CALFO

I didn't know I was getting a bonus.

It's astonishing to me that you admit that you don't know how this decision was made and yet you have already tried and executed the CAL pilot group, it's MEC, and it's chairman.

The CAL MEC chairman offers to come on to your turf and answer your questions face to face and you lampoon him for it.

CALFO

That's an interesting statement, seeing that you admit to not knowing how the deal was struck and what led up to the decision.

I guess the membership/LEC/MEC system is different at UAL then and CAL. Is every decision made at UAL a result of intensive polling and then subject to membership review and vote? I doubt it. The MEC chairmen and the LEC reps are tasked with acting in the best interests of the pilot group, period. In this case, giving their pilot group $50 million dollars for settling a weak grievance was in their best interest.

My personal feeling is that the TPA, when drafted, should not have included sections that expire. The UAL pilots deserve (and need) block-hour protection, furlough protection, and the like. I have been told from my reps that this was all on the table and negotiations were progressing when UAL went to management (on it's own) and asked for a bonus for it's pilots only. CAL expended it's negotiating capital to help UAL. UAL didn't want to play ball.


Perhaps when you're finished giving Pierce the boot at your meeting, you should take some time to ask some pointed questions to your own MEC chairman.

ewrbasedpilot

I didn't know it was a "bonus" either. We've worked our collective butts off and been abused to the max in this crappy contract we have. We've endured the misery of having NO contract for over three years now with no end in sight. I (and every pilot I've flown with) didn't want management to get ANOTHER $40 million in bonuses. Apparently the guys at UAL aren't too worried about funding a few more generations for those at the top and want to do what's needed to ensure they get it and WE DON'T. Yeah..............like I can really support the UAL pilots now. Sorry, we EARNED the PS, just like they did. If our MEC chair can get us more money, I (and everyone else for that matter) will gladly accept it. They were getting rid of the 767-200's anyway, so why give them BOTH the money AND the planes? BTW...........I haven't talked to a CAL pilot yet that's upset at us getting PS...........to the contrary, they are happy we got SOMETHING, other than screwed like we usually get.

ewrbasedpilot

When word got around that the CAL pilots would be the ONLY employee group to not share in PS'ing out of 80,000+ employees, it raised a LOT of tempers. Once again we were about to get kicked in the 'nads. We didn't feel that getting screwed once again was going to get us anywhere, so the pilots let Jay and anyone else know that we wanted what was due to us. How he went about getting it was his concern. He got it, and now our "equals" at UAL say "no fair". I guess we should just pitch a fit the next time the UAL pilots get something we don't.................

Coach67

Dead on there!

CAL MEC / MEC Chair didn't expend any negotiating capital to help either CAL pilots OR UAL pilots. They just blew an opportunity to advance the JCBA and took a short term peanuts gain.

You mean the same MEC chairman that negotiated the T&PA with the expirations? I'm all for that! Again we agree!

CALFO

This is where I am getting confused. What opportunity was present that would have advanced the JCBA? How would have turning down this grievance settlement have advanced the JCBA? Whether or not the CAL pilots have profit sharing, it does not affect our leverage in obtaining a new contract.

On the other hand, had the UAL MEC pushed to advance the TPA as written, both Unions could have gained some negotiating leverage towards a JCBA in that the UAL pilots would have had block hour protections, thus limiting the Company's ability to make major fleet/operational shifts.

CALFO

Nope. I have no idea what was argued.

Regularguy

"I guess we should just pitch a fit the next time the UAL pilots get something we don't................. "

Absolutely!!!!

Being a LUAL pilot all I can tell you is neither side should be improving any part of their contract unilaterally unless either:

1. Both sides get equal value
2. We get a JCBA and then your question is mute, finished, nada...

What a novel concept, thinking and acting as one against a hostile Management.

All I keep hearing is, "what about me," and I mean both sides. Stop it, stop it stop it!

All the arguments have been made, Pierce is a louse, Morris messed up when the TPA was agreed to. Now we all know these things let's start a new and get a single common contract!

APC225

There is no leverage. That's the point. Ewrbasedpilot said it best...

These same pilots are now pacified for awhile with profit sharing. Had we arrived at 14 Feb feeling "kicked in the nads" it may well have created some leverage which would accelerate the JCBA.

Now $100k retro, delayed. Pay, delayed. Work rules, delayed. For the company it's all about delay. They've won another battle.

syd111

Yes you should pitch a fit if we do that but don't worry as it is now every man for themselves.