XJT Pilots Authorize Strike!

[Sam Fisher]

If you are saying that you would accept an unsatisfactory agreement now, merely because you are too impatient and unwilling to wait-out the negotiating process, your thinking is beyond my comprehension.

Wrong Mr D. Pay rates aside, what we've already negotiated is industry-leading in all areas. I'm pretty impressed with the information flow and the results of our 2+ years of bargaining. Some will probably disagree but I applaud our negotiators for their performance and the gains made to date. I trust that what my NC puts in front of us will be what they genuinely believe is the best they can do, given the most horrible negotiating environment in airline history. Please remember that your situation at CMR was a completely different timeframe.

Negotiations are normally a long an tedious process, and especially at difficult times like these. The NMB deliberately uses the "delay tactic" in an effort to force acceptance of inferior agreements. So does the Company. And so, by the way, does ALPA National. You appear to be letting them take advantage of your impatience.

Given our 2+ years of negotiating, I think we at XJT are all well aware of the reality of the airline negotiations process. Nobody is taking advantage of me. I have my own mind and my view point is my own.

When the needs of the pilot group (as opposed to the wants) have not been met and you are considering the possibility of self-help and taking "strike votes", it is not logical to say that you will strike if you can do it now but you will take a bad agreement if you have to wait. Pardon me, but that doesn't make sense.

Who said anything about a bad agreement? Don't let the emotional chest thumpers on this thread lead you to believe what we have gotten is a "bad agreement" because we won't meet CMR in hard pay rates. That agreement was negotiated prior to 9/11 and all of the subsequent industry turmoil.

You should never point a loaded gun (strike vote) at the Company's head unless the group is fully prepared to pull the trigger. Without complete unity of purpose, which I don't find in this thread, pulling the trigger is suicide.

Trust me. We are unified. I have no doubts as to what this pilot group will do, should we have to pull the trigger (if we are allowed).

Unity doesn't mean that every pilot must agree on every line in the contract. However, it does mean that the group must agree on what your "needs" really are. If you do in fact agree on the "needs", it follows you will also be willing to wait however long it takes until they are achieved AND to walk away if they are not.

I agree. But I believe our needs are being addressed.

IMHO, something as drastic as a strike is never warranted to satisfy your wants but is sometimes necessary to obtain your needs. If the difference between wants and needs is not clear to the group the success of a strike is unlikely.

JMO. Again, I wish you all the very best.

We shall see. I guess at the end of the day, it is all moot. We won't be released anytime soon.

Sam

 

[ILStoMinimums]

What makes you think I don't already have more years under my belt than you? I guess the longer you're in this business the more pissed off you become and you think that because I'm not like you that I must be a newbie? I'm just not an ignorant @ss is all. The only reason we're paid such low wages is because there are more pilots than jobs. You've got to be an idiot to think a company is going to give you more money when that is the case. Did you ever get any higher education? You may have learned a bit about economics. Perhaps you didn't get past high school and that is why you're stuck at a regional and pissed off at the world. And for the guy who poopooed the idea that XJT will not be guaranteed to be the only Continental connection carrier in the next few years, go on strike and hope for the best. It's all supply and demand and if you can't supply it at competitive rates then I can assure you that 10 other companies will be happy to underbid you. You've got to take a look at the current economy as well as your competition. Just because there's no competition today doesn't mean there won't be tomorrow. Just look at what United has done to diversify its regional carriers. You guys can all do what you want. I don't work there. Just prove me right so I can have you serve my burger at McD's. I hope you don't prove me right and you all still have jobs at the end of the day but you radical folks out there deserve to be smacked back into reality.

OK, well in a nutshell your happy making $17,500 as a first year FO + a few bucks on 2nd year pay, etc......? But hey your competitive right!

 

[Sam Fisher]

OK, well in a nutshell your happy making $17,500 as a first year FO + a few bucks on 2nd year pay, etc......? But hey your competitive right!

I didn't see anything about him being happy making that. But I do think being competitive is going to be important going forward in this industry, given how many RJ carriers are out there bidding on a finite amount of feed. It sucks, but it is the way it is.

Sam

 

[ILStoMinimums]

I didn't see anything about him being happy making that. But I do think being competitive is going to be important going forward in this industry, given how many RJ carriers are out there bidding on a finite amount of feed. It sucks, but it is the way it is.

Sam

Sam,

I do agree. Being competitive is key, but I believe you guys deserve more and still can be competitive. Hope I'm not on my own in my thinking. And, I figured him being happy with what he makes was just understood by reading his post.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

I'm not making 17,000 a year by the way. My company pay is quite good. However, my company is still able to compete with other regionals because we provide a great product and our pay scale is not out of line with the current economic situation. Also, if you don't think competition will affect you down the road, ask the current United regional what they have to say about it. We've all taken pay cuts and our ability to strike has been very limited to say the least. I guarantee as soon as Continental can diversify their risk they will. It's what any of you would do if you were in the drivers seat at Continental.

 

[flap operator]

Sam - I'm curious to know, how YOU know that you've got industry leading language in all areas discussed... WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A TA? I guarantee your NC has not let the cat out of the bag... and if they have, it will be detremental to your cause. Remember, the devil is in the details.

Speaking from the other side of the line,

FO

 

[Instigator]

Sam - I'm curious to know, how YOU know that you've got industry leading language in all areas discussed... WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A TA? I guarantee your NC has not let the cat out of the bag... and if they have, it will be detremental to your cause. Remember, the devil is in the details.

Speaking from the other side of the line,

FO

As each section has been negotiated, the language has been released to the pilot group. We already know what the majority of a complete TA looks like. Most of it so far is rather impressive. The rest, we'll see...

 

[flap operator]

Interesting... our MEC was very tight lipped with the details of each TA'd section. They'd give us mini summaries, but very little detail. Perhaps they did this because what we got, was not exactly what we were lead to believe we got. I dunno... perhaps it's just different strategies.

Good for you guys then... sounds like it's shaping up to be a good contract. Care to share details of this industry leading soon to be TA?

FO

 

[Sam Fisher]

Sam - I'm curious to know, how YOU know that you've got industry leading language in all areas discussed... WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A TA? I guarantee your NC has not let the cat out of the bag... and if they have, it will be detremental to your cause. Remember, the devil is in the details.

Speaking from the other side of the line,

FO

While Instigator said it quite well, I will add on that we have seen virtually every closed section to date (which is all but scope, compensation, scheduling, and expenses) but we have also seen bullet points on the gains made in scheduling and compensation to date. I'd be more than happy to compare our vacation section and retirement section to yours, etc. Our NC has done a great job so far and I look forward to seeing the rest.

Sam

 

[cynic]

Umm, didn't every one of you sign up for a job that paid 17,500 a year or less?
I suppose there is unity within the group. You all were willing to work for nothing. Good luck... I guess....