So what did we learn from the strike?

lostplanetairman

lostplanetairman

Well-Known Member
The solidarity was great and the power of the internet REALLY helped. The company was trying the traditional tactics, scaring the families by cutting off the health insurance, playing funny with the 401k, and saying we were not getting paid (when they knew they had done so). They threatened to become the next Eastern. They tried to find charter lift and figured they could repeat the Lorenzo model and convince a few pilots to cross. But with the internet, information was too swift and the pilots shut the airline down completely. Management never thought that would happen.

But, keep in mind that management at other airlines have been watching this along with Ford & Harrison. They will be shrewder the next time. We all have to be smarter.
 
Congratulations to the Spirit Pilots and the solidarity and strength of character they displayed. They sill serve as a proud example to others in the future. :)
 
I think the Republic pilots have plenty to learn from this in their negotiations. It's time for you guys to get paid, forget your past rates as a basis for your future flying, and don't be fearful for aiming high.
 
Baronman said:
I think the Republic pilots have plenty to learn from this in their negotiations. It's time for you guys to get paid, forget your past rates as a basis for your future flying, and don't be fearful for aiming high.
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Indeed, and I hope this gives the Republic guys the confidence they need to go for a mainline contract this time around.

Further, I think this strike shows that pilots are willing to go to the wall to get a respectable contract.

The entire industry needed this.
 
I think everyone learned that they should have a strike fund, at ALL levels in the industry. If everyone from regional FO's 'up' to major airline captains didn't learn this, they're abject idiots.

Keep robust, non-traditional communication avenues open like the internet, SMS, et al so information can flow quicker. Hell, I probably hit up the national strike chair 50 times in the last week.

Also, that it's important to be a man about it. If the company pushes you to fly struck work, well, what if the company was pushing you to fly a broken airplane? Be a man and go to the wire.
 
lostplanetairman said:
But please know that you need to kick it up a notch in smarts because it's going to get ugly. That's just my opinion.
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I think you're right with this, but I think we've also got something else on our side; momentum.

Or said another way; success breeds success.

Pilots are generally smart people, and I think if we all stay thirsty, and stay maneuverable, pilots across the industry will be able to do the same things that you guys have managed to pull off here, and hopefully with the same level of class.

Oh BTW, just saw a picture of you. I've got to admit, I'm jealous of your stache :)
 
jtrain609 said:
Hit my wife up for the picture, she just pointed him out to me. It's on the ALPA website somewhere.
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It's right here: #2. I'm the third guy in with the first visible sign. Notice the black jeans and motorcycle boots because you know I rode the Beemer into ACY on such a beautiful day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/airlinepilotsassociation/sets/72157624157682007/show/

Once I shaved off the stash. My beautiful bride told me I had a twichy upper lip and would not kiss me till I grew it back. That was about 29 years ago.

Tomorrow is our 31 st anniversary. I have the best, most beautiful bride in the world.
 
lostplanetairman said:
It's right here: #2. I'm the third guy in with the first visible sign. Notice the black jeans and motorcycle boots because you know I rode the Beemer into ACY on such a beautiful day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/airlinepilotsassociation/sets/72157624157682007/show/

Once I shaved off the stash. My beautiful bride told me I had a twichy upper lip and would not kiss me till I grew it back. That was about 29 years ago.

Tomorrow is our 31 st anniversary. I have the best, most beautiful bride in the world.
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My wife loves your wife too!!! :)

(They both post on jetgirls)
 
Yes, my wife talks about how sick she was when she went to the DTW event and Emily was so kind. She had a great time but for being so sick!
 
:)
lostplanetairman said:
It's right here: #2. I'm the third guy in with the first visible sign. Notice the black jeans and motorcycle boots because you know I rode the Beemer into ACY on such a beautiful day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/airlinepilotsassociation/sets/72157624157682007/show/

Once I shaved off the stash. My beautiful bride told me I had a twichy upper lip and would not kiss me till I grew it back. That was about 29 years ago.

Tomorrow is our 31 st anniversary. I have the best, most beautiful bride in the world.
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Awwww, your wife is a very lucky woman (although I suspect you'll respond that you're the lucky one!) ;) Happy anniversary!

BTW, you're a cutie....
 
Qgar said:
:)

Awwww, your wife is a very lucky woman (although I suspect you'll respond that you're the lucky one!) ;) Happy anniversary!

BTW, you're a cutie....
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Aww. You're right. I was the only one on the picket line to get a text message saying, "I love you!" She's my rock.

And now I can afford to buy my bride an anniversary card! LOL!
 
Awesome! :D

you should take her for some maine lobsta (in Maine) tho, i KNOW she likes that!
 
Great outcome at Spirit, glad to hear a positive outcome!

Someone earlier mentioned F. L----zo and Eastern's demise. These buttons were worn during the 1989 strike at Eastern.

my_hats_in_ring.jpg


The hat-in-the-ring from Eddie Rickenbacker's Nieuport 28.

lorenzo_NO.jpg


The sticker above was handed out in boxes. I remember my dad making sure everyone had one of these. SCAB was a regular word used around our house back in 1989.

angry_button.jpg


This button was worn by some strikers too. Lots of anger.

Sorry about the huge images, I tried resizing to a reasonable width and it is does not persist. What's the word on resizing (other than image resizing)?
 
Wow what a week!

Here's some things we learned.

1. SCABS are really out of style these days. Don't even think about crossing a picket line.

2. The Intenet is very powerful and it is a game changer. Cameras are everywhere. Information is almost instant.

3. You can't make 107 million in profits and then attempt to screw the pilots into below 2001 wages because you are an out of touch CEO that has no respect for professional pilots and wants to take everything out of labor.

4. Without the union we would all be working for poverty wages. Unions are necessary in the airline business.

5. Spirit management waited 18 months too long to negotiate the contract that they wanted. Funny thing was they probably could have crammed their sub standard contract though 18 months ago when the economy was really shaky. This was pure greed on their part as they squeezed out 18 more months of 2001 wages for the pilots.

6. Spirit management should have never allowed this strike to happen. The end result was always going to be the same, strike or no strike. Unfortunately it just cost Spirit 12 million dollars in lost business to find this out.

7. Credit card chargebacks are a bitch. Spirit will be dealing with thousands of these chargebacks, over the next several weeks, which will take a lot of manpower. That costs even more $$$. There is absolutely no money in chargebacks.

8. Bankruptcy was never an option for a profitable airline.

9. Shutting down forever was never an option for a profitable airline.

10. Sending planes off to other foreign affiliated companies was never an option for a profitable airline.

11. This wasn't an Eastern. Not even close.

12. "Spirit Math" sucks.

13. When the pilots stick together then good things will happen.

14. Don't expect labor to work for sub standard wages when you are the most profitable airline in the US.

15. Airtran is next. Let's hope they are able to get a contact without a strike.
 
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