captain_drew

FYI. These boys need to get some balls. Christ, talk about leverage...the pilots at FedEx have more than ANY pilot group I've ever seen, yet sit there like limp dicks.

Subject: union stuff

Gents, I just had a lengthy conversation with one of the officers at ALPA. It was very enlightening so I thought I'd share it with as many FedEx guys as I have email for. We spoke for about an hour about the negotiating process and more was said than I can possibly relay via email so I’ll condense it.

The membership is driving the pace of negotiations! The proof is in the results of two sections, vacation and PBS. As you may recall those were/are two hotly contested items. So hot in fact and so strong was the memberships response to the threat of messing with vacation and inducing PBS that Meliniak did not open them at the table. He knew from our tone in the crew room that he would meet with so much resistance that he has not touched them!

I was shocked to learn that the company could measure our resolve from conversations in the crew room. So, why are we doing so poorly with respect to the rest of the contract? This is the nutshell version. Because the boxes are getting to their destinations every night with minimal effort. We spoke loud and clear... don't mess with my vacation and they listened.

But then we line up to sell back vacation, volunteer, trip trade, do make up flying and generally do whatever it takes to get at the open time to make the extra $$. Remember, this is the nutshell version.

We have failed miserably to bring any economic pressure to bear on the company thereby enabling their stalling tactic! When I refer to we, I mean each one of us as individuals, not as a collective union. We all know the union can’t legally tell us what to do until midnight after the 30 day cooling off period has ended.

This is quite simply a case of some unknown number of individuals putting priority on their personal financial position instead of on the negotiating process. This is not an accusation but a matter of fact. To be honest I had no idea that the simple act of flying an over time trip or two would have such a dramatic impact on the process.

When you sit back and think about it, it makes perfect sense. Apparently management has relayed that trips are covered up to 4 people deep in some seats with volunteers. Why not drag things out at the table, it's business as usual.

This is not a call to arms but a call to attention. I am not telling anyone what to do. I can only relay what my commitment will be and hope that others will consider the same course.

From this day forward I intend to fly my schedule with no increase in credit. I may trade off of a night hub turn to a day turn if I can and it doesn't increase the value of my line. In fact I may consider trading down in value to help add pressure.

It is my belief and the belief of people closer to the process than I that this is what it will take to speed up the process. I intend to do my part. My part is not only to fly my schedule but to share my commitment with every one I know and those I fly with.

Please keep in mind this is not a union action! I wouldn't even consider it a grass roots action. It's just one way that I've decided to get involved in the process. If this is a something that each one of you can relate to and decide to participate in, great. One of the keys to making a commitment of this sort is to disregard what the other guy is doing.

Don't think about what you are missing out on or how much overtime your neighbor is getting. If this is something that you can’t support, that is your right and your option, but don't complain when we are still in negotiations next peak.

Additionally, if you hear the union come out publicly and say we need you to fly overtime, GREAT, it’s working, stay the course! The pressure is on, the boxes are not getting there and the company is blaming the union.

One note as an interesting aside to all of this. According to all the polling the Wilson center has done we have more support for a strike than United did for their 1985 strike! Quite astounding. Interestingly though, when asked if "you feel the membership will support a strike” almost the same number feels the membership would not.

The message is, we have little faith in ourselves as a group. An unfounded lack of faith I might add. It follows, don't worry about what the other guy will do.

Make a commitment, share it and stick to it. I hate it when I hear unfounded rumors that a certain group (say the junior guys as an example) won't support a strike, that they are just happy to have a job, or whatever the current rumor is.

Perhaps a few people feel that way but the polling indicates otherwise. To share that feeling with others only helps to perpetuate the lack of confidence in ourselves as a group that we have clearly demonstrated. I wouldn't be surprised if a similar fact existed about overtime flying.

If you feel that this is worthy of forwarding to other FedEx pilots you know, please do so.Regards, Alan

Sasquatch

He hit the truth square on.

As the saying goes, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."

captain_drew

Roger that!

Wasn’t that one of the old Dirty 30 guys who said that . .a guy named Pogo, right? <g>

TonyC

When the Company stepped away from facilitated negotiations, they showed their true colors. When they sought NMB mediation, I changed my uniform. My uniform now includes a hat - - my "100% hat."

When you see my hat in the crew room, or on the crew bus, or in the terminal, you can remember that I am unhappy with the pace of negotiations, and I blame the Company for that. You can be assured that I will do everything within my power, and everything that my union and fellow pilots ask of me, to ensure that negotiations are brought to a swift conclusion, and that the contract offered recognizes my contribution to the phenomenal success of our company. I am reminded that while I enjoyed Christmas with my family with no pay raise in 2 years, our top executives were rolling in literally millions of dollars in bonuses. That tends to put a bitter taste in my mouth. (Not that they got the bonuses, but that we are left out in the cold - - sorry, three jumbo shrimp on a plastic plate doesn't compensate.)

When you see my hat, you can also be assured that I will contribute 100.0% towards the successful completion of each leg assigned to me. That's "one hundred POINT zero percent." I have no desire to work extra days at straight pay, in fact I have no desire to work extra days at time and a half or double time. I have no desire to work through my vacations. I have not taxied fast before, and I will not begin taxing fast now. I will fly the flight plan, even if it means I get to the hotel a few minutes later than my tired eyes would prefer. If ATC offers a shortcut, I will accept, but I won't ask for shortcuts. I will fly the scheduled heads. These are things I have chosen to do, and they are my personal decisions. I won't condemn or ridicule other pilots who make other choices, because I recognize legitimate reasons to act otherwise. These are just MY ways of remaining focused on doing my job to the best of my ability, 100%. One Hundred Point Zero.

Also, when you see my hat, you won't see my bald spot. It's actually kinda warm.

If you're interested, I can tell you where you can get your own hat, too.





- The truth only hurts if it should. -

FedEx1

Ok I see your points... but no TRIP TRADING? Gimme a break. And "make up" flying IS part of my regular schedule, but maybe I was sick or had something else going on. That stuff is even-stevens. It isn't (necessarily) extra. Maybe asking guys to stay around BLG would be better advice.

TonyC

I'll venture into yet another conversation that contains "necessarily," only this time I'll try to be more careful.


I believe the type of trip trading referred to here is the kind that increases BLG. Instead of flying a 6:00CH trip on Tuesday, I see a 6:23CH trip that fits the same footprint, but earns more because of block hours. No thank you, that increases my "productivity." I'll leave the trip in Open time hoping that a Reserve Pilot will get the 6:23 leveling instead of a 6:00 from another trip.

On the other hand, if I have a 6:00 CH trip on Friday, and I can swap it with a 6:23 CH trip that happens to end in a deadhead on my side of the country, well, that's an entirely different thing. I don't think it's fair to ask guys to shoot themselves in the foot for this - - yet.

I suppose I'd be more sympathetic to a guy who was awarded a lower BLG line trying to get back up to AVG BLG or even the high BLG by trip trading, but not much. No sympathy at all for the guys with the higher-paying lines doing it to get paid still more.


Makeup... sticky subject. The Company has designed the sick bank and sick makeup system to make it appear to be to your advantage to not be sick, or to make up your sick time. I submit that in the long run, you'd be better off to take the sick days, and not worry about making them up. Most new guys will wait six years before they begin to amount to anything. If you are making up a sick day, you're basically working for free for the promise of a benefit many years down the road. If you absolutely MUST work that extra day, do it at 150% and enjoy the benefit today. Better yet, put the money from that Draft trip in the bank, and compare its value with the value of the one Make-Up Sick trip you did 6 years from now. I think you'll be astounded.


Another practice that aggrivates me is flying carryover trips, which basically amount to extra work at straight time. Sure, we can all put more money in our paychecks by flying all this extra time, but as long as we're willing to do it, I see no incentive for the company to pay us more, or to hire more of us. I try to fly my BLG.


That's just my opinion.



- The truth only hurts if it should. -

captain_drew

I understood the gist of the original the first time around. .. AND. concur 100%

As a career commuter, I did a LOT of trip trading when in a position of not being senior enough to hold the 1st choice bid line. With days off in MEM, there was a frenzy of Trip Trading, NOT to increase BLG . . . but to block more trips in a row and enjoy more time at home. As a matter of fact, when someone first pointed out how they were ‘bulking up’ their BLG via Trip Trading, I was astounded that anyone would be of that mind set. MY goal was quality of life (i.e. days off at home) NOT playing the system for a bigger paycheck.

As for “Carryover” -I apologize for past sins. . but most of the time the home town double DH commuter line I REALLY wanted most every month had that pesky CO trip tacked on the end of it. I did not relish flying an extra week at straight pay, when I could possibly have been working that week at 150% . . BUT. . you know THAT is exactly what they do it for. They are not as dumb as they look. . they have all the angles figured out. Plug that extra trip on a juicy commuter line and they won’t have to burn a Reserve or pay 150% for someone to fly it. Mea Culpa.

captain_drew

Hey, Tony!

I ‘adjusted’ the boss’s photo a little to put it more in character.

Here it is:
http://www.farm-boy-navy-pilot-airli...ightFurher.jpg

Tell me if I caught the essence <G> -and use it. . if you dare

I often wonder why filthy rich guys scowl so much. He is either scheming ways to hose the peons more . .or maybe he just read the latest police report of one of his offspring’s activities?

TonyC

Brother, did you!










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