Word is...

[ultrarunner]

What are the main reasons FLOPS chose Teamsters as opposed to their own union?

 

[Fozzy]

My opinion.
Resources.

For the 25% that goes to National, we get A LOT for our money. It is a very good investment.

Again, my opinion.

 

[FLYLOW22]

What are the main reasons FLOPS chose Teamsters as opposed to their own union?

The choices for Union representation in the Frac field are few.

1> ALPA.... um no. They have too many of their own issues to worry about our line of business.

2> Independent. Good for plotting the individuals group's course but income is denpendant upon 1 income stream. It's easier to squash a Union with limited income and spending potential. Also, there is less infrastructure to utilize. ie. political, general council, press connections, etc. It truly is what you make of it or have.

3> Teamsters. Already established. Has money and connections. Allows for a Local to plot it's own course and stays out of the way. If the 1108 needed any resources from IBT, we just asked. The don't dictate terms, they ask how they can help. Local 1108 is an extension of the Teamsters but is far from the usual "Local" one would find at a Teamsters convention.

Teamsters Local 1108. For Fractional Pilots, by Fractional Pilots.

 

[gunfyter]

Probably the best reason to go TEAMSTERS is to get into 1108. Thats where you will be doing yourself a huge favor.

They won't do it for you... They will teach you though.

Kinda of like having Ted Williams teach you to hit. You still gotta go up to the plate and swing the bat though....

 

[Tommy Boy]

We went with 1108 because it already has over 2k fractional pilots in it and it is run by fractional pilots for fractional pilots and if we join it will only grow stronger. They also have the financial strength and established structure of the Teamsters.

We were tired of the cuts and disrespect and trusting our fate to a bunch of nimrods who take everything from us and laugh about it behind our backs. Raytheon is making loads of money, don't be fooled by what they say, and a big chunk of it is on our backs. They obviously would like to get us as cheap as they can and work us as much as they can...the only way for us to have a say is through unity.

We said no more. We are taking the controls. We are going to do something about it. We want a voice in our lives and our futures.

We also don't make 200k a year so starting an in house union is very expensive. Most of them fail because there are very little resources to fight management with. That is actually one of the tactics management uses in an organizing drive...get guys to write "in house" union on their card so the yes vote is decreased for the group you are trying to organize under and thereby possibly not getting enough votes to get the union on the property.

 

[XPGuy]

...get guys to write "in house" union on their card so the yes vote is decreased for the group you are trying to organize under and thereby possibly not getting enough votes to get the union on the property.

Just a point of order, although that is a common misconception, that's actually not totally true.

It is true that any voter can add a write-in of any kind of union. Voters could add a write-in for ALPA, the under water basket weaver's Union, or the Mickey Mouse Club on the ticket and choose that as their choice.

If they do so, it will only help our cause.

The way the RLA works is this way:

The only "vote" that counts is whether a pilot voted "for" representation, or NOT for representation... and if a pilot chooses not to vote, that is a "no" vote.

However. Let's say that the above happens. For example's sake, let's say the ballot ends up being a vote for:

a) IBT 1108

b) ALPA

c) Under Water Basket Weavers association

d) Mickey Mouse club (in-house union)

e) No representation

It doesn't matter which representation is voted for... if 50% plus 1 pilot votes for ANY of the above choices besides option (e), then the pilots win representation... but representation from whom? The choice with the most votes.

So splitting up the votes is possible, but it is very VERY unlikely that the majority of pilots would pick anything other than the IBT 1108, and therefore, any vote for ANY representation will actually HELP us.