indirectly, the airline pilot profession. If a TA is presented that is not acceptable to the group as a whole, you vote no. If this TA is only acceptable to you and you vote yes, you are underestimating the cancer that causes within the group/profession and you are not doing a service to yourself and your family in the long run.

I know this will be difficult to see because you have represented yourself as being only one within the group, and not being part of the group.

It is this attitude that has helped erode the fair compensation of this profession. That person who thinks as "one" is the same person that could cross "the" line.

Strikes are not only sometimes for the benefit of that particular work group, but for the profession as a whole. God bless those Eastern and Continental pilots who made an honorable stand. Curse those Scabs who took the food out of the mouths of babies being raised by those honorable pilots.

You need a paradigm shift Benhuntn.

 

[Tanker Clown]

I'm told by good sources that they know who he is and you don't have to worry about his vote. Actually, he's become somewhat infamous around the big D; some of his posts have made it to the walls of the PD.

Awsome! We'll have lots to talk about at me interview!

 

[RedDogC130]

Actually Benhuntn, you are.

An approach of what this profession deserves is not anywhere close to your own personal situation. A union negotiates a contract for all of its members and indirectly, the airline pilot profession. If a TA is presented that is not acceptable to the group as a whole, you vote no. If this TA is only acceptable to you and you vote yes, you are underestimating the cancer that causes within the group/profession and you are not doing a service to yourself and your family in the long run.

I know this will be difficult to see because you have represented yourself as being only one within the group, and not being part of the group.

It is this attitude that has helped erode the fair compensation of this profession. That person who thinks as "one" is the same person that could cross "the" line.

Strikes are not only sometimes for the benefit of that particular work group, but for the profession as a whole. God bless those Eastern and Continental pilots who made an honorable stand. Curse those Scabs who took the food out of the mouths of babies being raised by those honorable pilots.

You need a paradigm shift Benhuntn.

great post

 

[Tanker Clown]

Hey guys, where's the luv? Shouldn't you be greasing each other up by now?

Benhurtin - I'm with you. We all make our choices and you know that this is a retirement job. And that's how I will look at it as well. Don't feel pressured to not vote for the good of the company just because some guys (who couldn't handle the full 20 years of service) want to be greedy.

 

[Dude]

Clown,

Do you feel it when you fart?

 

[Bake]

BenHuntin, Please PM me with your name and employee number. If you stand behind your statement that we are the problem, and you are a stand up individual why hide behind your screen name? I will not post it here on flightinfo but I will on the SWAPA forum along with your statement on this site. Let's see how much of a man you are. I will be glad to PM you my name and # back if you agree to abide by the same rules. I will bet you your next paycheck I don't hear back from you.

Deer may fear you, but I don't.

 

[Benhuntn]

Yep, when I interviewed they took 20 of us in a closed room and said you all are guaranteed hires as we need your guaranteed yes vote on any issue we bring up. Military guys are use to marching without asking questions. No way they are capable of thinking for themselves. Yes votes right down the line....

By the way 5% for 1 yr, is ok but I was talking about 5% per yr for 5 yrs. The lenght of a proposed contract. That is greedy when we are the industry leader.

 

[ASADFW7]

Ben, stay at home and play with your toys. Let the men and women at SWA take care of their own company. If you are on the outside looking in, your perspective is like a little kid looking through a construction fence pretending to know all about how to build a skyscraper!

 

[Benhuntn]

2008-9 is not the time to be looking for a big pay raise. If you think it is then you haven't been listening to the news. I would suggest we accept what is on the table agreed to so far, for a period of two years and then come back and negotiate the pay when we have some better feel for how many yrs this recovery is going to take. Some folks think the economy could remain in recession for many yrs. I don't object to a pay raise if you can prove that the company is going to be able to afford it and compete as a low cost leader into the future. I don't believe anything Dan Atkins has to say in the union rag. He was the guy that advised American pilots for their negotiatons and you can see where they are today.

Bake what is it you want to post? ASA thanks for the pointers. Since it has nothing constructive in it I will ignore it. I haven't called names just put out my opinions....try sticking to the subject.

 

[GuppyWN]

By the way 5% for 1 yr, is ok but I was talking about 5% per yr for 5 yrs. The lenght of a proposed contract. That is greedy when we are the industry leader.

COLA (cost of living adjustment) is greedy? Since when? We have taken a paycut for the past two years with no COLA - I don't plan extending that paycut. COLA isn't a raise.

Gup

 

[GuppyWN]

2008-9 is not the time to be looking for a big pay raise. If you think it is then you haven't been listening to the news. I would suggest we accept what is on the table agreed to so far, for a period of two years and then come back and negotiate the pay when we have some better feel for how many yrs this recovery is going to take. Some folks think the economy could remain in recession for many yrs. I don't object to a pay raise if you can prove that the company is going to be able to afford it and compete as a low cost leader into the future. I don't believe anything Dan Atkins has to say in the union rag. He was the guy that advised American pilots for their negotiatons and you can see where they are today.

Bake what is it you want to post? ASA thanks for the pointers. Since it has nothing constructive in it I will ignore it. I haven't called names just put out my opinions....try sticking to the subject.

Big pay raise? No problem. Just tie our raises to the federal cost of living adjustments. I'm fine with that.

Settle now and come back in two years? You do realize that we've been in active negotiations since March 2006 - right? No way I'm coming back and starting this clock over in 2 years.

Dude....... does the federal government give you a COLA on your retirement check? Why then do you not feel we deserve one?

Gup

 

[ASADFW7]

Ben I apologize if I was calling you names. It frustrates the employees of SWA when outsiders pretend to know what the company needs, pretend to know what the pilot contract should reflect. Unless you have worked for the company you do not have an accurate understanding of our issues.

Currently, SWA is the last company of size that is operating all of their flights with their own equipment and staff. Once that goes, the mighty SWA will no longer be what it once was.

As for compensation it is relative to earnings and productivity. So what we get paid more, but have to work more hours to accomplish it. Relative is not what it seems unless you work here.

So you sit on the outside looking in throwing rocks at us. Good for you. When you get here give it time, you will see how the company operates.

 

[waitin]

ASA, Ben works here (says "light twins for SWA" in his info box).
Gup, with the economy being so shaky and things in the industry changing so much yeay to year, why would we want a long contract? I usually hear 3 years max...I know negotiations are a pain, but I don't think we want to be tied to anything too long that we negotiate while the economy's so bad.

 

[Bobby Orr 4]

Read it first

What concerns me here is guys saying they will vote yes or no on a TA without reading it first.
RJ code share concerns me because history shows the long term affects. Nothing happens immediately. After a code share is reached 2 years into the future you are still an FO in the XXX domicile. Today you bid 100 out of 300. 2 years later you are now bidding 115 out of 280. A closer look at the bid lines you realize that 2 years ago there were 260 hard lines in base and now there are 225 hard lines. You ask yourself when the last time an upgrade class happened.
AMR stated 10 years ago they would use rjs to build a market up then take it over with mainline equipment. Ask any APA pilot what has happened in 10 years.
Beware rj code share guys. Age 65 has delayed our upgrades significantly. Let's not do it to ourselves.
Murf I do respectfully disagree with you. When you state you trust the company more than your union you are a part of the problem. Chuck and Gary love the fact that we have pilots who trust the company more than their union.
Chuck is doing his best to under mind the union whenever he has the opportunity. It is his job and these are negotiations.
What every pilot has to think when we do receive a TA is the bottom pilot on the seniority list. Looking forward to the end of this but willing to be patient.

 

[Bake]

Red dog...you were in and chose to leave. You did what you had to do. I stayed made less but got a guartanteed retirement. You made your bed, I made mine. Live with it! I am not part of the problem with the union. The greedy guys who say they won't sign for less than 5% they are the problem. I am happy, working less and making more than ever before.

Ben, above is what I will post. I will let the SWAPA forum understand who you think is greedy and tell all of them to "live with it".

Better yet, why don't you get on the SWAPA forum and post the above with your name attached.

Bake