Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
'The Better Part of Valor'
Voting on the TA opens tomorrow. I'd like to start by saying whether you're for or against it, please vote. The issue we face comes to us at a turning point of the industry. Making it clear to our peers and our management that this is an issue we have diligently and throughly examined -it sends a strong message. Whatever we decide, let it not be decided by apathy.
Please vote.
When you vote, please stop to consider the value of the contract you're voting on. Many of you may recall the thought of working without a contract at all if we had been abrogated in bankruptcy. I previously worked for Colgan Air in 2007, at a time when they had neither contract nor union representation. Every day pilots went to work believing that raising the ire of the company could mean termination without recourse. Conditions there aligned with that fear. Many pilots were so annoyed with how we were treated they were actually abandoning trip sequences at outstations and catching jumpseats on other carriers to new jobs. I know this because one day the company president said as much to us while chatting with employees in the terminal. He laughed at us. This was further documented by former Colgan pilot Corey Heiser, who spoke with PBS Frontline after the crash of Colgan 3407. I can speak to his honesty and sincerity- I was his First Officer for four months of my time there.
No contractual protection meant pilots worked in fear and responded as such. It was a grim place to work when things didn't go as planned. I blundered in there unawares of what it would be like. My parents were both former Northwest Airlines employees, and my late Father later taught ground school and simulator periods for American Airlines until he passed. My vision of what an airline was 'supposed to be like' was sharply contrasted with life at Colgan Air.
After the union drive failed in 2007, I sent my résumé wide and with prior 121 experience got a few interview offers with other regionals. When American Eagle welcomed me aboard in early October of that year, I had to politely decline a few other companies. While a long upgrade time was the joke of prospective regional airline pilots everywhere, I saw opportunity and stability in American Eagle. I bet on Eagle.
Time would pass and some things I thought to be true would be correct and others would not. Ultimately though, I slowly became aware of the sharp disparity between the promised progression of a regional pilot career and the end reality. Even still I've often remarked that compared to Colgan Air, on its worst day Eagle still looked like NASA.
A big part of that was most certainly our contract. When Colgan ran a second Union drive in late 2008, I volunteered to travel to their domiciles. I took a paper copy of our contract.
A few short months after that, Colgan Air 3407 crashed, killing fifty people. In the wake of the crash I erected a simple website and campaigned for people to write elected officials and push for more stringent hiring requirements and rest rules for pilots. When many pilots were shying away from the press, I did interviews. I even did an off air interview for Michael Moore's movie segment on regional airline pilots. I like to think that I may have played a small part in the passage of the legislation that followed. I like to think that the end effect of that legislation is more rest and better qualified pilots, but also sociological change in the industry.
A big part of that change is happening now. Pilots are becoming valuable again. We're becoming a more rare and precious commodity like in days of old, and the long hours, extreme low pay and constant fear of our employers doing away with us are slowly changing into a newer, more livable scenario.
The things that we gain to show our value to our companies and to our industry are put down and made legally binding by our contracts. I've fought long and hard to help see that happen.
When you vote, I ask that you please consider the value - our value- that is noted in our contract. Make sure you fully understand what is being changed and what it really means when you cast your vote.
When you do vote, I ask that you vote your conscience. You've heard me time and time again say I'm voting 'no'. I've never wanted to leave here for other carriers besides American. A friend wisely convinced me not to put all my eggs in one basket, but that other basket is a major legacy carrier, and I haven't heard anything yet. My original plan, especially after 2011, was simple. Stay at Eagle, upgrade to Captain, and when the time was right, make the move to American. I'm still here.
I believed, previously, that if we stood our ground, we could keep Eagle largely as it is. Given what I've learned about our prior management, that may have been true. Given our new management's agenda, I must concede that that vision was a little shortsighted. Evolution is now inevitable. However that might turn out is clearly debatable.
I still believe, however, that with the changes in motion in recent years and the trends in the industry, now is the time to make a stand and hold the line. Every time we give up a concession, every time we grow by giving something up, we set the stage for management to erode our mainline counterparts. If this trend continues, there may be far less of mainline component to flow up towards. I believe in this and I've fought for it and I've stuck my neck out more than a few times.
But I've more than said my peace on that, and why I think we pilots should vote 'no'.
I'm really here to talk about what I would ask you to think about before you vote 'yes'.
First and foremost, don't do it just for the 'bonus money'. I've talked to a few pilots that have plans to flow or move up and just want to take the money and run. They have no concern for what they leave behind. Even worse, I've talked to pilots who want to vote yes, and then collect the bonus on their way to an 'alter-Eagle' carrier.
For the love of all that's decent, don't do it because you're leaving and you don't really care. Have some respect for those you leave behind that have to live with the outcome of this vote.
Also, don't do it because you're afraid. Fear is what drove the voters at PSA and Piedmont. Don't do it out of fear because I guarantee this won't be the last time the company threatens us.
If you vote and do choose to vote 'yes', I ask that you do it because you truly, honestly believe it's the right path forward for Envoy pilots. Look past the self-interest and fear that the company is leveraging against us to force our hand and ask yourself if you really believe this will be the best outcome for Envoy pilots. I can't say I agree with it or that I'd like it, but if you can honestly say that, I can at the very least respect it.
Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor. If you believe this is the time to cede ground and this is truly the best we can do, let your vote for it be born of valor instead of self-interest, greed, and manipulation.
We've all argued the points and fought hard and we haven't always been civil. I admit I've been guilty of that at times. Mea culpa. I've put my heart and soul into this job and this profession and I am passionate in what I believe about it. But for now I'm going to settle down for a while and let Envoy pilots make up their minds and make their peace with this decision.
On the 23rd of December, we'll have our outcome to this vote and we'll plot our course from that point forward. But however much we disagree now, whatever we choose to vote, let us all move forward with integrity, honor, and valor while we face our corporate bullies and do the best that we can for ourselves.
... and when the votes are counted, let's all remember that we have to live with each other and the aftermath. People have asked what will separate us from the likes of PSA if this passes. I say, let us be able to look them in the eye and say proudly that we pushed for every single inch we could get and settled for nothing less.
Whatever you vote, if you truly believe you can say that, I for one will respect it.
And whatever may come, we'll move forward. Not because management allows it, but because that's who we are.
We are the original American Eagle. We may never be the same again, so let this time of change be a moment of courage, integrity, and honor.
Please, everyone- cast your votes. Let them hear us!
Voting on the TA opens tomorrow. I'd like to start by saying whether you're for or against it, please vote. The issue we face comes to us at a turning point of the industry. Making it clear to our peers and our management that this is an issue we have diligently and throughly examined -it sends a strong message. Whatever we decide, let it not be decided by apathy.
Please vote.
When you vote, please stop to consider the value of the contract you're voting on. Many of you may recall the thought of working without a contract at all if we had been abrogated in bankruptcy. I previously worked for Colgan Air in 2007, at a time when they had neither contract nor union representation. Every day pilots went to work believing that raising the ire of the company could mean termination without recourse. Conditions there aligned with that fear. Many pilots were so annoyed with how we were treated they were actually abandoning trip sequences at outstations and catching jumpseats on other carriers to new jobs. I know this because one day the company president said as much to us while chatting with employees in the terminal. He laughed at us. This was further documented by former Colgan pilot Corey Heiser, who spoke with PBS Frontline after the crash of Colgan 3407. I can speak to his honesty and sincerity- I was his First Officer for four months of my time there.
No contractual protection meant pilots worked in fear and responded as such. It was a grim place to work when things didn't go as planned. I blundered in there unawares of what it would be like. My parents were both former Northwest Airlines employees, and my late Father later taught ground school and simulator periods for American Airlines until he passed. My vision of what an airline was 'supposed to be like' was sharply contrasted with life at Colgan Air.
After the union drive failed in 2007, I sent my résumé wide and with prior 121 experience got a few interview offers with other regionals. When American Eagle welcomed me aboard in early October of that year, I had to politely decline a few other companies. While a long upgrade time was the joke of prospective regional airline pilots everywhere, I saw opportunity and stability in American Eagle. I bet on Eagle.
Time would pass and some things I thought to be true would be correct and others would not. Ultimately though, I slowly became aware of the sharp disparity between the promised progression of a regional pilot career and the end reality. Even still I've often remarked that compared to Colgan Air, on its worst day Eagle still looked like NASA.
A big part of that was most certainly our contract. When Colgan ran a second Union drive in late 2008, I volunteered to travel to their domiciles. I took a paper copy of our contract.
A few short months after that, Colgan Air 3407 crashed, killing fifty people. In the wake of the crash I erected a simple website and campaigned for people to write elected officials and push for more stringent hiring requirements and rest rules for pilots. When many pilots were shying away from the press, I did interviews. I even did an off air interview for Michael Moore's movie segment on regional airline pilots. I like to think that I may have played a small part in the passage of the legislation that followed. I like to think that the end effect of that legislation is more rest and better qualified pilots, but also sociological change in the industry.
A big part of that change is happening now. Pilots are becoming valuable again. We're becoming a more rare and precious commodity like in days of old, and the long hours, extreme low pay and constant fear of our employers doing away with us are slowly changing into a newer, more livable scenario.
The things that we gain to show our value to our companies and to our industry are put down and made legally binding by our contracts. I've fought long and hard to help see that happen.
When you vote, I ask that you please consider the value - our value- that is noted in our contract. Make sure you fully understand what is being changed and what it really means when you cast your vote.
When you do vote, I ask that you vote your conscience. You've heard me time and time again say I'm voting 'no'. I've never wanted to leave here for other carriers besides American. A friend wisely convinced me not to put all my eggs in one basket, but that other basket is a major legacy carrier, and I haven't heard anything yet. My original plan, especially after 2011, was simple. Stay at Eagle, upgrade to Captain, and when the time was right, make the move to American. I'm still here.
I believed, previously, that if we stood our ground, we could keep Eagle largely as it is. Given what I've learned about our prior management, that may have been true. Given our new management's agenda, I must concede that that vision was a little shortsighted. Evolution is now inevitable. However that might turn out is clearly debatable.
I still believe, however, that with the changes in motion in recent years and the trends in the industry, now is the time to make a stand and hold the line. Every time we give up a concession, every time we grow by giving something up, we set the stage for management to erode our mainline counterparts. If this trend continues, there may be far less of mainline component to flow up towards. I believe in this and I've fought for it and I've stuck my neck out more than a few times.
But I've more than said my peace on that, and why I think we pilots should vote 'no'.
I'm really here to talk about what I would ask you to think about before you vote 'yes'.
First and foremost, don't do it just for the 'bonus money'. I've talked to a few pilots that have plans to flow or move up and just want to take the money and run. They have no concern for what they leave behind. Even worse, I've talked to pilots who want to vote yes, and then collect the bonus on their way to an 'alter-Eagle' carrier.
For the love of all that's decent, don't do it because you're leaving and you don't really care. Have some respect for those you leave behind that have to live with the outcome of this vote.
Also, don't do it because you're afraid. Fear is what drove the voters at PSA and Piedmont. Don't do it out of fear because I guarantee this won't be the last time the company threatens us.
If you vote and do choose to vote 'yes', I ask that you do it because you truly, honestly believe it's the right path forward for Envoy pilots. Look past the self-interest and fear that the company is leveraging against us to force our hand and ask yourself if you really believe this will be the best outcome for Envoy pilots. I can't say I agree with it or that I'd like it, but if you can honestly say that, I can at the very least respect it.
Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valor. If you believe this is the time to cede ground and this is truly the best we can do, let your vote for it be born of valor instead of self-interest, greed, and manipulation.
We've all argued the points and fought hard and we haven't always been civil. I admit I've been guilty of that at times. Mea culpa. I've put my heart and soul into this job and this profession and I am passionate in what I believe about it. But for now I'm going to settle down for a while and let Envoy pilots make up their minds and make their peace with this decision.
On the 23rd of December, we'll have our outcome to this vote and we'll plot our course from that point forward. But however much we disagree now, whatever we choose to vote, let us all move forward with integrity, honor, and valor while we face our corporate bullies and do the best that we can for ourselves.
... and when the votes are counted, let's all remember that we have to live with each other and the aftermath. People have asked what will separate us from the likes of PSA if this passes. I say, let us be able to look them in the eye and say proudly that we pushed for every single inch we could get and settled for nothing less.
Whatever you vote, if you truly believe you can say that, I for one will respect it.
And whatever may come, we'll move forward. Not because management allows it, but because that's who we are.
We are the original American Eagle. We may never be the same again, so let this time of change be a moment of courage, integrity, and honor.
Please, everyone- cast your votes. Let them hear us!
