CAL73CAPT

Every UA/CO pilot that is NOT working MUST attend picketing tommorrow December 1, 2010 in Chicago. NO excuses. This is our future.

We must show management that we will do whatever it takes to STOP more outsourcing and secure the contract we ALL deserve.

See you in Chicago. Dress warm.

TC

bfull

CALALPA has referred many times to the airline financial work done by Bill Swelbar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Air Transportion.

Here is Swelbar's opinion of CALALPA's picketing, and of their position on RJs.

Swelblog / Swelbar on Airlines - Articles - The United and Continental Pilots Engage In MISInformationalPicketing

JetDaily

Someone has called this ALPA conflict of interest a ponzi scheme. That hits the nail on the head. OUTSOURCING? Come on. ALPA fostered/negotiated the creation of those jobs for our "brothers and sisters" at regional carriers. This is ALPA's next big lie: UA/CO is outsourcing. When will the ALPA UA/CO MECs stop demonizing the company and get down to negotiating a contract for the United Pilots?

UNITED PILOTS......WAKE UP ! ! ! ! ! !

Good Luck.

JD

JetDaily

Swelbar got it EXACTLY right!!! I wish the pilots of United the best of luck in getting a fair and equitable contract. But, as long as ALPA keeps playing these games, the future will continue to be rather bleek!

tailwheel48

You can debate 'outsourcing' all day but you're missing the obvious here - the company is violating the letter and intent of the contract and the TPA. If they cannot abide by the contract now, why would they later? Are you suggesting we roll over and allow them to trample our contract at will?

EWRflyr

You do realize that the MECs don't negotiate the contract? You do realize that there is a Joint Negotiating Committee made up of pilots from both sides? You do realize they meet every week, even when not in negotiation sessions, to formulate proposals and responses to the company's proposals?

When are pilots going to stop sitting in the cockpit kicking back and get down to serving the passengers their meals and beverages? Oh, wait! That's right. We have people for that.

JetDaily

WHAT.....?

The MEC most certainly DOES negotiate the contract. Just because the MEC Chairman and/or vice chairman is not present in the room does not mean they don't have a controlling hand in the entire process. The MECs dictates to the JNC exactly what will be proposed and what will be accepted/rejected.

JD

JetDaily

Yes, we can debate "outsourcing" all day. That is exactly the issue being discussed. ALPA is a font of disinformation. Wake up.

JD

gettinbumped

Swellbar's argument has more holes than Swiss Cheese.

The basic premise of his rant is that UAL/CAL is doing nothing more than DAL/NWA did by swapping out flying to maximize profit. He chastises the UAL/CAL pilots for touting the DAL/NWA as a good example when it meets their needs, but ignoring things like this swapping of flying.

Swellbar, do some effing research. The DAL/NWA pilots had a signed contract BEFORE the merger closed. Whatever they had signed off on as their scope provision was perfectly in play after the merger. The CAL pilots have NOT signed off on 70 seat RJ's flying out of their hubs. If he's too stupid to see the difference then I'm not going to bother reading.

He also suggests that the company is trying to "maximize profit, as they should be" like its some holy grail of an explanation. Well, they should be trying to maximize profit WITHIN THE CONTRACT. Wasn't he a former FA? Then he should remember that trying to maximize profit is ALWAYS at labor's expense. Sad but true. They will take as much as they can at any point, and have no problem begging, borrowing, lying and stealing.

I have to laugh at Swellbar. He suggests that the pilots are trying to be sneaky and picket to gain an upper hand in the negotiations when what its REALLY about is trying to eliminate regional flying and bring it back under the mainline banner. Well freaking DUH dude!! Nobody is suggesting its anything other than that!

ALPA has made some massive errors, no doubt. They have done some things that have angered me almost beyond repair. But what I find most fascinating about Swellbar, and many regional pilots is this: UAL/CAL pilots want to end all RJ flying done beyond our seniority list. Swellbar points out that the pilots have no one to blame for this conundrum but themselves. That's a little simplistic, but whatever. So now that the pilots are trying to exercise our leverage to REVERSE that situation and bring it back they are criticized for "playing games"?? So let me get this right. According to you, ALPA has no one to blame for the RJ debacle but themselves. Ok fine, so now that ALPA is trying to FIX the problem and pickets in that vein we are "playing games"? Typical damned if you do, damned if you don't. I guess the best thing to do in that case is stop listening to the chaff and use the most powerful tool in the arsenal when the time comes.... my contract vote.

gettinbumped

From Wikipedia


Outsourcing or sub-servicing often refers to the process of contracting to a third-party.[1]

outsourcing is often viewed as involving the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider.[2]

I'm not sure what part of this you and Swellbar don't understand.

Let me spell it out for you with an example.

I used to fly MIA-IAD in a 767-300. My business (United) has contracted out this "business function" - "commonly one previously performed in-house (see above)" - to Republic, or Skywest, or GOJets etc. (I can't keep up with which of our 9-10 regionals is flying what). They would be what you call an "external provider".

It's really not that hard to figure out. If you need me to draw you a picture I'll try to figure out how to upload it.