Ok. I understand your as well as others frustrations with nothing to see or vote on for 5 years. Yes the Pilots had 2 offers within their 5 years of waiting, and I am sure we will have at least 2 if not 3. It very well may be this fall to be our first to look at. The reason the NC has not allowed anything to come out yet is because of the extreme concessionary must haves by the co. would just be a waste if time and just more and more delays (approx 30 days to do road shows and voting done) if not a little more. Just to bring back a solid NO vote from the membership. You really need to understand the frustrations from the guys that have been here for all the past contracts where the company has constantly refused to pay retro and they have been getting away with dragging these negotiations out for several past contracts. We only have had one retro in past contracts of recent. The co. has lied and said they are illegal per tax codes rules and regs, which is a bunch of BS as we have received it before. Secondly, the co. is trying way over exagerate what they really have to have in order to stay afloat when in all reality they have made record profits and still continue to do so under our current contracts. I would not have a problem if the entire membership was educated on what will really take place if this current offer is to take place. The concessions of the must haves will hit this membership like a ton of bricks 5-10 years from now but will start in the very near future. If LOA #1 and 2 go away without being renegotiated into the new contract they will die and go away and out of our contract, now what will that mean? The headcount protections will go away for many positions in Day line relief, Eve line relief, Day and Eve sheetmetal shop, Day and eve structure, day and eve struct support shop, hnagr ron insp, grave struct insp, etc... Also if Loa 2 goes away you will see eves struct support shop go away (I was told this by 3 of the sups that work down the hill in the same building) If LOA #1 goes away then the protections for the 4th line as well as the 3 heavy structors lines goes away. Look for yourself at page 98, para 2, it states, and I quote; "Southwest Airlines Mechanics shall continue to perform the existing Three (3) Heavy lines that are currently being conducted at Southwest Airlines facilities." Unquote. This protection will go away if the LOA 1 goes away, now do you see the point? There is also something in there protecting the 4th line for sending work to Elsovador.
Please everyone get familiar with these LOA's 1 and 2 on pages 97-101 of our current contract. We all know the company is looking to push all maint to graves over night maint they have verified this, if this language goes away they will do it. Sure, they say they will keep everyone that is currently here at Southwest, but they do not say where or on what shift or days off you will have when they revamp this maint schedule they want. It's not always about the money guys, it's also equally about the rules and regs and quality of life issues. The QOL issues will in fact change dramatically with this current offer, it just won't hit anyone until later down the road. Please show up on JUly 20th to the membership meeting at the hotel ask the NC about ALL these issues and ask what would the company be able to do if we lose these languages.