Details on Delta TA
09-22-2014, 04:49 AM
#2071
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,730
Next April 5 I think, and I seriously doubt DALPA will show us their opener, other than the 'conceptual' version.
09-22-2014, 04:51 AM
#2072
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,730
I'm learning the contract. I read here which actually has a bit of good information from time-to-time. I ask questions to the guys I fly with and my mentor. I had one question about the multipurpose bank that required an email exchange with the contract committee who was super helpful. I'm certainly no expert and don't claim to be.
I don't think I need to be an expert on the contract to opine that saying "restoration" isn't a useful tactic, strategy, or whatever those espousing it choose to call it. I have been through a section 6 negotiation recently and frequently spoke with the negotiators and reps. The name of the game is maintaining an appearance of negotiating in good faith. If you are too rigid the mediator will take the other side. There were several time at my last company when the company tried to stonewall and the mediator called them on it. It was a different situation at a different company but the RLA covers everyone and the mediator is going to drive the process. Rallying the troupes with "restoration" sounds great, it really does, but right now it does nothing to improve our contract. That said, I could see using rhetoric to rally the pilots down the line if the company is stalling and the MEC wants a strike vote. That's a different situation than "setting restoration as an objective".
For what it's worth, I don't think setting an objective is a bad thing. Certainly the negotiators will set an objective and draw up a strategy that determines what the opener will be. Hopefully they'll do that after tabulating the survey, attending road shows, and doing due diligence on the negotiating environment. I'd also like to be kept in the loop on the progress of negotiations so I can plan accordingly.
I don't think I need to be an expert on the contract to opine that saying "restoration" isn't a useful tactic, strategy, or whatever those espousing it choose to call it. I have been through a section 6 negotiation recently and frequently spoke with the negotiators and reps. The name of the game is maintaining an appearance of negotiating in good faith. If you are too rigid the mediator will take the other side. There were several time at my last company when the company tried to stonewall and the mediator called them on it. It was a different situation at a different company but the RLA covers everyone and the mediator is going to drive the process. Rallying the troupes with "restoration" sounds great, it really does, but right now it does nothing to improve our contract. That said, I could see using rhetoric to rally the pilots down the line if the company is stalling and the MEC wants a strike vote. That's a different situation than "setting restoration as an objective".
For what it's worth, I don't think setting an objective is a bad thing. Certainly the negotiators will set an objective and draw up a strategy that determines what the opener will be. Hopefully they'll do that after tabulating the survey, attending road shows, and doing due diligence on the negotiating environment. I'd also like to be kept in the loop on the progress of negotiations so I can plan accordingly.
09-22-2014, 05:21 AM
#2074
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,299
If anything, I believe that our training syllabi need to be beefed up.
09-22-2014, 05:24 AM
#2076
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,730
09-22-2014, 05:28 AM
#2077
At home on the maddog!
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: ATL MD-88A
Posts: 2,874
That sounds good on the surface. But you'd really want that much of your pay "at risk?" And besides that, even if you tripled profit sharing it STILL wouldn't make up that much of the difference for the effective 34% pay cut in buying power we're currently experiencing.
09-22-2014, 05:39 AM
#2078
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,299
Fixed your post for you, btw.
Apparently, you are the only guy on the property who cannot read and comprehend the English language. Please lay off whatever is in that purple can of yours long enough to reread my posts, take them for what they are (one pilot's opinion), and stop putting words in my mouth!!
09-22-2014, 05:45 AM
#2079
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,299
That sounds good on the surface. But you'd really want that much of your pay "at risk?" And besides that, even if you tripled profit sharing it STILL wouldn't make up that much of the difference for the effective 34% pay cut in buying power we're currently experiencing.
That said, I've not thoroughly run the numbers on this. Are you saying that with C2K profit margins, which is where we are apparently projected to be this year with a $4B PTIX, tripling our anticipated profit sharing won't get us full restoration?
09-22-2014, 05:52 AM
#2080
At home on the maddog!
Joined APC: Mar 2009
Position: ATL MD-88A
Posts: 2,874
I don't think I need to be an expert on the contract to opine that saying "restoration" isn't a useful tactic, strategy, or whatever those espousing it choose to call it. I have been through a section 6 negotiation recently and frequently spoke with the negotiators and reps. The name of the game is maintaining an appearance of negotiating in good faith.
I took the actual number of days I flew last year. I figure on the MD-88/90 the average number of legs per day is 3. The MD-88 holds 149 PAX and the MD-90 holds 160. Our loads are pretty full most of the time, so I used 145 as the average passenger load.
Then, I looked at my December 31 pay stub. I added Flight Pay, Flight Advance, Profit Sharing, Shared Rewards, and company contributions into my retirement accounts... basically total compensation for the year.
Then I divided that number by the number of passengers I carried. My total cost to Delta per passenger? $2.98.
So... obviously it's more than just me up there. And some airplanes have higher paid Captains and more than two pilots. So let's say for illustration purposes that the average cockpit cost per passenger is $7. To increase our W2's to the same level of buying power we had during most of the 1980's, 1990's, and early 2000's, we would need approximately a 50% increase. Using $7 as our average cockpit cost per passenger, that's an additional $3.50 Delta would need to net per passenger. Delta invented $25 bag fees out of thin air and has no trouble collecting them. I have no doubt that they could find a way to net (whether through revenue increases or cost cuts in other areas or some combination) $3.50 more per passenger if they needed to. Where there's a will there's a way. Our management proves this every single day. They are very good at thinking outside the box.
So, is "restoration" reasonable? Would we be negotiating "in good faith?" Clearly, I think so. I think there is a strong case to be made for that. Trouble is, nobody is making that case on our behalf.
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