And The Winner Is?

[Decision 2004]

April 30, 2004
This is Gregg Overman, APA Communications Director, with the APA Information Hotline for Friday, April 30.

CONTRACT IMPLEMENTATION: Tomorrow, Saturday, May 1 marks the date of the final implementation of the contract ratified a year ago. This final implementation includes a 9.4 percent restoration in the pilot pay rates effective May 1.


NATIONAL OFFICER ELECTIONS: The American Arbitration Association will mail voting instructions for the APA National Officer elections on Monday, May 3. New Personal Identification Numbers will be issued along with the instructions. Please watch your home mailboxes for these materials. The deadline for voting is 4 PM Central on Monday, May 24, and the election results will be made available later that same day.


To win, a candidate must receive at least 50 percent plus one of all eligible votes cast for that seat. If that does not occur for one or more of the seats, a runoff election will take place between the two candidates receiving the most votes for that seat, as stipulated by the APA Constitution and Bylaws. In the event of a runoff, the American Arbitration Association will issue a runoff notice and electronic voting instructions on Tuesday, June 1. The deadline for voting in the runoff round is set for 4 PM Central on Tuesday, June 22, with the results available later that same day.


We encourage every member in good standing to vote for the candidates of your choice.


FO BRETT BEKKEN: As announced via e-mail earlier this week, there will be a public wake tomorrow from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM in memory of First Officer Brett Bekken at St. Alphonsus Church of Greendale, 6000 W. Loomis Road, Greendale, Wisconsin 53129. The church telephone number is 414-421-1760. If you wish to make a charitable contribution in FO Bekken’s memory, two funds are available: the Dallas Children’s Charity or the Dallas Margarita Society. Both funds benefit children. Please direct donations to Michael J. Vemone, 1401 Elm Street, Suite 3400, Dallas, TX 75202, tel. 214-741-7447.


That’s it for today. Thank you for calling.

 

[Thrustfuljet]

Gee, imagine that, what would it be like to be able to vote for your national officers?

9.5% pay increase!!!! That must be because their officers are held accountable for their actions. Since the Mechanic and Related national officers are untouchable they did not feel the need to get any more then 1.5%.

 

[Thrustfuljet]

OOPS that should be 9.4%

 

[FWAAA]

The APA concessions provided for an immediate reduction in book rates of 23%. In years 2-6 the book rates reduction is 17% offset by the same 1.5% raise as everyone else.

The difference in percentage reduction between the pilots and everyone else was that the non-paycheck cost reductions took longer to implement (as pilots were shifted from left to right seat, for example). So the pilots gave up 23% off the top for year 1, then 17% for years 2-6.

Many pilots have seen their pay cut more like 40% to 50% due to loss of captain's seat and other changes.

But crying over spilled milk is what some here do best. B)

 

[Hopeful]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

The same 1.5% raise as everyone else.

What are you going to do with your $.38 an hour increase?

 

[Decision 2004]

Crying over spilled milk will occur when the pilot realizes that his aircraft maintenance technician has been downgraded to a entry pay level of $8.99 per hour starting pay. I hope just hope he doesn't discover this as his last and final thoughts.

 

[Hopeful]

What does 1.5% increase do for Jim Little?

 

[Bob Owens]

The APA concessions provided for an immediate reduction in book rates of 23%. In years 2-6 the book rates reduction is 17% offset by the same 1.5% raise as everyone else.

The difference in percentage reduction between the pilots and everyone else was that the non-paycheck cost reductions took longer to implement (as pilots were shifted from left to right seat, for example). So the pilots gave up 23% off the top for year 1, then 17% for years 2-6.


But crying over spilled milk is what some here do best. B)

More BS from FWAA.

The fact is that they got back over 9% and they did not gut their contract like we did. So their out of pocket costs are down to 14% while ours is only 1.5% less than is was last year. Left to right, well we had the same thing as guys went from mechanic to OSM. Are you claiming that no one moved up? And with the pilots long progression no doubt that at least some guys moved up along the scales so their actual paycut was less than 25%, now less than 14%. Our lost benifits will increase in value, no doubt that when we try to get them back the company will claim they cost a lot more than we got credit for when we gave them up.

The fact is that the pilots contract is so complex it can be worked like a shell game. Cuts and saving could be shown while at the end of the day the actual difference in pay is negligible.

.

Many pilots have seen their pay cut more like 40% to 50% due to loss of captain's seat and other changes.

And they are still making six figures.

The pilots recieve a $5 per hour night shift premium, with the TWU we get 50 cents

It seems that with a stand alone union the pilots still do ok.

I'm not jeolous, good for the pilots, they earned it and they should get it but the pilots have more of an incentive to 'sacrifice' because they have more to lose. If AA should go out of business, which I doubt would have happened, mechanics would get picked up by whoever takes their place and in five years or less we would be back at top rate, that goes for a five year mechanic or a 25 year mechanic, pilots however, who are sitting in the left seat of a 777 will likely never see that again with a new employer. They have longer progressions and can only move up and over if the carrier either expands or pilots ahead of them retire.

$5 vs 50 cents. 9.4% vs 1.5%. Where is the AFL-CIO advantage?

 

[Decision 2004]

Looks like another thread Bob ended with truth!