Virgin America

[Fubijaakr]

Ooo, name calling. Is that the best you got?

 

[fifty30retard]

ALPA could stand united, but they won't. Every ALPA MEC is in it for themselves, all altruistic talk is just that. Most guys at VA have very negative feelings towards ALPA as a result. So, while organization is probably warranted if pay doesn't get seriously bumped following profitability, ALPA's presence would make that vote more difficult. The vitriol from it's current membership on boards like this would make a yes vote even harder still. And we are too small to foot the bill required for our first CBA going it alone. So talk of organization is easy until you start to look at the nuts and bolts of actually making it happen.

ALPA isn't allowed to negotiate any MEC's contract. It is the law. All ALPA does is resource MECs. Individual MECs negotiate what they can get based on their company's individual financial strengths or weaknesses. That's it. Questions?

 

[hyflyin]

Fubi spews garbage about other airlines as well. He is just a troll with no real hobbies. Makes him feel good about himself. Irony is that while he trash talks other airlines, he wants us to all be union for the sake of being unionized. If all airlines are Alpa, there should only be support and no hatred. He hates even the unionized ones that don't carry the Alaska brand. Like I said, just a troll and a sad pathetic person.

Funny thing, Foolbi's airline makes money off his willingness to fly Delta passengers. Some how his scabbing off the Delta brand is ok. Great union that Alpa is, sharing all there paxs with everyone, Virgin now included.

I would love our airline to unionize, however, with the fool chalking questions up as "complaining" most see him as nothing but a hateful soul they would rather not be associated with. But, I will keep trying for the betterment of our industry.

 

[Fubijaakr]

It seems you don't know the difference between codesharing and strikebreaking. Kind of makes you ignorant.

Hey, it was YOUR guy who was biatching about wages and benefits. But each of YOU accepted the job knowing full well they were substandard.

But, I guess you know what you're worth.

 

[flyboyike]

ALPA isn't allowed to negotiate any MEC's contract. It is the law. All ALPA does is resource MECs. Individual MECs negotiate what they can get based on their company's individual financial strengths or weaknesses. That's it. Questions?

I have a question, yes. If what you say is true, then why does every ALPA contract have to be signed by the ALPA President in addition to the Chairman of the relevant MEC?

Thank you.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Its more of a formality. National has never vetoed a contract that I know of. For years, we had a no-strike clause. National opposed it. The only proviso was that it wasn't published.

 

[tzskipper]

Its more of a formality. National has never vetoed a contract that I know of. For years, we had a no-strike clause. National opposed it. The only proviso was that it wasn't published.

As I recall, I think there was a refusal to sign a regional contract a number of years ago. I can't recall the airline.

S

 

[Fubijaakr]

Perhaps, but did the contract go into effect? I don't remember that incident.

 

[tzskipper]

Perhaps, but did the contract go into effect? I don't remember that incident.

I found this article:

http://articles.dailypress.com/2002...edmont-airlines-regional-jets-airways-express

T

he switch is a blow to CCAir, which is locked in a battle with the Air Line Pilots Association. In April, CCAir pilots approved a new contract, endorsed by ALPA, which allows them to fly small jets. But national ALPA leaders have since refused to sign the contract, saying it contains too many concessions.

S

 

[hyflyin]

I found this article:

http://articles.dailypress.com/2002...edmont-airlines-regional-jets-airways-express

T

S

Alpa refuses to do quite a bit the membership wants within the last 10 years.

Age 65, the majority did not want it, National voted yes. Wrong or right, the membership voted not to support it.

National did not want to abide by previous methods of determining their pay after 911 and instead voted themselves a nice little package to retain their pay while most carriers took massive pay cuts.

While I appreciate the fact that Alpa does at least strive to make our industry safer, and wished we contributed to that aspect, Alpa as a whole is a waste of time and resources. Reminds me of our Federal Government.

 

[DASHDRIVER]

I'll help Fubi out with some facts. Alaska started flying in 1932 depending on whether you count the McGee Airlines name or only when it officially became Alaska Airlines In 1944. The pilots unionized in 1947 joining ALPA. SO Virgin is either a year behind Alaska or won't catch up to them for 11 years. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

 

[hyflyin]

I'll help Fubi out with some facts. Alaska started flying in 1932 depending on whether you count the McGee Airlines name or only when it officially became Alaska Airlines In 1944. The pilots unionized in 1947 joining ALPA. SO Virgin is either a year behind Alaska or won't catch up to them for 11 years. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

Thanks for the history lesson D. Unfortunately, we have to many who believe that management will magically find in their hearts to give us an industry standard wage. Of course many say that since we are in growth phase that we should cut Virgin some slack. Funny how Spirit can grow, pay a decent wage and beni package during their current rapid growth.

At least our flight attendants have figured it out. What is ironic is that, for most of them, this is their first job in the industry and it has taken them less than 5 yrs to figure out that management does not have their best interests at heart. Of course what do you expect from a management who stands by the statement "that their flight attendants should seek jobs elsewhere after 5 years". Now either the flight attendants are idiots or the pilots have become accustomed to being treated like crap and enjoy it. I suspect the latter is actually what is happening.

Moving on......

 

[Fubijaakr]

Looks like hyflyin has figured it out.

 

[jayme]

Now either the flight attendants are idiots or the pilots have become accustomed to being treated like crap and enjoy it. I suspect the latter is actually what is happening.

Moving on......

I don't think the pilots are treated like crap. The pay needs to go up though.

I think the flight attendants have a different set of problems than the pilots.

 

[BuckMurdock1]

Another tidbit of info to the original poster (who was looking for QOL-type info on VA before the thread turned into the usual Fubi vs. non-AS/non-union people):
I heard through the grapevine that new-hires will no longer be receiving A320 PIC type-ratings soon, if it's not happening already. To many it might not matter..to some it might be a deal-breaker perhaps for whatever reason.

Frankly, though VA has enjoyed a nice extended run of being able to be VERY picky..I think in the near future we'll be hiring 99% RJ pilots with little or no PIC and TT in the sub 4000 range (not that I'm saying that's bad).

FWIW...