MEMFO4Ever

So no APC poster went to this meeting or are they still all sleeping? Maybe attendees were told to keep everything on the down-low. We wouldn't want information sans spin getting out.

FDXer

Yes I went. Started off cordial and then it got pretty heated. Dave Webb and Derek Martin were there. Talked about age 65 and how this was Prater's agenda when he got elected to National. A lot of his comments were how he had to protect seniority by introducing the amendment for retro-activity. That's when the fireworks started. He said "your seniority number wouldn't be worth the paper it's printed on" without it. He kept bringing up what appeared to me as "DW and the MEC knows better" than 75% of the pilot group. His numbers not mine.

He talked about the slowdown in the economy and how we should have our finances in order for the next two years.

He talked about the 757/flex issue. The company is doing everything by the contract and these guys should not expect to be paid widebody pay.

There was a lot of finger pointing and DW doing his typical "go ahead and hit me in the chest with those fingers--I know you want to--come on".

I left when he started the old line of recall your block reps and then they can recall the MEC. I'm not going to walk this pilot force over a cliff. Go ahead and elect someone that will.

The meeting was going on well past 2am. I saw a few other forum members there--maybe they'll elaborate.

FDXLAG

DW kicked off the meeting by apologizing for the LOA. He admitted he was wrong and in fact conceded the FDAs did not go senior. He reiterated that the main problem was a communication failure but then stressed that listening was a big part of communication and that is where they failed.

Gunter

DW said he thinks he knows why PC canceled the 2 bids. It avoids a situation where relatively junior folks upgraded in the vacancy bid have to be excessed after the DC10 excess bid (due to age 65) The reasoning is a portion (170 or less) of the over 60 crowd will take the upgrades that were going to more junior folks in the second bid.

Why only cancel part of the bid? DW says he spoke to PC about how folks have probably paid deposits and made irrevokable financial commitments with many of the awards (not just the overseas ones but those were most lifechanging). He feels this may have influenced PC to keep the FDA awards. He said PC has a right to do it, so its up to him. I had to leave during part of the talk about passover, but I think the thought was you MAY get it if HKG or CDG was #2 on your bid on the first bid, could hold it, and can't get your #1 award on the second bid after having it taken away from you after the first bid was canceled

Gunter

A very late explanation about how the push for age 65 went down. This created some heated finger pointing. Part of what DW said was while 65% of the panel at national was for age 65 change, 85% were for the retro part DW introduced. He said no other rep was going to introduce retro. DW thought it was the right thing to do so after age 65 changed to give those guys on the property over 60 the ability to excercise their seniority rights. He also said it would have put FDX ALPA on the wrong side of any litigation without our pro retro stance. Also said the really important part was getting our verbaige into the legislation. Without language saying the law did not trump CBAs, FedEx Corporation would have been free to make some changes to our contract (i.e. upgrades). Therefore, over 60 guys who turned 60 the week before the law was signed have to wait for a vacancy or excess bid to go back. No if ands or buts.

Also pointed out--Duane Worthe was for keeping age 60 and John Prater ran for change. Most of the MEC voted for Worthe. In DW's opinion, Duane Worthe may have been able to stall age 65 for another year or two, but no longer.

CI9994ME

Ok boys....here we go....BEND OVER, GIVE UP SOME OF YOUR BLG (basically, the pay raise that I pay $5,000/yr for) and HELP the company in THIS TIME OF NEED.....$489 MILLION PROFIT!!!??? Uh Oh, ship's sinking. Better start throwing items overboard.

What a joke. Sounds like the company and the MEC are in bed. I can't believe that the MEC would allow ONE PENNY of our money to be sacrificed.

Unbelievable. I'm gonna throw my 20yr pin in the trash. This isn't worth $5K a year, AT ALL.

Busboy

FDXer or anyone that was actually there,

Did he talk specifically about a BLG reduction?

Thanks for the info.


Speculators...Please refrain from guessing. I would like to hear what was actually said.

Gunter

What I found most interesting...

DW said the company is indeed in trouble with a slowing economy and 100 dollar a barrel oil. Business is declining. Mentioned FedEx did have a couple of furloughes in the '70s for background. Very few on the property now have been thru a period at FedEx that is similar to the tough times we will have over the next 12-18 months.

Overstaffed? Yes. DW mentioned he does not want to take a stance that the company is being dishonest (pointed out the company always slightly underestimates performance), put up a barrier to communication and take a hard stance against any sort of BLG lowering. He said that runs the risk of us waiting too long to fix a problem and may increase the chance of a furlough in 2008 or 2009.

DW said he would rather look at lowering BLG and would like to prevent a furlough, IF that is what the membership and MEC come up with. This created some heated comments because some in the audience think the company making $250 mil a quarter means a furlough is just postering and no way in #$#$ do they want to lower BLG. DW said he also believes it is postering but he wants to maintain the dialog, trend toward caution and maintain a working relationship with the company.

DW also said he thought this tough time was going to come a little earlier.

DW said PC increased hiring in 2006 to avoid the cycle we have maintained in the past. He did not want to stop hiring for a year or two then get behind in the training department when it started again. DW said PC wanted a slight overmanning in wide seats to avoid a problem when the A380 came. Now, of course, it's the 777 and the 777 might come a little late while age 65 further increases manning.

Gunter

Talked a little about 757 trng program. DW said the company knew it would be an issue during contract talks but hammered at the negotiationg committee to keep the current verbiage in the contract. The company said they didn't want narrowbody trainers making widebody pay. That is why DW and the MEC said no to the request from the company to violate the contract for the 757 issue.

DW talked about some scheduling issues. I was in and out and didn't catch all.

Said we needed to support the SIG and the new negotiating chair if we hope to improve our scheduling rules. In the past we have proven ourselves unable to to do so.

DW said to stay tuned for more info from the negotiating chair. Also said to stay informed and stay engaged.




From me (not DW)--

Future scheduling rules are beyond what will be happening over the next 18 months. I don't know what to expect in 2008. I still have that not so fresh feeling about furloughes. But I don't believe that subject will really get hot until after the DC10 excess bid.

nightfreight

"A very late explanation about how the push for age 65 went down. This created some heated finger pointing. Part of what DW said was while 65% of the panel at national was for age 65 change, 85% were for the retro part DW introduced. He said no other rep was going to introduce retro. DW thought it was the right thing to do so after age 65 changed to give those guys on the property over 60 the ability to excercise their seniority rights. He also said it would have put FDX ALPA on the wrong side of any litigation."

Wonder why 85% voted for retro? They don't have any engineers so why should they care. If retro effected them, allowed over 60 retired guys the ability to come back, I wonder what the vote would have been! They probably thought, "If Fedex is so stupid that they want to not only delay seat progression, but actually lose seniority, let them have it!" And who cares about litigation, FDX ALPA isn't responsible for ALPA nationals agenda. I'll bet NWA didn't vote for retro. Were they scared too? These excuses are so lame that it really ****es me off. He hooked up his friends...End of story...

For all of those that got their bids cancelled or upgrades delayed due to retro. Thank DW for doing the "right thing."

It's amazing to me that DW talks of furloughs, dropping BLG, etc., when he single-handedly pushed to add retroactivity to the legislation. This guy has thrown us over a cliff and needs to step down immediately!