Republic - Ends Mediation
01-18-2013, 08:00 PM
#31
Moderator
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B757/767
Posts: 13,088
01-18-2013, 08:29 PM
#32
Banned
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: EMB 145 CPT
Posts: 2,934
01-18-2013, 09:05 PM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2012
Position: FO
Posts: 101
01-18-2013, 09:06 PM
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2012
Position: FO
Posts: 101
Doesn't seem like we were all that close after all... And, thank you so much for the middle of the night call to tell me to read this...
1-18-13: Negotiations have failed
Negotiations Update 01-18-13
Mediation has failed. That is the only conclusion from this week's negotiations.
That failure is not because your NC didn't make repeated efforts to narrow the gap to get an agreement. They started the week Tuesday morning by presenting a revised compensation proposal built on Horizon Teamster pilot pay rates that had a 25% lower cost than the previous union proposal.
The company did not give a counterproposal to your NC's proposal. Instead, it gave an ultimatum that an agreement could not exceed $12 million in cost for the first year. That reflects about 7% of payroll--or less than a 1.5% per year increase since the last pay raise in 2007. And the company made no commitment to address the central work rule issues in the dispute and it pointedly rejected our essential proposals on work rules like duty rigs, premiums and cancellation pay.
Put another way, just the effect of inflation on our pay rates since 2007 would require a $17.7 million increase. So the company's ultimatum is barely half the value of keeping up with inflation. Factor in that this pilot group has lost about $4.5 million of income to increased health care premiums over the last five years and the company's offer is even worse--well short of the almost $23 million needed to make up for our loss of income power. And this while every year the company gets more money from its codeshare partners for CPI and increased labor costs--pocketing that money.
The company claims its available cash only allows this inadequate offer because it projects "just" $40 million in net available cash for 2013. But the company already budgeted $6 million to a pilot contract before getting down to that $40 million. So it's really just a $6 million offer from $40 million. And that is free cash after everyone else has been paid. There is no question of the company's ability to pay.
Local 357 VP Gary Xxxxxxxxxx was present with your NC throughout the week. Craig flew down from training Tuesday night when we learned that Bedford would attend the bargaining session on Wednesday. They were present for the company's presentation of its ultimatum. They briefed the E-Board Wednesday night following the company's ultimatum. The Board fully supported the NC's recommendation for a next proposal.
Despite the unrealistic refusal of the company to make a fair proposal, your NC made yet another proposal Thursday morning covering major issues in all three open articles. This proposal included substantial productivity gains to offset the cost of the proposal. Including these productivity offsets, the NC's proposal was less than half the cost of its Tuesday proposal. It was well within the company's ability to pay for the first year.
The NC and Executive Board compromised its proposals to reach agreement. But we consistently maintained the priorities for a new contract first established by the previous Executive Council. Throughout the week, though, the company never budged from its ultimatum.
The company never responded to the union's last proposal. In fact, the company never actually made a proposal the entire week. Instead the company simply responded to our last proposal with more of its self-serving and skewed costing to artificially inflate its cost.
Do not be fooled by the sanctimonious and insincere claims of "disappointment" by the company. They had no intention of making a good faith offer that recognized the contributions of this pilot group over the last five years. Bryan Bedford's appearance was just a sham and a show to dress up their ultimatum as a meaningful offer.
Make no mistake about it--the company's conduct this week was a clear and unmistakeable statement of contempt for this pilot group and its contribution to this airline. Repeated statements that we must recognize we "are regional pilots" shows that contempt.
And the company's ultimatum ignores that we are behind other regional airline pilot groups in pay and work rules--including those that operate many more of the 50-seat RJs our management denounces so much. RAH's ultimatum would leave us behind those other regional pilot groups much less actually meet the expectations and aspirations of this pilot group to make RAH a career airline.
The NMB has not scheduled further meetings at this point. We expect to get further instruction from the NMB about its intentions. We will evaluate that instruction. But rest assured we will vigorously press the interests of this pilot group regardless of that instruction.
So make no mistake--Republic is challenging the resolve of this pilot group. It has given no indication that it will compromise at any point.
It falls to each pilot to step forward to achieve our common goals for our careers and families. We must join together to forcefully pursue our goals through all lawful avenues.
We will be providing further information on plans to achieve our common goals. Now it falls to every Republic pilot to answer the old question that every unionized worker has had to answer at some point, "Which side are you on?"
We believe the answer to that question is unanimous--we stand together to achieve our ambition for RAH to be a competitive airline that supports pilot careers. We urge all pilots to join together in the coming months to achieve that goal.
We understand that the results of this week's bargaining are upsetting and frustrating. Please continue to fly professionally and safely. We will provide more information in the coming days.
In Unity,
Your Local 357 Executive Board
Craig, Gary, Jim, Matt, Carl and Dan
Your Local 357 Negotiating Committee
Dan, Eve and Craig
1-18-13: Negotiations have failed
Negotiations Update 01-18-13
Mediation has failed. That is the only conclusion from this week's negotiations.
That failure is not because your NC didn't make repeated efforts to narrow the gap to get an agreement. They started the week Tuesday morning by presenting a revised compensation proposal built on Horizon Teamster pilot pay rates that had a 25% lower cost than the previous union proposal.
The company did not give a counterproposal to your NC's proposal. Instead, it gave an ultimatum that an agreement could not exceed $12 million in cost for the first year. That reflects about 7% of payroll--or less than a 1.5% per year increase since the last pay raise in 2007. And the company made no commitment to address the central work rule issues in the dispute and it pointedly rejected our essential proposals on work rules like duty rigs, premiums and cancellation pay.
Put another way, just the effect of inflation on our pay rates since 2007 would require a $17.7 million increase. So the company's ultimatum is barely half the value of keeping up with inflation. Factor in that this pilot group has lost about $4.5 million of income to increased health care premiums over the last five years and the company's offer is even worse--well short of the almost $23 million needed to make up for our loss of income power. And this while every year the company gets more money from its codeshare partners for CPI and increased labor costs--pocketing that money.
The company claims its available cash only allows this inadequate offer because it projects "just" $40 million in net available cash for 2013. But the company already budgeted $6 million to a pilot contract before getting down to that $40 million. So it's really just a $6 million offer from $40 million. And that is free cash after everyone else has been paid. There is no question of the company's ability to pay.
Local 357 VP Gary Xxxxxxxxxx was present with your NC throughout the week. Craig flew down from training Tuesday night when we learned that Bedford would attend the bargaining session on Wednesday. They were present for the company's presentation of its ultimatum. They briefed the E-Board Wednesday night following the company's ultimatum. The Board fully supported the NC's recommendation for a next proposal.
Despite the unrealistic refusal of the company to make a fair proposal, your NC made yet another proposal Thursday morning covering major issues in all three open articles. This proposal included substantial productivity gains to offset the cost of the proposal. Including these productivity offsets, the NC's proposal was less than half the cost of its Tuesday proposal. It was well within the company's ability to pay for the first year.
The NC and Executive Board compromised its proposals to reach agreement. But we consistently maintained the priorities for a new contract first established by the previous Executive Council. Throughout the week, though, the company never budged from its ultimatum.
The company never responded to the union's last proposal. In fact, the company never actually made a proposal the entire week. Instead the company simply responded to our last proposal with more of its self-serving and skewed costing to artificially inflate its cost.
Do not be fooled by the sanctimonious and insincere claims of "disappointment" by the company. They had no intention of making a good faith offer that recognized the contributions of this pilot group over the last five years. Bryan Bedford's appearance was just a sham and a show to dress up their ultimatum as a meaningful offer.
Make no mistake about it--the company's conduct this week was a clear and unmistakeable statement of contempt for this pilot group and its contribution to this airline. Repeated statements that we must recognize we "are regional pilots" shows that contempt.
And the company's ultimatum ignores that we are behind other regional airline pilot groups in pay and work rules--including those that operate many more of the 50-seat RJs our management denounces so much. RAH's ultimatum would leave us behind those other regional pilot groups much less actually meet the expectations and aspirations of this pilot group to make RAH a career airline.
The NMB has not scheduled further meetings at this point. We expect to get further instruction from the NMB about its intentions. We will evaluate that instruction. But rest assured we will vigorously press the interests of this pilot group regardless of that instruction.
So make no mistake--Republic is challenging the resolve of this pilot group. It has given no indication that it will compromise at any point.
It falls to each pilot to step forward to achieve our common goals for our careers and families. We must join together to forcefully pursue our goals through all lawful avenues.
We will be providing further information on plans to achieve our common goals. Now it falls to every Republic pilot to answer the old question that every unionized worker has had to answer at some point, "Which side are you on?"
We believe the answer to that question is unanimous--we stand together to achieve our ambition for RAH to be a competitive airline that supports pilot careers. We urge all pilots to join together in the coming months to achieve that goal.
We understand that the results of this week's bargaining are upsetting and frustrating. Please continue to fly professionally and safely. We will provide more information in the coming days.
In Unity,
Your Local 357 Executive Board
Craig, Gary, Jim, Matt, Carl and Dan
Your Local 357 Negotiating Committee
Dan, Eve and Craig
01-19-2013, 03:35 AM
#35
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: E-170 Capt.
Posts: 23
36.62 I honestly wish you didn't put our business out on front street especially when we are still getting our info. Churning the waters right now especially now when tensions are incredibly high as well as patience being worn thin. Do the right thing and have some class and patience
01-19-2013, 05:06 AM
#36
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2007
Position: E-170 Capt.
Posts: 23
36.62 I honestly wish you didn't put our business out on front street especially when we are still getting our info. Churning the waters right now especially now when tensions are incredibly high as well as patience being worn thin. Do the right thing and have some class and patience
01-19-2013, 05:11 AM
#37
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,150
36.62 I honestly wish you didn't put our business out on front street especially when we are still getting our info. Churning the waters right now especially now when tensions are incredibly high as well as patience being worn thin. Do the right thing and have some class and patience
Sticking your fingers in your ears and hoping for the best or pretending that this is a "family matter" to be discussed behind closed doors only is not a worthwhile strategy.
01-19-2013, 05:57 AM
#38
Moderator
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B757/767
Posts: 13,088
01-19-2013, 06:45 AM
#39
Kerbal Rocket Surgeon
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DTW 717A
Posts: 1,099
The RLA was applied to airlines to help ensure that cities wouldn't be wholly deprived of air travel if a labor group decided to strike. IMO regional airlines should be exempt from it all together, we provide zero critical air lift that isn't also done by in most cases several other airlines as well. The era of 1 airline per city is long behind us.
At what point do you guys ask for release, again?
At what point do you guys ask for release, again?
01-19-2013, 07:18 AM
#40
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: EWR 320FO
Posts: 173
When u strike let me know....I will be right there with you...I'm an xjeter who wants to see the industry back up...if striking with you and helping get higher wages and better work rules then sign me up...
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