Hello all...I've been checking this site for the last two years and finally signed up to let you know what I have heard. I'm a westie and can tell you that LAX also voted today and that the US East employees mostly voted "yes" and the US west employees voted "no". As far as PHX goes I have heard from a very reliable source that the guess is about 60% showed up for the vote and majority voted "yes".
I really didn't sign up for this site to debate my position but wanted to let anyone who is interested know what I have heard . I have had the pleasure to meet some very senior (30+) year US East employees and work with them.. So before anyone jumps on the band wagon and tells me I have now idea what I'm talking about etc,etc, I do know everyone's pain and suffering that each has endoured.
I've got a letter that I want to share with everyone that was written by a PHX ramper. I'm totally new to this so forgive me if I totally screw this up, but here goes nothing......well that didn't work so I'll just type it out. I'll also ask in advance for a little slack in the misspelling dept. because I'm going to be typing very fast and I'm sure I'll make some mistakes....without further delay....
August 21, 2007
For the better par of a week, I have been listening to my coworkers comments and reading the many message boards writing s regarding this Transition Agreement contract offering.
As a "westie", I must admit that the lure of a long overdue pay increase is very enticing. Working the same jobs as our "eastie" counterparts for the past two years at a pay level substantially below what tthey have been getting has been hard to swallow. On the surface, it looks that this offer is "a slam dunk" or " a no brainer" to quote what I have been hearing from my "westie" coworkers.
But there has been something about this whole porcess that has bee n troubling me and I had been unable to my finger on it. In listening to and reading about all of two prime emotions, fear and greed. And although these emothins are quite valid, I have tried to keep them out of my decision making process.
Then yesterday, as I was cutting the grass ( and sweating like a pig) it finally dawned on me why I was troubled by this agreement. It was that the processfor handling a grievance, any grievance, was being circumvented. Now I will be the first to tell you that I am not a strong union person. Although I have worked under labor union in the past )most notably the UAW). I was never at the front of any fight. But two things I have always believed in are principal and integrity, For me, that is what this comes down to.
As I said before, on the surface, the lure of a pay increase is very enticing. But there is something larger at work here. If the show were on the other foot and it was the "westies" that thought they had been wronged and had filed a grievance to remedy the situation, our perspective on this being a "slam dunk" or "no brainer" might be different. Even if it wasn't about the Change of Control, which we can all agree is a big issue, the fact that someone has filed a grievance and we are going to be denied the "due process" to have the situation remedied doesn't sit well with me. Perhaps the next grievance that is filed will be the one that more directly affects me. I want to know that I will get my "due process" and have that situation resolved.
You can certainly call me naive on this issue. I'm sure that "back room" deals are made all the time and on a variety of issues. I must also admit that I have many questions remaining on this agreement and the negotiations that got us to this point. But for me, this remains a bigger picture issue, one of principal and integrity.
Every one of us will have their own reason for voting one way or another. It is not my intent to sway you in either direction. All that being said, I have no choice but to vote no on this transition agreement. I hope that you can respect the reason for my vote just as I respect yours.
I have not made wide distribution of this rambling. I have instead chosen to give you a copy as I feel you are an informed and objective person. After you read it , feel free to shred it, burn it, flush it or share it. That choice is yours.
get it right so I'll have to type it out.
So there you have it...it hit home with me and I hope it does the same with you. I'll be voting "NO" and thanks for your time.