The TA rates do not reflect what you are "owed" as a result of your sacrifice to make this company profitable. The TA rates reflect the absolute minimum required for RA to justify an offer of "industry leading pay" to an NMB mediator. He doesn't have to pay us more, and he isn't going to. If you're feeling lucky and choose to test that theory, you will get the same or less three years from now when the NMB rules that ALPA was being unreasonable. There's no need to speculate on how this will turn out. Just look at the landscape littered with CBAs mired in the Section 6 tar pit. Don't let your emotions effect your ability to make an informed decision. How has demanding well-above-industry (or current contract) rates worked for USAir/AirTran/AA/Spirit, etc? Base hits do a better job of restoration, albeit incrementally.
If you except that premise, and I understand many can't or won't, then you can understand the NC's challenge. They do understand the negotiating realities, and they do accept the above premise. That's not a sell out. That's not a fail. That's reality. They're doing their jobs. They had to extract what they could from the company given that slice of the pie being essentially fixed. I feel they did a pretty good job in that regard. DCI lift capacity is severely diminished, and effectively put in a kill box for future growth. Flying is transferred to the mainline. Future flying WILL go to the mainline due to the hull limit. There are many, many other positive aspects in the TA if people would just uncouple their emotion and read it for comprehension. That said, there's room for improvement--you don't get everything you want when negotiating with a skilled adversary.
If you are above age ~57, this is quite likely your last TA. Vote yes, and take the money on the table. If you are below 20% on the seniority list, you'd be WELL advised to vote yes simply for the furlough protection (can you say merger?). If you're on reserve involuntarily, this TA is a 20%+ pay raise by Jan 1, 2013. Vote yes.
If we send it back, history shows it is HIGHLY unlikely that the offer will get better. If the rates DID get better, then you can bet some other aspect would get more onerous. The die is cast. It's a fixed cost contract now.
This whole dance is a predicate to RA's big acquisition. Make no mistake about that fact. This TA gives us HUGE leverage by REQUIRING the company to accept ALPAs seniority list integration.
Personally, I'll take the 20% pay raise now with no fear of furlough, incredibly punitive (to the company) furlough protections, certain upward mobility, and the very real opportunity of upgrading or up gauging. Vote no, but do so at your own peril given the sketchy economy. If we send it back, I bet we're kicking our own a$$ in a year.
If you don't like the TA, be smart: vote yes, take RA's money, then run for ALPA rep and fix it. That's the ballsy thing to do. If we vote yes, the contract will be OPEN again before we'd ever even get to NMB. Think about it...that's a powerful statement. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
If we vote it down, RA has a Plan B, and you ain't gonna like it. You heard it here first.
Reformed NO voter,
Yes man
If you except that premise, and I understand many can't or won't, then you can understand the NC's challenge. They do understand the negotiating realities, and they do accept the above premise. That's not a sell out. That's not a fail. That's reality. They're doing their jobs. They had to extract what they could from the company given that slice of the pie being essentially fixed. I feel they did a pretty good job in that regard. DCI lift capacity is severely diminished, and effectively put in a kill box for future growth. Flying is transferred to the mainline. Future flying WILL go to the mainline due to the hull limit. There are many, many other positive aspects in the TA if people would just uncouple their emotion and read it for comprehension. That said, there's room for improvement--you don't get everything you want when negotiating with a skilled adversary.
If you are above age ~57, this is quite likely your last TA. Vote yes, and take the money on the table. If you are below 20% on the seniority list, you'd be WELL advised to vote yes simply for the furlough protection (can you say merger?). If you're on reserve involuntarily, this TA is a 20%+ pay raise by Jan 1, 2013. Vote yes.
If we send it back, history shows it is HIGHLY unlikely that the offer will get better. If the rates DID get better, then you can bet some other aspect would get more onerous. The die is cast. It's a fixed cost contract now.
This whole dance is a predicate to RA's big acquisition. Make no mistake about that fact. This TA gives us HUGE leverage by REQUIRING the company to accept ALPAs seniority list integration.
Personally, I'll take the 20% pay raise now with no fear of furlough, incredibly punitive (to the company) furlough protections, certain upward mobility, and the very real opportunity of upgrading or up gauging. Vote no, but do so at your own peril given the sketchy economy. If we send it back, I bet we're kicking our own a$$ in a year.
If you don't like the TA, be smart: vote yes, take RA's money, then run for ALPA rep and fix it. That's the ballsy thing to do. If we vote yes, the contract will be OPEN again before we'd ever even get to NMB. Think about it...that's a powerful statement. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face.
If we vote it down, RA has a Plan B, and you ain't gonna like it. You heard it here first.
Reformed NO voter,
Yes man