Airlink Politics
 

So, now the Union leader (Wannabe Chief Pilot) has accepted the company's offer of 11%, which includes your longevity..... Amazing! I wonder what he used to "negotiate" with them to accept their offer?
On the other hand, he being one of the few senior captains in the company will gain an extra -+ R4000 per month, not to be laughed at on their level, or any one els's. However, the lower you go down the more difficult it becomes to even see a theoretical difference, never mind up-keep difference! It suits the company to pay the few long term captains more. A small sacrifice for the company huh? They've got the right man in the union now. He'll accept ANYTHING they present to the union, he's got his sights set on higher positions in the company!
Wait till you see what the working/hours/conditions document shows which he will sign to accept too:\ . You will not be consulted with the full picture........Remember, he's only concerned to appease the company. They will work you within what the countries law dictates, only because the law IS there,(and it is not very lenient) otherwise.........
Anything more restrictive than the law allows, is profits gone for the big boys.............would you pay pilots more??? Why? They fly for the love of it. The money and working conditions are for the company. If you don't like it, leave!
JVJ's philosophy to the pilots: "We can discuss anything. But what I say goes"! To paraphrase someone else in SA, "Finish an klaar"!
Your "Stepping stone" company's stone is now almost totally submerged. Soon it will be a pointed rock that just hurts you as you step on it. Getting there fast!

11% sounds really measly....but then you said it yourself, its a stepping stone company and there is a queue of guys at the door waiting to take your place as soon as you've found something better. Dont think Link will ever change, neither will many other operators. There is no need to....

This needs some deeper thought:suspect:

Yes there is. With the rising costs of things like fuel the general operating costs are increasing. The training of new pilots is expensive. So the company employing these tactics can only be described as short sited and daft. An added factor is the pilot leaving takes with him experience which is then gained by the better paying airline.
:mad:Note:This doesn’t necessarily apply to a she leaving the company.:mad:

So therefore the better paying airline is also the safest. A good example would be to say compare the late Nationwide and Comair’s pay structure and past safety records.:ok:

Pilot's creed
 

Mmmmm, once again I imagine I see the Pilot's Creed: Heaven and Hell and #1.
The more things change the stronger they seem to remain the same in professional aviation?

It gives me no pleasure to say I told you so.

If you look in the archives on this site, you will see that we warned the Airlink pilots many moons ago that losing representation of the ALPA branch will cost you dearly. The only thing that saves pilots at an airline like this is a strong union.

I know that the pilots at Airlink were disillusioned by the actions of the Chairman at the time, but the solution was to change the Exco of the branch, not to resign from it.

Solidarity might be cheaper, but could never really solve aviation related problems. I see that there is a slow movement back to ALPA. A lot of Airlink pilots are non-branch members and you need to now start a recruitment drive and get your numbers past 50%, although the aim should be 100%. The select a strong Exco and STAND BEHIND THEM.

Do not allow Rodger to bully the Association by trying to fire the Chairman. The only way to solve the problem is for the pilots to stand together.

Unfortunately the apathy and lack of unity of the pilot group caused this situation and nothing will change unless that is first addressed. It is easy to drive a wedge between pilots by starting to slowly treat different groups in different ways or to bring in a new type and to disregard seniority. If the pilots can just stop thinking of themselves (individually) first, then the situation can be turned around.

OK, lecture finished. I hope that you guys and girls can find some common ground and get your ALPA branch up and running. All the help and expertise from the other branches and the ALPA staff is at your disposal. There is now case law that Rodger will have to accept the Association as bargaining unit if your numbers go past 50% of the pilots.

Good luck.
nugs

Hey Nugpotty!
How much is ALPA paying you to adverties for them at PPRUNE?:D
Just to refresh your memory- Obviously Capt Highspeed was one of the main problems with the "Jetsream Union" at the time, but he was not the only one causing s:mad:t. Since Stalin it has never been only one!
A lot of the old APA monkey's took the "I" in Union the wrong way!!!
Treated the APA-club like a closed venue and only people that voted in favour of those chaps got in (aka: "do as we say and shut up!")
Well people have voted with their feet and that's it.
But I don't expect you will understand anyway, cause you are still crying over the fall of communism...:ugh:
Wake up, Solidarity is the best there is at the moment for the guys and gals at Airlink!
To the comment:"I see that there is a slow movement back to ALPA"
Well, we'll put that down to what the "RU" in PPRUNE stands for...

And finally:
Living in the past has never solved the problems of the future!

Now quickly go potty and then bedtime my little Alpanier!
Nightynight and dream on...........................:zzz:

You must be right, because Airlink is also the only company that continuously features on the Pprune Gripe Menu...:ugh:

Next Step: JvJ as Chairman of Solidarity at Airlink :}

:zzz:

o dear, this might be a start to a beeeg thread again!

still want to step on that stone though!

has airlink started a new intake again or did they settle down now for a bit?

any infor much appreciated!

614

Setron,

No wonder Rodger can screw you over so easily. If yours is a voice of reason at Link, the battle is lost.

Well, it is not my problem.

Good luck and good night.

Point totally missed. The 'union' is not ALPA or Solidarity. Its made up of the PILOTS!!! Until the Pilots stand together, the cause is lost.

Avi8tor

.

You know as well as I do, this is not likely if not impossible!

10 Pilots and you have 11 different ideas!!!

sounds like airlink is run by the saaf... :ugh:

Hey guys, isn't it better to write it all out, than to keep it in and feed your ulcer?

Q4NVS
Any PR is good PR!? or maybe the others are too scared or too fat...:E

Springbok614
Well I belive they had an intake but are still looking to fill a list... and yes someone told me the list is not only one or two...:) (I know what will come now!)

Nuggie
In the end it is more important to win the war and not one battle but again I don't expect you to understand. Good by!

Avi8tor
Quite right Avi ! But so many new people to get under one roof takes a bit longer if it is supposed to be strong!


Ajax 28
Wrong! That's still comair...:}

Oh me tink I like tis! The Airlink threads have always been a joy in da past!
Not those dull ones that die after one reply!

Stay cool dud's summer is comming!:cool:

ALPA is the biggest joke EVER...They have been robbing pilots for far too long! Solidarity is much more efficient for only R55.00 a month!!:ok:
Airlink pilots received a 23 percent increase last year..They should not expect anything more than CPIX this year.. If you are not happy go and get a real job...

Ooo...this should open a can of worms! Tin-Tin, are you inferring that flying is not a proper job or merely alluding to working at Airlink?

Solidarity will never work... Accept this for heaven's sake!
 

A few points for the Airlink pilots,

1. Forget the 'Solidarity' thing and get yourselves, collectively, back into the ALPA-SA stable. The Airlink management are only too pleased to have you guys over with Solidarity, which to them is like squashing a harmless little bug.

2. Maybe Airlink should be run more like the SAAF (SAA/COMAIR/SAX), that way there will be a bit of team-spirit, some solidarity (real solidarity) and possibly some success at the negoitaing table. The person who posted about the SAAF earlier clearly never wore air force wings.

You guys might not like JVJ, but don't take him for a fool. He loves playing around with unions.

To re-emphasise my first point... You will get NOWHERE while hanging around the solidarity flag-pole. This is why SAX, SAA, and COMAIR are seniority based, well run, enjoyable airlines to work for. The pilots got/get together, got/get their shoulders to the wheel, and got/get their Sh-t together!! They also accept that association-subs are a part of the deal. Airlink will forever be a back-stabbing, confusing, dead-end company to work for, if you guys don't sit-up, and pay attention to how things should be done.

But that's your problem I suppose... It's been a while now, and I've seen absolutely no 'Solidarity' benefit for the Airlink pilots.

Cheers,

Pitch&Fan

Methinks that most of the whinging, SAA-bashing pilots on this forum have since been employed by the outfit all of you want to join!! I note all quiet on the Western (anti-SAA) Front lately. http://static.pprune.org/images/icons/mpangel.gif

Suitcaseman,

Solidarity, the union, is simply never going to hack it for the Airlink pilots, although solidarity, the standing together for a principal, in an ethical manner, probably will.

The "bitching threads" about SAA, SAX, COMAIR, Cathay, Emirates, Qantas, Delta, British Airways.... Etc, are par for the course. Don't base your perception of any airline on these.

Do yourselves a big favour, and align with the only professional aviation association in the country. ALPA-SA (and its parent body, IFALPA) do one hell of a lot more than simply union work. In fact, I consider the non-union activities of IFALPA more important than the union work, and I pay my sub's with a smile. Also, when we need to stand together...It happens in an organised and efficient manner.

Come now... Be good to yourselves!

P&F

Hear, hear, another Alpanian...

No doubt, ALPA is an organisation, that does at times a good job!
It's just that it let itself be abused as a vehicle for personal gains and when they realized that, it was already too late. So they fired the chairman... big deal, when the war (hi Nuggipotty;)) was already lost for some of the guys at the time! :(
Just shows, that they are maybe to big and fett to keep check and control over their branches!?
Eventually the people decided and the branche was closed (not by ALPA)

So keep paying for the bigwig's to go and have seminars and parties.
You can see then the pic's in the mag.

Have a good time reading about it...