Amerijet On Strike!

nbv4 said:
If Amerijet calls my company up and says "Hey whats up we have a bunch of freight sitting on the ramp here that can't be flown by us, could you send one of your planes over here to deliver it for us?", as long as the price is right, they're going to say "Sure thing!" They aren't going to give a crap about who is striking. I have a hard time believing any company would turn down quite a large bit of business (especially in this industry) over something silly as this unwritten notion that no one should do business with a company being struck against.

So if my company takes the bid I have two choices. I either do the flying and be put on the scab list which ends my career, or I quit/get fired and spend the rest of the next 5 years on unemployment. It's lose/lose. I don't even know who these Amerijet people even are, but they're causing me to lose my job. For all I know they could be striking over not getting a new snack machine in their break room or something. Is there anyone out there who thinks this is fair?
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The world needs scabs. Hopefully you won't find yourself in the predicament.
 
I've noticed a lot of the following sentiment: I won't fly struck work if X, Y, Z.

Essentially it boils down to I won't scab so long as it's easy for me not to, which is an attitude that I find troubling BUT I have some sympathy for 3engine and such because it has become very real for him, as they fly similar routes. The gentleman's only been in professional aviation for a little over a year now, if I remember correctly so it may be that he hadn't ever REALLY thought about the prospect, air carrier strikes are so rare after all. I don't know what kind of work he did before flying either so this may be his first real unionized industry (even if his current carrier is non-union like mine.) It takes some sitting down time with yourself and "soul searching" the first time you think about that, I don't care what anyone says.

After you've done that self-discovery it becomes easy to say with conviction "I will not scab. EVER." I did this prior to flying professionally, as this is not the first unionized industry I've worked in.

A lot has been said about the negative consequences from scabbing -- career over, name on a list, et cetera et cetera.

I didn't really think overly much about that when I came to my "epiphany" -- I sat down and wondered .... is this job worth X? With all the consequences of being a scab put in X... but then I realized that the biggest consequence I hadn't even thought about:

Is this job worth losing my own self-respect? NO.

No job is worth that for me.

I'm still in my 20s, thats pretty young. I'd rather not lose any job but my life isn't going to be over if I do -- and my goal for my life is to be happy, rather than to accumulate as much wealth as possible although I do admit the latter tends to help the former along. But I don't think I could ever be happy with myself if I threw other people under the bus to accomplish that.

True, the economy is crap but look to the past: The greatest wins for trade unionism were accomplished when? During the Great Depression when unemployment was about 25%(1933)-15%(1944). When the economy is bad that is WHEN you should be a trade unionist the most... it seems to me that wages and benefits are the quickest way to shed costs, it may not be the best way but like a crack fiend Management will tend sell the company out later for a momentary boost. You have to understand how a lot of these people think, it is all about NOW ... all about this quarter's results.


In any event, I digress... If you havent already had that self-discovery within yourself I invite everyone to do so now. It will make it easier in the future if you are ever in the same shoes as to be asked to potentially fly struck work or cross ANY picket line for that matter -- from a major airline to the striking grocery store employees at a Safeway.
 
Also, given how rare air carrier strikes are and how long Amerijet has been in negotiations does anyone believe that this strike isn't warranted?
 
Bigey said:
The idea may seem fair, but you knew getting into this industry that it's a mainly unionized field. I agree it's a lose, lose situation, but if EVERYONE sticks together, they wont fire their entire staff. It's you can either put up with the consequences now and try to make a better tomorrow, or continue letting companies get away with this which has a way trickling down to other companies.

You have to look at the field in a broader picture. Sometimes you gotta take 1 step back to go 2 forward.
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This seems the most accurate quote. It is a lose/lose and there are crappy options - particularly if Amerijet is trying its best to "hide" the freight as I have read on another forum. It would really suck to be in a position of flying struck freight and not knowing it. Either way, Bigey is correct here, you knew going in that flying was largely unionized - that is something to accept when making career decisions along with the low wages at first.
 
Re: "A Strike Made Simple"

minitour said:
I think I've seen bits and pieces while hanging out in hotels...good movie?

-mini
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Bloody, gory. Like 'Sin City' or 'The Spirit'. Same director, I think. Really good war story. A few laughs, too. Lena Hedley of the Sarah Connor Chronicles plays the Spartan queen. If you can stand watching her walk around in a tiny sheet stragically tied on with rope for an hour or so, you'll like this movie.
 
surreal1221 said:
For the LOVE of FLYING! Good God Man! Do you not understand what those dreamers go through!?

They just have to FLY!!!

A shame that they'll do anything to do it, including paying for a job.
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Yup.

There are lots of jobs that people dream of doing. Many of them involve sports.

But I have yet to see any team say, okay, we'll give you a slot in our minor league system if you cut a check for $7,500 to us.

On the other hand, there are plenty of pilots willing to do that.

WacoFan said:
It would really suck to be in a position of flying struck freight and not knowing it.
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It doesn't sound like anyone would hold it against you if that occurred. It's knowing that's what is happening and doing it anyway that people seem to have a problem with.

Oh, and Charlie, you're my bud and all and we will always be grateful to Tom Brady for helping us escape a nasty situation but you do realize that every single one of the 300 died, right?

Maybe the analogy works better with that. If you scab, you are killing your fellow workers.
 
Thanks from a AMJ pilot:

Although no one wants negotiations to come down to a strike, at times we are left with no other options. Throughout this process, I have kept hearing the words "support" and "solidarity", and now I know exactly what they represent. I was part of the crew stuck in <st1><st1:country-region w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:country-region></st1> on 08/27/09 as a result of a work stoppage with our company Amerijet. After a period of approximately 30 hours, we made our way from LSP to CCS. Shortly after our landing in <st1><st1:city w:st="on">Caracas</st1:city></st1>, and an unfortunate failed attempt to get home with ARROW, we came in contact with Scott Hegland (International Brotherhood of Teamsters Representative) and Ivan Rivera (Head of Communications Committee for APA). These two gentleman, along with many others behind the scene I am sure, worked from about 11:30 pm on 08/28/09 to about 11 am on 08/29/09 in trying to get us home on American Airlines.

All of the flights (4) that day had been oversold, and there were numerous passengers on stand by. This of course, made the task a bit more difficult. Also, the ticket agents in <st1><st1:city w:st="on">Caracas</st1:city></st1>, especially Ashtrid and her supervisor (sorry but did not get a chance to get his name), were very courteous and worked very hard to get us on a flight.<o></o><o></o>

At around 10 am, when most hopes of getting out had vanishing, Ivan Rivera was able to communicate with Captain Brian Phil (sorry if name is misspelled). He was flying out on the 11:20 am to MIA. Upon arrival at the airport, he approached me and with his help, we were able to secure 4 seats out of <st1><st1:city w:st="on">Caracas</st1:city></st1>. I also would like to thank Captain Steven Rodican, First Officer Mark Wilson and the rest of the crew on our flight back to MIA. They were all very courteous and supportive of us.

<o></o><o></o>This experience is a first for me and many of us at Amerijet. I learned yesterday, what the words "we support you" and "solidarity" really mean. I don't have enough words of gratitude to express how much I and the rest of the crew appreciate what we experienced. I will always be indebted to you and want to say THANK YOU for your support. If our management cared about its employees as much as what these strangers demonstrated to us, we wouldn't be in this position today. Once more, thank you.
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SpiraMirabilis said:
I've noticed a lot of the following sentiment: I won't fly struck work if X, Y, Z.

Essentially it boils down to I won't scab so long as it's easy for me not to, which is an attitude that I find troubling BUT I have some sympathy for 3engine and such because it has become very real for him, as they fly similar routes. The gentleman's only been in professional aviation for a little over a year now, if I remember correctly so it may be that he hadn't ever REALLY thought about the prospect, air carrier strikes are so rare after all. I don't know what kind of work he did before flying either so this may be his first real unionized industry (even if his current carrier is non-union like mine.) It takes some sitting down time with yourself and "soul searching" the first time you think about that, I don't care what anyone says.

After you've done that self-discovery it becomes easy to say with conviction "I will not scab. EVER." I did this prior to flying professionally, as this is not the first unionized industry I've worked in.

A lot has been said about the negative consequences from scabbing -- career over, name on a list, et cetera et cetera.

I didn't really think overly much about that when I came to my "epiphany" -- I sat down and wondered .... is this job worth X? With all the consequences of being a scab put in X... but then I realized that the biggest consequence I hadn't even thought about:

Is this job worth losing my own self-respect? NO.

No job is worth that for me.

I'm still in my 20s, thats pretty young. I'd rather not lose any job but my life isn't going to be over if I do -- and my goal for my life is to be happy, rather than to accumulate as much wealth as possible although I do admit the latter tends to help the former along. But I don't think I could ever be happy with myself if I threw other people under the bus to accomplish that.

True, the economy is crap but look to the past: The greatest wins for trade unionism were accomplished when? During the Great Depression when unemployment was about 25%(1933)-15%(1944). When the economy is bad that is WHEN you should be a trade unionist the most... it seems to me that wages and benefits are the quickest way to shed costs, it may not be the best way but like a crack fiend Management will tend sell the company out later for a momentary boost. You have to understand how a lot of these people think, it is all about NOW ... all about this quarter's results.


In any event, I digress... If you havent already had that self-discovery within yourself I invite everyone to do so now. It will make it easier in the future if you are ever in the same shoes as to be asked to potentially fly struck work or cross ANY picket line for that matter -- from a major airline to the striking grocery store employees at a Safeway.
Click to expand...

Well said.

I would hope that if 3engine finds himself in this predicament at IBC, he's not alone in having to make any critical decisions on the matter. I would hope his fellow (senior) crew members feel the same and provide good guidance and leadership.
 
Some have listed AmeriJet management pilots as scabs. Typically aren;t management pilots techincally management, and not pilots.

Yes, I know they used to fly the line, or still do form time to time, but most have comfy desk jobs now. Likewise at airlines aren't management pilots not part of the union, so should there be a strike management pilots wouldn't and couldn't be considered scabs, right?

I know Amerijet isn't union, but if theese former pilots, now managers are flying routes as management pilots, are they real scabs, or management?
 
Maximillian_Jenius said:
Likewise at airlines aren't management pilots not part of the union, so should there be a strike management pilots wouldn't and couldn't be considered scabs, right?
Click to expand...
Then why would any pilot at any non-union operator be considered a scab for flying struck work? They aren't part of "the union"...

Ya either do it or ya don't.

-mini
 
minitour said:
Then why would any pilot at any non-union operator be considered a scab for flying struck work? They aren't part of "the union"...

Ya either do it or ya don't.

-mini
Click to expand...

Furthermore permenant replacements are not part of the union and they are the personification of scabs.
 
minitour said:
Then why would any pilot at any non-union operator be considered a scab for flying struck work? They aren't part of "the union"...

Ya either do it or ya don't.

-mini
Click to expand...

...I was asking a question, not making a statement!

As I *think* that I've heard that at 121 ops management pilots aren't ALPA, and aren't considered line pilots.

So, if they work during a strike, it isn't considered scabing...again, asking a question, not making factual statements.

So, then I wondered if the above is true, then why would management pilots at this non union carrier then be considered scabs, even if not union, But considered management vs. regular line pilots!
 
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