Eagle pilots reject 'or else' offer
- Thread starter Firebird2XC
- Start date
Maurus
The Great Gazoo
Yeah his new years email was interesting to say the least.
"serious challenges that will be overcome only through the resolute unity our members demonstrate every day."
Too bad he is disconnected from the regional side. No unity here where we have different ALPA carriers undercutting each other so they can get engines under their wings.
He's looking out for the ATA/A4A.
It's some sort of ridiculous "trickle down" mentality that he tried at DALPA that kept getting lipstick on the pig vis a vis incremental improvements on a bankruptcy contract and claiming that it was a great move forward as the company was pocketing billions.
Basically, if the company is wildly profitable, we'll get a spanky raise. However, when it came time to ask for that raise, our union leadership (directed by him) didn't want to rock the boat or even have the company acknowledge that a good portion of that money that management was awarding itself with, was coming out of our livelihood.
And don't get me started on his "Recovery Compact". That one's been swept under the rug with cat-like quickness.
It's some sort of ridiculous "trickle down" mentality that he tried at DALPA that kept getting lipstick on the pig vis a vis incremental improvements on a bankruptcy contract and claiming that it was a great move forward as the company was pocketing billions.
Basically, if the company is wildly profitable, we'll get a spanky raise. However, when it came time to ask for that raise, our union leadership (directed by him) didn't want to rock the boat or even have the company acknowledge that a good portion of that money that management was awarding itself with, was coming out of our livelihood.
And don't get me started on his "Recovery Compact". That one's been swept under the rug with cat-like quickness.
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amorris311
Well-Known Member
Not just that. Regional pilots for the most part are decades younger than the superior mainline pilots. We, regional pilots, are the future of ALPA or whatever pilot union we belong to. There will be big changes coming our way but we need to deal with them on a pilot level, not an airline management level.
Dugie8
Well-Known Member
Serious or sarcasm?
Vector4Food
This job would be easier without all the airplanes
Congratulations to this group for having a backbone
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
I was there when Moak personally promised Eagle pilots every tool at National's disposal to help us get through this.
I wonder where all those tools went? Perhaps some toolbag has kept them all to himself?
I was there when Moak personally promised Eagle pilots every tool at National's disposal to help us get through this.
I wonder where all those tools went? Perhaps some toolbag has kept them all to himself?
Probably doesn't want to upset his management buddies.
PhilosopherPilot
Well-Known Member
I'm not talking about this negotiation. They may very well get better pay, etc., but in the long run more undercutting airlines will come along, and Eagle, XJT, and other relatively high paying regional jobs will disappear.
The majors hold all the cards, and they don't want the regionals to be large anymore. It's easy to just keep moving the flying around all the while reducing the amount of overall regional flying.
jtrain609
Antisocial Monster
I've been thinking about this one, and how it relates to Inc owning ExpressJet.
Inc paid $425 million for ASA in 2005, and then an additional $133 million for ExpressJet in 2010. They're already a half a billion dollars into the acquisition game, and that's not even including what Inc has put into the two companies over the last 8 years to make them "cost competitive" (TFAYD).
Is Inc willing to write that kind of investment off? I understand what you're saying in that the majors hold the cards, but Inc can allow the new ExpressJet to survive if they want, or they can allow that investment to be a waste.
That's the more interesting discussion, but maybe that's only because I'm strapped into the sinking ship.
PhilosopherPilot
Well-Known Member
I hear ya. I knew it was time to go when I lost confidence in the executives. I'm not going to say anything publicly here about specific people, but holy cow have they screwed the pooch.
What about the people they've hired beneath them. It's like a Detroit GED convention in that G.O.
PhilosopherPilot
Well-Known Member
Some are weak, but most do the best they can with:
A- The resources given to them.
B- The permissions given to them.
C- The reduced ability to speak their minds without losing their jobs.
A great example:
A while back a person in charge of determining the staffing wanted to hire more pilots to avoid a summer meltdown. This person pleaded to hire pilots. They were told, "Your job is to make us aware of the needs. Our job is to make a decision based on that information. You've done your job, and we've decided to not hire."
That sort of thing happened a lot. Granted, it is easy to snipe at their decisions from the outside, but some executives refuse to understand that XJT is not Delta. They also do not tolerate dissent, and therefore NO ONE speaks up. Ever. So bad decisions get made with most of the lower managers knowing they are terrible. It's a toxic environment that I never want to work in again.
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
Yeah. Seems to be a trend.
I *hate* politics but lately it seems like the only way to fix ALPA would be to put people I know to be true to the cause in office somehow.
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
You assume they really want to get rid of regionals. The problem with that theory is that modern so-called regionals exist to keep mainline pilot groups off guard. We ARE leverage.
That's why any time a regional group takes a pay cut, a drive to cut scope limits at mainline follows.
That's why it's so vital to hold the line at regionals. WE ARE the battleground for the whole profession.
That's why mainline won't just 'disappear' us either. They don't have an alternative. Without regionals, it's the early 70s again, and their consolidated super-profitability won't just go to lining management's pockets.
They need us as much as we need them.
PhilosopherPilot
Well-Known Member
Maybe so, but how do you hold the line when other airlines are running away behind you?
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
You stand up and wave the flag and give them something to rally around. You show them that standing up doesn't have to mean getting knocked down. The phrase "go that way!" inspires no one- the phrase "follow me!" has been doing the impossible since the beginning of human history.
... and you have to remember that a few people will knuckle under and break ranks. When that happens, you close ranks and keep moving forward. "A coward dies a thousand deaths, a hero, only one."
I think we finally have one at DALPA. Unfortunately, I'll betchya "The Big Guy" is going to put a lot of pressure on DALPA to "maintain formation" because if we break away from 'proactive engagement' and our 'yes sir, right away sir, I'll get the troops behind the idea" relationship with the company, other pilot groups are going to tell him to stuff his "new realities" up his badonkadonk.
Seggy
Well-Known Member
FedEx has 'size' but that doesn't give them leverage due to their business model.
Eagle and XJT have 'size' as well, but y'all even have LESS leverage than FedEx due to the regional business model.
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
Maybe that's what we need. There's something to be said for diplomacy, yes, but diplomacy is not the same as complicity. Some of our union officials might need a refresher course in the meanings of those two words.