To all my ALASKA Bretheren...

[ferlo]

To all my Alaska Bretheren,


Just a short note to implore you not to forget what happened to us. They think we'll go back to normal in a month or so. Never. If we don't fight now with every fiber of our being, and every drop of blood, we don't deserve to be called professional airline pilots. They threatened our families and our futures. There is no room for professionalism now. Fight On.

 

[mach none]

To all my Alaska Bretheren,


Just a short note to implore you not to forget what happened to us. They think we'll go back to normal in a month or so. Never. If we don't fight now with every fiber of our being, and every drop of blood, we don't deserve to be called professional airline pilots. They threatened our families and our futures. There is no room for professionalism now. Fight On.

Do only your job...as it is written in the FOM and CBA.

 

[Yank McCobb]

..............

 

[AK737FO]

Still shocked

I may still be in denial, but I am hoping that this thing isn't over yet. I would like to hope that the company will soon realize that the cost is greater than the reward. I bet they spent this week trying to look at options and get ideas on what to do now. They could not have known that the arbitrator would give them such a "win". They never expected to be handed so much money on a silver platter. Now, what do they do with it? Do they keep it all? Do they grow? Do they think that the cost to moral and the "family spirit" will be to great (over the next 24 years in my case) and come back to offer us something different?

I have said this before. I am here for the long haul, not a bang and fizzle that could come with rapid expansion and mis-management. Throughout the last year and a half of negotiations I have listened closely to both sides. I hoped for a contract that would give the company some of what it needed, and some of what we needed - normally known as a negotiated contract. What we got was a windfall for one side, with ALPA being on the loosing team. Had the results been reversed, I for one would have been equally (well, almost) disappointed. If ALPA would have "won it all", I would be voicing my opinion today that we need to address the situation and take care of our company so we can all have long carers with our airline. I would like to hope that if ALPA had "won it all" we would have gone back to the company and said, "We need to make this right for all of our futures - lets go back to the table". Maybe this is what gives me hope to think that the company will do the same now.

AK737FO (28.8% club)

 

[Saabslime]

I would like to hope that if ALPA had "won it all" we would have gone back to the company and said, "We need to make this right for all of our futures - lets go back to the table". Maybe this is what gives me hope to think that the company will do the same now.

Now you know better than that. Just wait and see what management bonuses look like this year.

 

[Rotate140]

To all my Alaska Bretheren,


Just a short note to implore you not to forget what happened to us. They think we'll go back to normal in a month or so. Never. If we don't fight now with every fiber of our being, and every drop of blood, we don't deserve to be called professional airline pilots. They threatened our families and our futures. There is no room for professionalism now. Fight On.

Professional airline pilots are just that....professional. Once again do your job as stated in FOM and CBA.

An eye for and eye only makes the world blind.

 

[Boeingman]

AK737FO

Don't take this the wrong way, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Management will celebrate this windfall and hope that as time passes peoples memories will become dull. If it doesn't happen and you guys stick it to them, they will go into the denial and vindictive retribution mode.

It is straight out of the MBA school playbook.

 

[TurboJetCpt]

"What we got was a windfall for one side, with ALPA being on the loosing team."

I see nothing has changed under ALPA "leadership." Now THAT is an oxymoron !

 

[mach none]

AK737FO

Don't take this the wrong way, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Management will celebrate this windfall and hope that as time passes peoples memories will become dull. If it doesn't happen and you guys stick it to them, they will go into the denial and vindictive retribution mode.

It is straight out of the MBA school playbook.

I agree. Billy Ayer and George Bagley are counting on us having short memories. They expect us to play games for a few weeks and then go back to our pitiful selves and do the extra things to keep the airline running.

DON'T DO IT. Fly the contract and FOM...nothing more or less.

 

[alaskaplt]

I may still be in denial, but I am hoping that this thing isn't over yet. I would like to hope that the company will soon realize that the cost is greater than the reward. I bet they spent this week trying to look at options and get ideas on what to do now. They could not have known that the arbitrator would give them such a "win". They never expected to be handed so much money on a silver platter. Now, what do they do with it? Do they keep it all? Do they grow? Do they think that the cost to moral and the "family spirit" will be to great (over the next 24 years in my case) and come back to offer us something different?

I have said this before. I am here for the long haul, not a bang and fizzle that could come with rapid expansion and mis-management. Throughout the last year and a half of negotiations I have listened closely to both sides. I hoped for a contract that would give the company some of what it needed, and some of what we needed - normally known as a negotiated contract. What we got was a windfall for one side, with ALPA being on the loosing team. Had the results been reversed, I for one would have been equally (well, almost) disappointed. If ALPA would have "won it all", I would be voicing my opinion today that we need to address the situation and take care of our company so we can all have long carers with our airline. I would like to hope that if ALPA had "won it all" we would have gone back to the company and said, "We need to make this right for all of our futures - lets go back to the table". Maybe this is what gives me hope to think that the company will do the same now.

AK737FO (28.8% club)

I hope you are right, but I seriously doubt it. I do not believe they have given us any indication, or any other work group in along time, that they give a rats a$$ about morale. The only thing they care about is the bottom line and their bonus. That is why I believe the only way we will ever get anything out of them is by affecting that bottom line.

 

[sonnychiba]

Let me first say that I really think the decision stinks. I live in Alaska and have always considered Alaska Airlines to be a special airline. My question I have is why just blame management? Shouldn't some responsibility be on the shoulders of the union leadership that failed to adequately negotiate?

 

[lumax]

AK737FO
At first I was also being optimistic and was hoping that both sides would go back to the table for some additional negotiations. I am now realizing that its probably not going to happen.
I am now hoping that we expand, as promised under the 2010 plan, so that us f/o's can upgrade soon and recover some of the money we were robbed of.
As Mach said, follow the contract and SOP. If on a DH, duty begins at departure time, that is when I showing up!

 

[tico]

Lumax,
That is a real exciting thought. We can all be captains except we will be paid senior co-pilot salaries. You must be reading Finan's drivel and believing it. Isn't that the same crap they put out in the 2010 plan" all you co-pilots vote for this because then you will all be captains".. What a bunch of bull. Truth is we have always been a crappy little tenth place airline with below average wages and OK benefits. We had a few years where we rose up near the top and the Anglers could not stand it, so here we are right back where we started from......Welcome home boys, this is your life now...2-4% expansion, 12 year upgrades and lousy wages.....

 

[Lucky Strike]

Your new contract really surprised me when I read about it. I thought Alaska was doing OK? Mgt will laugh all the way to the bank. Just remember..."You get what you pay for!" I can't understand why mgt doesn't realize that in a service industry your employees have to be happy. I don't mean give them the moon...just don't $hit on them. It's not rocket science.

 

[AKMD80GUY]

Heres a thought from the old Eastern playbook. Get union work groups to conceed or arbitrate large pay cuts. At some point one of the unions call BS on the idea and strikes. At the same time management is giving the stockholders a large dividend. Once a strike happens that allows management to drive the company into chapter 11 and thus is allowed to void all other union contracts. Then the only question is do they grow on the backs of the employees or sell out. I thought as an airline pilot my thoughts and ideas might be welcomed by management but I was dead wrong. Lets just fly the FOM and Contract as professionals and support the ramp and F/A's when the screwing gets to them.

2010 is just a dream fellas and ladies. ALPA EF&A even said that. If Alaska expands I will be very suprised.

Just say no to VSA.

 

[§kyye Candy]

business as usual

Once a strike happens that allows management to drive the company into chapter 11 and thus is allowed to void all other union contracts.

You hit the proverbial nail right on the head... and that's the problem ~ companies have been using bankruptcy as a business strategy. It's not IF a company goes bankrupt, it's WHEN.

Not to mention the union BS.... "And would you like sugar in your latte, Mr. CEO?"

One has to wonder... why don't any of the pilot groups out there start their own union? I think unions should all be non-profit - BY LAW!! With pilot representatives at the head of each company division.

 

[Yank McCobb]

One has to wonder... why don't any of the pilot groups out there start their own union?

Well...there's the APA (American), the IPA (UPS), the NPA (Air Tran), SWAPA (Southwest), among others.

It's been done, several times.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Well...there's the APA (American), the IPA (UPS), the NPA (Air Tran), SWAPA (Southwest), among others.

It's been done, several times.

ASPA (Alaska Pilots Association), is that going to be the next one on the list?

 

[Rhino]

Work rules

Were there significant work rules changes? I've read about lower pay for training and vacation days, and no more credit for trips not flown. Still not enough pilots to fly the summer schedule, so the schedule will be smaller than last year?

Am I wrong to expect another bid before anymore training/hiring can begin? HR says they'll know more "by summer" regarding what their plans are. Maybe there will be a bid by then?

 

[ferlo]

Rhino,

If I can secure another job you are welcome to my seat. One way or another I don't see myself at Alaska Airlines in 12 months. They're now just another Sh1tty airline with bitter pilots. I don't need them.