Hmmm....
Far be it from me to consider this message board a slice of reality - I'll just throw out a few things to consider.
First of all, I haven't seen the TA - no one has, sans the EC, Management and maybe a few others. So ALL of this, except for the juicy details leaked from the outline that we were given, is really speculation.
Everyone who is SO concerned about getting "an industry leading contract" - take a good f'ing look in the mirror. Everyone who works for an airline who has recently taken concessions raise your hand. Yeah. A lot of hands raised. To those who haven't, count yourself lucky. You are in the minority. The airline I used to fly for had terrible, horrible pay - still does. And, believe it or not, those pilots signed a concessionary agreement. Do I fault them for that? No I don't - each situation is different.
If the few details that are released are true, we get raises, more per diem, and RETAIN a lot of the things that were already pretty good (days off, block or better, no JA'ing).
The amount of Mesa bashing that has gone on here is enough to fill fifty books - but the issue was sign an agreement or lose the farm to Freedom, right? Well, for all those naysayers, we managed to head off Republic -AND- we still received significant gains and did not sign a concessionary contract.
No one has mentioned, too, that for larger aircraft, our rates are _supposedly_ industry leading. Whomever that Jetson guy is should probably check into that.
I'm not flaming anyone, I'm not looking to stir the pot. It just amazes me how worked up people get, especially people who don't fly for CHQ, about "being in 3rd place." Good grief - get a life. And again - anyone who's contract is coming up for negotiation who thinks they're going to get Comair + whatever, if you can get it, godspeed to ya -- I, for one am happy that we went forward, instead of backwards.
And the Teamsters vs. ALPA b.s. - give me a break. These organizations are only as good as the Negotiating Committee, counsel and EC/MEC's. ALPA, Teamsters, your mom - it doesn't matter. They serve the _same_ purpose - perhaps my only criticism of ALPA is what I see as a conflict of interest - representing mainline folks and regionals - but it's the PEOPLE, NOT the union who should be praised. Our EC and pilot group should be commended. Anyone who thinks otherwise, well, it's a free country right?
Take care,
-brew3
