Spirit Airlines Strike Update

DCTNstudentpilot1987 said:
If the pilots union does not give in, they will get what they want unless the management of Spirit doesnt mind shutting the airline down.

Does ALPA have a plan if worst case scenario Spirit does close down? There are around 400-500 (not sure exact number) active Spirit pilots. Delta will only be able to hire some due their flow agreement. But will Spirit pilots accept regional new hire jobs if need be?

The obvious management strategy is going to be to hold out as long as possible and try to get the pilots to choose between having a job and making concessions. The longer the pilot hold out, the more likely management will cave. Dont be surprised though to see the airline take a hit from the lost revenue and possible cut back on flights and pilots. Getting a deal will be good for those on top but bad for the bottom if a furlough comes soon after.
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I PERSONALLY would rather be out of work or furloughed then work for management and work rules like they had. Keep fighting the good fight gentleman.
 
Oh, and one other point from my lovely bride who remembers these business things:


It brings back memories of Wolf and Gangwal at US Airways that had no plan B for the company. Of course, Ben Baldanza was there then too. Maybe he learned this fine art of how not to run a business from them!
 
JOEFRIDAY2 said:
If you do get a chance to help walk the line with the striking workers, you should take the opportunity to do so.

It will help you understand how to do this if and when it comes to your company. It will make you a better person.

There is no better feeling than to have others helping, showing their support, from other airlines and other industries when you yourself are in the middle of a strike action. It's a morale booster and it shows you that others took the time to demonstrate that they do care about what happens to you.
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What's the best way for a pilot currently at a non-union airline to show support? I've been bringing it up with everyone I fly with and they have all been shocked at what your management is asking you to give up. I'll gladly come out and walk with you if I would be welcome.

Also, let us know if a strike fund is set up and where we can contribute. During the Amerijet strike I saw the suggestion that every pilot donate 1 hour of pay... sounds like something that could be put together here.

Stay strong and don't give in. Thanks for making it better for the rest of us!
 
lostplanetairman said:
Oh, and one other point from my lovely bride who remembers these business things:


It brings back memories of Wolf and Gangwal at US Airways that had no plan B for the company. Of course, Ben Baldanza was there then too. Maybe he learned this fine art of how not to run a business from them!
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Oh those two were a real piece of work. Wolf left and was never heard from again. Gangwal went back to India to run an airline there. And Bladanza went to Spirit.
 
lostplanetairman said:
So, this is what the company put out:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Spirit-Airlines-Update-on-bw-2984490760.html?x=0&.v=1

They left out a few minor details, like no one would ever advance to that level due to the "steps" implemented rather than years of seniority.
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The crap that this guy continues to put out is just incredible. Where the hell did they come up with a 90 hour pay system without overtime?

I do realize that Spirit dollars and calculators usually don't work the same as the rest of the country, but this is just laughable. Ben will never pay anyone $200,000 a year.

If they ever happened to get close to $200,000 he would change some rule so that the $200,000 would not be paid.

I guess Ben will try anything to confuse the issue. I think his days at Spirit are rapidly coming to an end. The sooner the better.

Joe
 
floridaCFII said:
What's the best way for a pilot currently at a non-union airline to show support? I've been bringing it up with everyone I fly with and they have all been shocked at what your management is asking you to give up. I'll gladly come out and walk with you if I would be welcome.

Also, let us know if a strike fund is set up and where we can contribute. During the Amerijet strike I saw the suggestion that every pilot donate 1 hour of pay... sounds like something that could be put together here.

Stay strong and don't give in. Thanks for making it better for the rest of us!
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If you show up in your uniform, I'm sure the striking pilots will welcome you and could use the help and support.

Joe
 
DCTNstudentpilot1987 said:
Dont be surprised though to see the airline take a hit from the lost revenue and possible cut back on flights and pilots. Getting a deal will be good for those on top but bad for the bottom if a furlough comes soon after.
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Spirit is privately owned I believe, but if I was a shareholder at an airline which went down this path, I would have a few choice words to say to the CEO...

*Insert Donald Trump impression* "Ya fiaed"
 
I've only worked on the periphery of union work involving negotiations but it seems to me that some times it is the ego of the executives that get in the way. If I was a Spirit investor I would be pissed that Ben's big ego is going to end up costing the airline more money than he would have gotten in contract gains, and then also have to give them a fair contract on top of that.

From looking back it seems obvious that Spirit management thought there was no real pilot unity. I bet they thought they'd have a quarter of their pilots scabbing, but they were deluding themselves.
 
We have been sending messages to one another. I have tried to explain to him the decision he has made and what it means to the thousands of pilots who are all involved with this strike. He stuck to his story of not knowing until he returned. The status on the scab site needs to change. There is no room remorse when you take the aircraft on a three leg journey on struck work. One and done in my book.
 
I was doing V1 cuts when the picket was going on yesterday.

I did stop by the FLL strike office when I got out of the box and met some of the fine folks there. I was welcomed with open arms.

I was completely humbled to meet these men and women who put their jobs on the line. As I got to thinking about the strike, many things got put into perspective. These pilots have been placed in a position where they had to strike. They made the choice not to work, and possibly compromise the ability to put a roof over their family's heads and food in their family's mouths, than to accept what management was offering. That speaks extraordinary volumes about how poor the offer must be, that they are willing to take the chance of not having a job versus the substandard conditions offer.

Aviation is really a small community. As I got to visiting with them, one of the guys in the strike center knows a bunch of fellas from an "old shop" that I now fly with.

Hopefully, Spirit's management will come to their senses and offer the industry standard package their pilots are asking for. Really, it's not even "industry standard", it's just the standard of their segment of the industry.

Best of luck to all of them!!!
 
Not sure if this has already been posted, but here is a summary of what Spirit management was offering:

http://p.p0.com/YesConnect/HtmlMessagePreview?a=tiRuq-sW3Rqtt2otqjRySwrL

I love this part...

Do not be bullied by a national agenda to help AirTran, Jazz, Pinnacle, Trans States, Continental/United and others. Do what is right for you, your family and your fellow employees. Don’t be the scapegoat to a national agenda by sacrificing your livelihood. Spirit has offered a very fair contract. Spirit values the pilots and believes strongly that a pilot job at Spirit is well worth having.

Ensure you have all the information about this critical discussion. Understand what is being offered and call your Association representatives to discuss what is fair.
 
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