PNCL's first -900
- Thread starter H46Bubba
- Start date
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
I've got a better question. Why are so many ALPA members ignorant about how the process works, and resort to blaming the Association for everything? You think ALPA wants this process to drag out this long? They don't have any control over forcing the arbitrator to render a decision any sooner. I'm sure his decision will be retroactive.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Short answer: the Railway Labor Act that airline labor works under. Basically, under the RLA our current contract doesn't "expire," it becomes "ammendable." So, we're forced to work under a contract that was signed into existence 8 years ago. ALPA and management are following the laws set out in that contract for new equipment. It's actually been fast tracked, if you can believe that. Both sides knew the other wouldn't agree to what they wanted, so it more or less went straight to arbitration, which is how it's laid out in the agreement. The arbitrator wants to get all the information and make sure he understands it before coming to a decision. IMO, this is a GOOD thing for the pilots. He could just as easily have taken the Comair, Skywest, Mesaba, Mesa and now ASA rates, averaged them and said "There ya go, industry average. That's what you get." Instead, he's taking time to look at the situation. Also, according to the agreement, whatever the pay rate is, the pilots will get 100% retro pay.
If we said "We won't fly it until we get a pay rate," that would be an illegal job action under the RLA. Fines and possible jail time would be involved with that.
So, it's not ALPA, it's the PROCESS. The only way to speed it up is to get the RLA changed or ammended. I'm betting that would take a LOT longer than arbitration on the pay rates.
