So far VAPA has guaranteed nothing, just like SWA, UPS, FEDEX, DELTA and UNITED unions promised nothing. They have promised to stay non-confrontational and negotiate with respect. The company has guaranteed they will purposely drag out the negotiations and that our relationship with them will suffer. The companies words got me more worried than anything VAPA has or has not said. The truth is though, nobody can guarantee anything. We all throw money at our 401K and fidelity has never guaranteed anything either. Yet we try to have a say in our future don't we?
Everyone has had differing experiences, and normally that shapes their views. I have had 3 great experiences with unions; including the dreaded IBT. Worked great for us while we needed them. The people running VA are far smarter than I am, and when they invest over a million in Ford Harrison to prevent a CBA and make a website better than any company intranet site, I can't help but thinking they know exactly why they are doing that. They are doing it because just the CHANCE to prevent the union will be CHEAPER for them than us ending up with a CBA. To me, that is managements own admission that a CBA will make my career better in the long run with VAPA. No business man will spend millions to prevent something if he knows it's not going to be a good return on his investment. Management, not VAPA has convinced me to vote yes with their reactions and words to VAPA.
Nearly every Established airline (certainly the ones we all want to work at) all needed to resort to unions historically. I don't see VAPA as anything different than the need for unions at all of the "career" airlines in north America. It's natural progression IMO. No disrespect intended because my views differ from yours.
