The National Mediation Board is the "real" problem.

[limpyoke]

When is ALPA going to picket the NMB? They are the ones preventing every airline in the nation from getting a contract.

 

[JoeMerchant]

When is ALPA going to picket the NMB? They are the ones preventing every airline in the nation from getting a contract.

No...no....The Messiah is in the White House...All will be good...Trust in Obama....

 

[DrewBlows]

No...no....The Messiah is in the White House...All will be good...Trust in Obama....

The NMB under the current administration has been quite friendly toward labor. They changed the organizing rule to 50%+1 of actual voters (just like the Constitution) rather than total employees. The problem seems to be that it matters what the current administration does, hence a company (or a union, to a lessor extent) can just wait it out until a favorable administration takes office.

 

[limpyoke]

It took Obama seven months to get his appointment into office at the NMB. That leaves just three years and five months to get every airline a contract. The NMB has let just one airline strike. The NMB continues to stall and delay doing there job. When is ALPA going to hold them accountable? Every pilot in the nation should picket the NMB. WE NEED ACTION NOW.

 

[Fins Up]

The NMB under the current administration has been quite friendly toward labor. They changed the organizing rule to 50%+1 of actual voters (just like the Constitution) rather than total employees. The problem seems to be that it matters what the current administration does, hence a company (or a union, to a lessor extent) can just wait it out until a favorable administration takes office.

Is there a minimum number of votes cast to make an election valid? It seems that if only three people in an entire company vote, you could end up with a union two to one.

 

[Smarta$$]

Is there a minimum number of votes cast to make an election valid? It seems that if only three people in an entire company vote, you could end up with a union two to one.

What is wrong with that? The decision should rest with those that participate.

 

[PCL_128]

It took Obama seven months to get his appointment into office at the NMB. That leaves just three years and five months to get every airline a contract.

It will take the next guy just as long (longer, probably) to get his NMB picks in, so it will be at least 4 years, and I would bet 8.

The NMB has let just one airline strike. The NMB continues to stall and delay doing there job. When is ALPA going to hold them accountable? Every pilot in the nation should picket the NMB. WE NEED ACTION NOW.

How exactly do you think it will help to publicly attack the people that you need to get your release? You think they'll feel really sympathetic for you then? Bad idea.

The NMB has already released one airline, they were poised to release HAL if a TA wasn't reached in January, and now they're about to release Spirit if a deal isn't reached quickly. For the first time in eight years, the NMB is actually doing its job and applying pressure.

 

[limpyoke]

At the rate the NMB is moving now we will be lucky to see three airlines released before another change in administration. There are at least 15 airlines that have been waiting over three years to get released. The NMB failure to take swift action is the problem. Airline management knows this and takes full advantage.

 

[Mike man]

Watch out for AirCobra and pilotyip they will be along shortly and start singing the praises of the NMB...but only if they can stop pooping on Spirit long enough to read this thread.

 

[PCL_128]

At the rate the NMB is moving now we will be lucky to see three airlines released before another change in administration.

I think you'll see far more than that. In fact, I expect that many this year alone (Spirit, TSA, and ATN).

There are at least 15 airlines that have been waiting over three years to get released.

Really? Care to name them? I only count seven.

 

[Dan Roman]

NMB was very effective in the recent Hawaiian negotiation and yes, the Obama appointment was considered a major plus by all those involved.
Given from were the company started and were we countered, it pretty much went our way.
Good luck Spirit, when you are in the middle of them, the negotiations seem like they are dragging on and on, but in retrospect it was well worth the path we took (mediation, strike vote and more mediation). A word of advice, if the negotiating committee comes back with a TA and recommends you take it, vote yes, otherwise you will probably lose the leverage you had with a mediator. We had a few people with all kinds of screwball reasons why we should vote no, they were wrong and had we voted no we would have gone to the bottom of the NMB list and been stuck in limbo.

 

[jonjuan]

A word of advice, if the negotiating committee comes back with a TA and recommends you take it, vote yes, otherwise you will probably lose the leverage you had with a mediator. We had a few people with all kinds of screwball reasons why we should vote no, they were wrong and had we voted no we would have gone to the bottom of the NMB list and been stuck in limbo.

So the Airtran gang should have voted her in? I think most would kick your as$ had they voted yeah.

 

[Dan Roman]

I really don't know your situation, it sounds to me like Spirit is going down the path we went. I'm just saying if the negotiation committee and the mediator think they got the most possible I would give that a lot of weight.

 

[PCL_128]

I really don't know your situation, it sounds to me like Spirit is going down the path we went. I'm just saying if the negotiation committee and the mediator think they got the most possible I would give that a lot of weight.

Generally, I would agree, but that presupposes a competent union. We certainly had no such thing in 2007 when TA1 and TA2 came down the pike. Even TA2, which was supposed to have fixed some of the problems with the original TA, left gaping holes such as 86-seat jet outsourcing, and unlimited turboprop outsourcing. It would have been a nightmare. Not to even mention the vast work rule concessions that ate away at virtually the entire pay increase.

 

[Dan Roman]

Understand, like I say I don't know your situation well enough to comment and can only respect your choice, I am not advocating always a yes vote by any means. Each situation is unique, it sounds like your management is unwilling to give an inch like ours was. It took mediation and a strike vote (93%) to move things along.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

It is obvious that the nmb is not the only facet to a great contract. If a pilot group doesn't have its act together, well organized and able to perform after the nmb takes action, then the nmb will delay.

 

[Dan Roman]

It is obvious that the nmb is not the only facet to a great contract. If a pilot group doesn't have its act together, well organized and able to perform after the nmb takes action, then the nmb will delay.

My point exactly.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

The issue is not who is on the board, but the power they have. They alone can keep unions from seeking self help.

I personally think that there should be a time limited on mediated talks. Say 12-18 months max. No more. It would lite the right fires under the right cans to get talks moving a lot quicker.
It would work like CH11 but for labor. The gun would point the other way occasionally.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

The issue is not who is on the board, but the power they have. They alone can keep unions from seeking self help.

I personally think that there should be a time limited on mediated talks. Say 12-18 months max. No more. It would lite the right fires under the right cans to get talks moving a lot quicker.
It would work like CH11 but for labor. The gun would point the other way occasionally.

the point was made... the nmb isn't going to release a pilot group if they don't have their act together..... is the responsbility to each pilot to ensure their representation is solid