Teamsters Approval

[SlapShot]

Yes we are represented by Local 264 (for the Saab guys) and 747 (for the 170 guys). I cannot comment on how 747 is doing. But I can say in my 4 years at S5 I only know of 1 grievance that was sent to arbitration. We currently have about 17 grievances sitting in someone’s office in upstate NY. We have written letters to everyone including Hoffa about our dissatisfaction with our representation and we conveniently get a response written by 747’s President (like that is not a punch in the face).

Apparently this is an election year for the Airline Division of the Teamsters. I was just wondering how much support there would be in sending a message by ousting all the current “leadership” (and I use that word VERY loosely).

 

[Cardinal]

The Teamsters did little to nothing for us, especially given the dues that we all paid

And it is this sort of thinking that guarantees the defeat of the Lakes pilot group. A national does not "do for you," a union means that workers do for themselves. A union is the sum of it's members, not it's affiliaition. During that same time period, was there even one EXCO election? I don't believe so. Unnecessary, because there was never more than one person willing to take the bull-by-the-horns at any given time. Lack of participation on such a scale ensures that little gets done.

Nearly everybody at Lakes has the same attitude; upgrade, build some time, get out. Hopefully in less than 3 years. Nowhere in this plan is "advance the profession, leave a better place for the next generation." I'm just as guilty.

1.95% never buys representation, no matter what "brand" one has chosen, ALPA, IBT, etc. ALPA pilot groups have one of the crapiest contracts in the nation, as well as the most lucrative. IBT can say the same thing. The pilot group has to represent themselves!! Some level of activisim is required. EXCOs/MECs have to be staffed. Committees must be staffed. Communication has to occur. This is all done within the pilot group. All the "business agent" should take care of is the legal paperwork.

ALPA, IBT, IAM, Steamfitters, Stormdoor Repairmen, it doesn't matter. The Union is You.

 

[jumppilot]

I guess I'll have to report back after the seniority integration is complete and a fair and equitable merger is made.

I'm sorry to say, you guys are getting stapled. The members of your MEC, who represented you, wanted to have DOH while selling out the rest of the shuttle pilot group. CHQ guys said 'no way, this is going to arbitration'.

Take it for what it's worth, but you are getting stapled. It is effective the date the acquistion happened (ie: people hired at CHQ or 170 Shuttle after the deal are junior to you).

Not flamebate......Trust me. Send me a PM when this is either true or false, as I'm so confident in this I'd like a follow up.

 

[LegacyDriver]

At CHQ Republic Shuttle (whatever you want to call it) the IBT747 does a OK job.We have a great lawyer but our BA is somewhat to be desired. One thing is for sure thank GOD we aren't ALPA. Major conflict of interest they only look out for the big guys.

I look at it the other way around. I think the BA is fantastic. I was less than impressed with our attorney. HOWEVER, he does hire an *OUTSTANDING* outside cousel for Arbitration cases that require it. That man is THOROUGH and covers all the bases pretty well. The Company lawyers have a very hard time keeping up with him.

Main complaint with Teamsters is they allow too many things to go to the Grievance level. The Company's attitude is, "If you don't like it, grieve it" and there seems very little the Teamsters can do to prevent that.

Unions as a whole have been pretty de-balled by the courts I think... Also, there is a lot of political b.s. to consider. Arbitrators like to "split the baby" (that's what employee attorneys call it) so they don't make anyone angry and will continue to be selected for cases. In the end both sides tend to wind up unhappy about some aspects of a decision regardless who is really right, and if the Arbitrator has to anger one party he generally chooses not to anger the Company.

It is a bizarre thing to witness.

 

[SlapShot]

As my previous post stated, the company shoots down the grievance and it ends up back at our union and sits there while they decide whether they want to take it to arbitration. That seems to be as far as any of our grievances go.

As far as the arbitration case goes, we will see what the courts decide. However, I hope you are wrong.

 

[BlackPilot628]

Main complaint with Teamsters is they allow too many things to go to the Grievance level. The Company's attitude is, "If you don't like it, grieve it" and there seems very little the Teamsters can do to prevent that.

This would be true.

 

[pilotyip]

I heard that the Teamsters at the old 1980/early 90's, Kalitta had raised the dues up to something like 5%. They did this to hire more Teamster Atty's to handle more grievances. Anyone else heard of this. I think we mihgt have had soemthing like this in our Zantop contract.

 

[DashTrash400]

A lot of guys at QX are pretty unhappy with the Teamsters. It's all but impossible to get ahold of our BA, they sit on all the grievances, the few grievances that actually go to arbitration are generally lost, and the communication sucks. We have a lot of very committed captains and FOs working to make our union better, but the support from the Local is just not there.

Personally, I don't mind paying union dues, and I'm glad we have one. I'd just like to see my money going somewhere useful, and I just don't see it. A lot of guys here feel the same way.

That said, I don't think anyone is willing to give mgmt an opening through a decertification vote & bringing in ALPA or an independent union. We're pretty much stuck with IBT.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Slap and BP you are both correct. I have been through this process all the way. It is not pretty.

I think most Unions are dealing with reasonable management, however, and I think that is a huge difference beyond the control of the Union. CHQ has the most militant management style of any company I have ever seen. A lot of people have been disciplined for very trivial infractions and the reason the company continues to do it in my view is that very few people are patient enough to wait the 18 months it takes to go through the process. They either quit for a better job or simply say, "Screw it." If every grievance went all the way and ended badly for the Company things *MIGHT* change. But I don't see that happening.

 

[flybrowntails]

teamsters or alpa?

teamsters!

their our best friend.

fbt

 

[Axel]

Shiny Jet Syndrome (SJS) strikes again! (In regard to 410)

In this case not so much that as people just can't seem to resist taking his obvious bait. He has so far claimed (or implied) he works at CHQ, now above the same for the un-nameable TSA spin-off, yet his profile says CL-65.

His stories are full of holes, yet people keep getting annoyed with the pilot groups he fails to represent

Here fishy-fishy.