The National Mediation Board is the "real" problem.

[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