United Pilots reach Agreement in Principle

Seggy

Seggy

Well-Known Member
November 20, 2015


Dear United Pilots,

The abbreviated period of negotiations has come to a close and I am pleased to announce that today, we reached an Agreement in Principle (AIP) for a two year extension to the United Pilot Agreement.

The guidance that we received through polling, surveys and emails mandated that, in addition to industry leading compensation, we look for improvements without any offsets (concessions). This AIP, as a primarily economic package, comports with that guidance.

A special meeting of the MEC has been called for this weekend to brief them on the AIP. The process thereafter requires that we draft final language which is likely to take at least two to three weeks. Then, it will be presented to the MEC for their consideration as a Tentative Agreement (TA).

It’s understandable that you have a desire for more details, and should the MEC accept the TA and send it out for membership ratification, we commit to giving you full contract language as well as all supporting documentation. I encourage you to remain connected by watching for additional updates and speaking with your Local Council representatives for the latest information.

We are United,

Captain Jay Heppner
Chairman, United Master Executive Council
 
AAPalmTree said:
Management coming to pilots early with money. Makes me nervous.
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Actually, I feel the opposite way. It shows that management actually gets it. The current environment is one where money is going to get paid out and doing it sooner rather than later (when the average has gone up) is easier and tends to calm the Board of Directors and the stock price.
 
Am I the only one who doesn't care so much about pay rates and would rather work for a growing, successful company people actually want to buy tickets on?

I came to where I did because they called me first but above the regional level (and outside Allegiant) I would much rather be at a company I can see growing with a large loyal base of customers over making more money. DL has it figured out, and always have, but outside there I think UA and AA are floundering and are losing market share to the Southwest's and jetBlue's of the industry hand over fist.

Instead of pay raises (and stock buy backs!) I'd much rather see management make investments in our product. It seems lately it's just been a fight about who gets the money - management, investors, or employees, and the customer has been completely forgotten.
 
BobDDuck said:
Actually, I feel the opposite way. It shows that management actually gets it. The current environment is one where money is going to get paid out and doing it sooner rather than later (when the average has gone up) is easier and tends to calm the Board of Directors and the stock price.
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Yeah, they said the same thing about the Delta TA, "LOOK AT THE MONEY!!!?!!!" yet completely glossed over the concessions. Try'd to sell them as anything but. Thought guys would be blinded by the $$$
 
wheelsup said:
Am I the only one who doesn't care so much about pay rates and would rather work for a growing, successful company people actually want to buy tickets on?

I came to where I did because they called me first but above the regional level (and outside Allegiant) I would much rather be at a company I can see growing with a large loyal base of customers over making more money. DL has it figured out, and always have, but outside there I think UA and AA are floundering and are losing market share to the Southwest's and jetBlue's of the industry hand over fist.

Instead of pay raises (and stock buy backs!) I'd much rather see management make investments in our product. It seems lately it's just been a fight about who gets the money - management, investors, or employees, and the customer has been completely forgotten.
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This. Two ways to get more. Fight to get a bigger share of the pie. Work to make the pie bigger. Only one is sustainable.
 
Cptnchia said:
Yeah, they said the same thing about the Delta TA, "LOOK AT THE MONEY!!!?!!!" yet completely glossed over the concessions. Try'd to sell them as anything but. Thought guys would be blinded by the $$$
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That was a huge failing on the part of DALPA. You know better than I do about the institutional failure that has taken place there.
 
wheelsup said:
Am I the only one who doesn't care so much about pay rates and would rather work for a growing, successful company people actually want to buy tickets on?

I came to where I did because they called me first but above the regional level (and outside Allegiant) I would much rather be at a company I can see growing with a large loyal base of customers over making more money. DL has it figured out, and always have, but outside there I think UA and AA are floundering and are losing market share to the Southwest's and jetBlue's of the industry hand over fist.

Instead of pay raises (and stock buy backs!) I'd much rather see management make investments in our product. It seems lately it's just been a fight about who gets the money - management, investors, or employees, and the customer has been completely forgotten.
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You are still free to pursue another airline, it isn't a 30 year sentence.
 
wheelsup said:
Am I the only one who doesn't care so much about pay rates and would rather work for a growing, successful company people actually want to buy tickets on?

I came to where I did because they called me first but above the regional level (and outside Allegiant) I would much rather be at a company I can see growing with a large loyal base of customers over making more money. DL has it figured out, and always have, but outside there I think UA and AA are floundering and are losing market share to the Southwest's and jetBlue's of the industry hand over fist.

Instead of pay raises (and stock buy backs!) I'd much rather see management make investments in our product. It seems lately it's just been a fight about who gets the money - management, investors, or employees, and the customer has been completely forgotten.
Click to expand...

The grass is always greener.

AA is in the middle of a merger, we are hiring now when UAL and DAL at our point in their mergers weren't. We have more aircraft orders than anyone else. Just because we don't have hipster music playing during boarding doesn't make us worse.

Look, airlines aren't going to be like they were in the 1960s and comparing us to Emirates and Ethiad isn't realistic. You are paid well, have good benefits and have a stable future. Honestly what more do you want?
 
skyw82 said:
The grass is always greener.

AA is in the middle of a merger, we are hiring now when UAL and DAL at our point in their mergers weren't. We have more aircraft orders than anyone else. Just because we don't have hipster music playing during boarding doesn't make us worse.

Look, airlines aren't going to be like they were in the 1960s and comparing us to Emirates and Ethiad isn't realistic. You are paid well, have good benefits and have a stable future. Honestly what more do you want?
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thumbs up.
 
This letter is making the rounds.

I COMPLETELY agree with the sentiment...

December 3, 2015

Captain Glenn Johnson, Council 5 Captain Representative

First Officer Mark Leneski, Council 5 FO Representative

First Officer Phil Wenzel, Council 5 Secretary/Treasurer

United Local Executive Council 5 Air Line Pilot’s Association, International 9550 W. Higgins Road, Suite 1000 Rosemont, Illinois 60018


Dear Glenn, Mark, and Phil:

We write to you as a broad cross-section of very concerned Council 5 pilots regarding the recent Agreement-In-Principle (“AIP”) negotiated by the Negotiating Committee and the company. As you know, some information regarding the AIP has been made public to both the pilot group and the press. We fully recognize that this AIP may not achieve all of the goals of a full Section 6 negotiations process, but it would be naive to suggest that it does not represent a substantial amount of economic value to the pilot group. We feel that an agreement with this kind of potential future economic value should be decided by the entire pilot group, as has recently occurred at other major airlines.

This letter is not intended to debate the merits, or lack thereof, of the AIP. It is a request of you, our elected representatives, that an AIP of this magnitude should not be decided solely by the MEC. It should be affirmed and presented to the pilots, along with any supporting factual data and information for a membership ratification vote. As our elected representatives, we have great faith in the decisions you make that affect our careers. In the matter of this AIP we would like all United pilots to be fully informed and have the opportunity to decide its fate.

As you know, with over 12,000 pilots at United Airlines, there is certainly no one “correct” answer in this debate and every pilot’s opinion on the matter is valid. Most recently we witnessed failed contract ratification processes at both Delta and Southwest and we have also witnessed a successful contract ratification process at FedEx. In all 3 cases, the pilots collectively decided their future and we believe that United’s pilots deserve the same opportunity. Further, it could be argued that if the pilot group ultimately decides to not ratify a Tentative Agreement on this issue, then the leverage created out of that situation would be greater than if the MEC were to reject the TA without sending it to the pilots.

We all understand that there are times where the MEC should, as a body, not send a Tentative Agreement to the pilot group for membership ratification. For example, if there were an agreement that was concessionary in nature from the current contract and absolutely not in line with our union’s long term strategic goals (e.g., an obvious degradation to the terms of our Scope section such allowing the company to outsource flying with greater than 76 seats). That does not appear to be the case here. It has been 3 years since the United Pilot Agreement went into effect and as a result, the line pilots would be voting on this contract extension with their eyes wide open to both the positive and negative aspects of the contract.

In closing, we strongly request that you, as our elected representatives, vote at the MEC level to allow the pilot group to decide the fate of this critical career issue.

Sincerely,


Michael De Santis
EWR B756 Captain

Robert Slovitsky
EWR A320 Captain

David Dahl
EWR B737 Captain

James LaRosa
EWR B737 Captain

Peter Faller
EWR B777 First Officer

Neal Schwartz
EWR B737 Captain
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Derg said:
UAL doesn't have MEMRAT?
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Oh HELLS yes we do. As a matter of fact, we have a flow chart in our MEC policy manual (page 139) I attached below.

The gentlemen who wrote the letter simply want a chance to vote on it as it does substantially affect wages and working conditions and not leave it in the hands of the MEC to say no on it without the pilots seeing it.
 

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