Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
Patty D promised us in the "leaked audio" meeting with the LCAs that we were going to be in 4.a.2.b. by February.
Take it to the bank.
Postal Service chooses UPS over FedEx.
- Thread starter Hacker15e
- Start date
Take it to the bank.
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
FWIW, my take on the Union happenings in the last 9 months is that this is something that has needed to occur for literally decades. This pilot group has been incredibly deferential to the company because (long ago) there was a perception (and probably a kernel of truth to) that the company actually cared and wanted to be a partner with the Association for the success of the company.
What appears to be acts in a circus are actually union members doing union things to get representation that actually represents their interests.
What appears to be acts in a circus are actually union members doing union things to get representation that actually represents their interests.
That’s part of the issue, (issue isn’t really the correct term, because the pilots deserve the money they are making) but Being poor keeps you humble.
DE727UPS
Well-Known Member
Interesting comment. Thoughts on FDX intentionally making things look bad to break the union and cause panic? There was always an opinion amongst the brown group that purple's pilot group was not unified. Like, if we brown guys don't stick together we are gonna end up divisive and divided like the purple guys. Your last TA blew our collective minds (speaking as a retiree that is still paying attention to the brown vibe). All I can do is wish you luck. You are seriously a good dude and one who's posts I've paid close attention to over the years here. In spite of the current unpleasantness, I'd not be quick to bail from Fedex. Crap could happen and one could end up on the street for a time. But if crap happens on the freight end, I'm going to bet things much worse are in store for those at the bottom of the list as a new hire somewhere else. They say UPS and Fedex are the bellwether of things to come. If things get bad, I'd rather be on the street with a number at Fedex cause that's the first place to see the upswing. I think people are becoming more and more used to ordering their stuff online and shipping Amazon, Fedex, or UPS. That's the way of the future. Best of luck. And don't give up the pension.
Screaming_Emu
Joe Conventional
Humble…broken in spirit…same same.
JustinS
Well-Known Member
43% of the pilot group decided to vote away the pension, and they thought it was acceptable to give up scope. It was very divided unfortunately. I think there’s a changing tide as you have folks retiring, and about roughly 600 pilots who were on probation unable to vote who I think overwhelmingly as a demographic would’ve voted no given the opportunity. As each day passes, and the union gets its house in order the pilot group becomes more and more unified. It’s great to see.
Historically that may be true, but what you’re witnessing in pilot staffing isn’t necessary a sign of what is going on economically at purple. If you look at their current fleet size they have parked ~26 MD-11s, and ~35 757s and ~5 A300s over the last 16 months. In that time they’ve received 12 767s, and 4 777s. Their fleet as of now has shrunk to be slightly smaller than it was at the end of 2019 before COVID rocked the world. Difference between then and now is that with the same fleet size in 2024 that they had in 2019 they have roughly 600 more pilots now than they had in the end of 2019. Meanwhile CGN closed and all associated flying was lost. HKG base was also closed through COVID however OAK and other bases still seem to have a sizable presence of Asia flying for now.
TL;DR:
December 2019: ~5,000 Pilots ~385 Planes
April 2024: ~5,600 Pilots ~380 Planes
Couple this with CGN closing and associated Europe narrowbody flying going away (replaced 100% by ASL Airlines), the loss of the USPS contract, and over hiring, and you can see a concerning staffing situation develop that is separate from any real economic impact at this point in time when you see that fleet size is basically the same as it was in 2019 with arguably a larger scoped out flying fleet than there was in 2019. So historically it has been a bellwether, but at this point in time it’s merely being overstaffed for the present conditions.
I wish nothing but the best for my friends and everyone at purple. It pains me to see where things are right now.
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JustinS
Well-Known Member
From what I’ve read that contract is specifically for air cargo. When FedEx announced the contract in 2001, they said they planned to hire 500 pilots.
ICYMI Historic contract means UPS will deliver for the United States Postal Service and America
Post Office Hires FedEx to Fly Mail
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From what I understand the contract is the air contract but the amount to be flown is significantly less.
JustinS
Well-Known Member
I mean just based on pilot numbers, 30% seems like a pretty significant cut. I read another number saying that FedEx hired 900-1000 pilots for the 2002 postal contract, but I’ve been unable to confirm that number. If that were the case then closer to a 60-65% cut which is extremely significant. I’m sure the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but that 340 makes a lot of sense.
There were alot of FE positions back then.
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
Important to note that it was a 57% aye / 43% nay vote to ratify the 2015 contract, too, with a similarly contentious debate about the TA.
It was enlightening to go back and read a bunch of the posts on APC during that timeframe and see a lot of the same company glad-handing in an alarming number of posts. A lot of interesting TonyC content in there as well, for anyone who wants to see where he has acted historically.
I still am curious about what it is going to take for Purple pilots to fly their schedules and take their scheduled deadheads.
We will know a bit more based on the results of the membership of the new NC.
scooter2525
Very well Member
There was additional flying mentioned before the postal contract.
ERfly
Well-Known Member
I, too, worry about our unity here. I see a lot of independent contractors (not quite as many as I saw at AA, but more than I'd like to see).
I was hoping against all hope that the current FLEX instructors (seniority list instructors) would not be picking up extra in light of the firing of the PRO instructors (non-seniority list), but I understand that they're feeding well from the trough. (Not all fleets, but more than I'd like to see)
Same thing when Draft calls go out. A few people skip, but the trip disappears from Open Time within 20 minutes.
The most common excuse: "Well, if I don't do it, someone else will." Uh...that's not how it works, Scooter.
I agree with you, though. I'd still rather be here than at the bottom of a pax carrier list. AA proved their true colors in 2020 with Covid. And APA showed their true colors with the argument against furlough mitigation. I don't remember the exact quote from a rep at a junior base, but it was disgusting and basically saying you hadn't paid your dues if you hadn't been furloughed.
I'm convinced that if a mosquito were to fart, AA's answer would be a furlough.
SFCC/UND
Well-Known Member
Was there? Never saw anything in the newsletter minus the 130 something extra flights
A350, A330, 767, international…..whatever.
You know your best time there was on the 737-232(Adv).
I will never fly my scheduled deadhead.
Avalon781ML
Well-Known Member
I don’t like where I think Mgt wants us to end up. I think the brand has been irreparably damaged and will be further damaged as we start to see more significant service failures. I hope that the entire industry falters a little in the future to cover up the fact that our “leaders” have failed our customers, the employees, and the almighty shareholders out of a more sustainable future. I don’t have a lot of faith in our current reactionary, lead by misery, and shrink to epic profits leadership.
I’m going to stay put until I see something occur that 1) I can not tolerate for personal reasons or 2) indicates to me that my position will be eliminated.
Barring that I will be protective of my coworkers and myself without too much regard for fuel savings and the like…. Until things change around here.
I’m going to stay put until I see something occur that 1) I can not tolerate for personal reasons or 2) indicates to me that my position will be eliminated.
Barring that I will be protective of my coworkers and myself without too much regard for fuel savings and the like…. Until things change around here.
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