usfliboi said:
Pitbull, and you yourself are willing to risk the unknown?
[post="188251"][/post]
Have you read the AFA lawyer's briefing? While it wouldn't suprise me if the judge sided and favored the company, I feel what Pitbull has discovered as well as myself, is that there is a concerted effort of US management to overinflate all of their woes to squeeze the last drop out of us, if not an effort to break the unions.
Although I have had issues with union concepts at times and have been vocal in regards to Ms. Pitbull and have NOT been exactly the "full pay to the last day" card carrying union member, I understand HER side much clearer now and it appears that this company has successfully scared the s**t out of every one of us and caused us to become paralyzed IN our fear, and by that caving into anything said with the idea that the judge will automatically be partial to management.
Today is October 6 and it seems to me that all the attention has been on the pilots, yet the company feels that half a## negotiating is the best they can do or that we deserve in regards to afa, cwa, and the iam. What management is doing is not only unreasonable but impossible. This tells me that they WANT to go to the judge. It appears that the AFA lawyers have their ducks in a row. Or at least I hope so.
Unlike alpa, it appears afa is ready for a battle and as I stated earlier, any judge that caves to management after the well put together brief carefully review will appear partial, if not paid off. The point is not to give nothing, but to point out how unreasonable the company is being.
All of you, including myself, have a chance to see our management now answer to much by going to court and being questioned by lawyers. On one hand, I understand many feel Lakefield does want to see us survive and that this IS a protective measure. I no longer see that. I see another puppet and the strings are attached to an egotistical boob in Alabama. His answer to any reasonable negotiations IS capitulate or liquidate. He made that clear from DAY 1. This man enjoys threats. He isn't interested in lives, but his self inflated ego.
If this ruling is allowed to go 100% the way of management, this will send shockwaves thru the industry. This will indeed give all the airline management teams, including LUV, an excuse to replicate what will be the lowest paid company in the industry IF we survive. Pay WILL level out. Longevity in this industry stops here.
I hope that all of you anti-employee viewers and people who think $40,000 dollars is extreme for a 40 year old man with 18 years of service, are happy that my salary will go to 30k or lower. I hope the next time you get on your extremely cheap flight that you feel really good about it. All I have heard is how we are overpaid. Well, we will now make no more than Jetblue, an upstart airline thats payroll reflects such.
Watch out Jetblue, and SWA, you ain't no spring chicken. Your raise days are now over. You make more and someday will be very senior. Getting that jet fuel in your blood is no different here at US then it is at SWA. We may be old hags to the industry over here, but you guys are catching up. Years of service are now considered a liabiliy.
But don't worry, when the low cost carriers become king, then the flying public will turn on them. Companies never miss a chance to make $$ and when the lcc's have the monopoly, watch out!! The craziness will start all over.
Regardless, to not at least fight would indeed be cowardly. What do we really have to lose? Between the threats from management and the lack of confidence from analyst, why NOT give it a try? If I were coaching a football team and at it was fourth and ten in the fourth quarter with 10 seconds left and 6 points behind, do you not think I would at least go for the hail mary?
Maybe the AFA lawyers will be our Doug Flutie. To do nothing will provide nothing.
Good luck to all of us.