Those Gulfstreams were talked about by KR for a quite a while before there was any talk of buying Flexjet, and the Legacy 450/500's were the planned replacement for the Citation X's, where as they are direct competition for the Challenger 300/350's. However, KR gave the both Gulfstreams and Legacy 450/500's to Flexjet anyways and was/is attempting to make the Options pilots give up the protections of the union and go over to Flexjet or face furlough. The term "Whipsaw" applies any time management tries to play one group against another, and that is exactly what he did here, so "Whipsaw" is very appropriate. I realize that it's not the Flexjet pilots fault, but still fact. We got the 401k match back because we were mere weeks away from the grievance hearing that he knew he would lose. As far as the SLI, go back and check my previous posts on the subject, I fully expected that it would go relative percentage, and would have much preferred it too. I was as surprised as anyone else when the results came out. I lost about 5% bidding power, mainly due to being a former Travel Air pilot. I used to have a few original Options pilots in from of me, that were hired after me, now they are going to add a whole bunch more Flexjet pilots to that list too, so yes, I get your frustration. Some groups lost and some groups gained, but overall the longevity (Not DoH) method was the fairest method for the largest number of people. I suggest sitting down with someone who was on the SLI committee with an open mind and ask them to explain what were the considered methods and concerns about each and ultimately why the two sides agreed to the method they used. I wasn't very happy with my new placement either, but I have done just that, and it opened my eyes to what each method would have done, and consequentially I understand and accept it now. The union isn't trying to give any advantage to one pilot group over the other, but KR, RH, JW and others knew that regardless of the method eventually chosen, there would be those who lost and would be very upset, and they will use that frustration with SLI, Fences, or whatever to fuel the decert that KR so desperately wants. I get that you feel like you are getting screwed and understandably have a very myopic view of the union, but why would you support a decert movement? Why do you think that the aviation industry is by far the most highly unionized group? If we lose the union, I will be dusting off my resume too, but I am not too worried about it. I don't mean to sound smug or self righteous, but we barely got much help from the majority of Flexjet pilots in the representation vote after the single carrier determination, and judging by the lack of any desire on the part of so many Flexjet pilots to get involved, I seriously doubt you, El Raton, SPT, PD and the rest will be able to muster the 50%+1 cards needed to make that vote happen after a CBA. Given your apparent situation, I understand why you might want to look for other employment, and in all seriousness, the best of luck to you.
(BTW, I have to agree with you about Shanes too.)
Since the Gulfstreams were mentioned by Kenn during the FLOPs heyday, they should be yours? IF the Lear 85 had actually been delivered would you be equally OK with those belonging to FJ pilots? As it stands, KR talks about a lot of things but for whatever reason never moved forward. Lack of financing, lack of customers, lack of confidence?. I don?t know or care. He bought them after the sale and you guys have half, isn?t that enough? No? You have 75% of the Global and those were always talked about by FJ for years, but no one is trying to claim those seats. The SLI and fence agreement gives you access to every Legacy and CL3X after the CBA. EVERY SINGLE PIC SEAT IS AVAILABLE, you haven?t lost anything. As he 750s go away, they will displace the FJ pilots, I don?t see the issue for you guys.
Whipsaw is when 1 group actively goes against a similar group for their own gain. Since FJ can?t actively do anything about the situation, STOP saying we are part of the problem. Your union couldn?t or didn?t want to stop what went on regarding the transfers and still reaped a reward. FJ is the group that got sawed.
The fact that a few guys from Options are ahead of you after the TA merger is a shame. During the ENTIRE organizing drive the POC reiterated that the list wouldn?t be based on DoH as it would be almost a staple (they have since recanted and tried to rewrite history). If you believe that DoH is fair the list might have merit, I don?t believe that is a fair. Flexjet was growing as FLOPs was shrinking in the early 2000s. This implementation rewards the FLOPs pilots for staying put while penalizing the FJ pilots that have been part of a more successful company. Losing 5% in seniority isn?t bad. Try losing 3 or 4 times that 5% and see how you feel. Spend more than a few minutes to look at the list past your own name, skip way down to the low to mid 400?s. Those guys are CL and LR PICs and have been for 10 years. Now look at the names above them and see what seats those guys hold at FLOPs. Here?s a phrase to help describe their new position: Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
All I see in the replies about SLI is fear. You are afraid of losing what you have. That?s understandable but misguided. The list that has been blessed takes away most of what you were afraid of losing. It would be tough to replace the money and time off of being a Challenger PIC or even a Learjet PIC but that doesn?t matter. As this list is implemented and reaches it natural order, the FJ pilots will be on the P300 mostly in the right seat. How hard is it to replace being a P300 working for FLOPs wages working an 8/7 schedule?
All of that is history. And while the list can?t be changed, the authority to enforce seniority can be taken away. So the integrated list will stand but the names will be removed out of order. Given the choice of 100% chance of losing something worth protecting and a smaller chance of losing, the choice is obvious.
The question isn?t why would I support decert, it?s why would I support the group that has chosen to implement a plan that will at the very best cost me 100s of thousands of dollars over the life of my career? I believe that your union leaders lied to every POC member during the dive and are no better than KR when it comes to honesty. If the 1108 had done as we were led to believe and made an SLI and Fence that preserved some of what the FJ crews had worked for, decertification wouldn?t be on the table. Kind of like when KR chose not to pay the $4M in bonus to FJ. That single choice cost him the election. The choices the 1108 has made could cost them their union.
The vote was close, only 16 votes. Do you think that there are more than 16 guys hired at FJ after 2001 that are reconsidering their vote? And this vote will include ALL the FJ pilots. That includes the guys hired after the sale. How do you think they will vote? And while I?ve only done a small amount of research on this, decert doesn?t look that hard. Try typing ?how to decertify a union? into google. It?s very interesting but remember we?re covered by Airline & Railway rules.
I do believe you are sincere so, good luck as well.
I?m done here for a while. PM me when the next decision is handed down giving FLOPs more of my job. I really can find better things to do with my time than discussing why the people hired at a losing company before I was hired prospering company deserve my job? even if that means hours of looking out the window at the little tiny things down below.
(I can?t believe that the tie comment the idiot made didn?t get him a time out, FI really is a tough place).