Wun Wing Lo
27th Aug 2005, 10:26
Been listening to the interesting comments made by our representatives over the past couple of fridays. From the spawning of VB i think most of us could see the writing on the wall. Our own execs realised our dirty little secret. When we joked that we had the best job in the world and would do it for free we weren't actually joking.
For those that love a good conspiracy this is how it goes.
Seemingly unrelated events conspiring together to result in the situation we see forming now.
Management, from here on referred to as 'them' or 'they', finally found an opportunity to cut down their pilots, that i will refer to as 'us' or 'we'.
Hence the plan was put in place. It started simply enough. By attacking the most vulnerable group in the company. Those overpaid underworked 744 SO's. You know the ones... earning 130k + a year some 160k + .... more than some FO's on other fleets.... living the lifestyle with no intention to promote unless it was vertically.... (as opposed to what?).
So the pressure started to be put on SO's to go for promotion on other types. Despite, at the time, constant complaints from those crew about T&C's.
This went on for a couple of years... SO's would be constantly asked, usually by senior crew, when they were getting off their bums and doing some real work. Then one day vertical promotion was stopped on the 400. The union agreed to it on safety grounds. This was to say that SO's or FO's who were type rated and familiar with systems routes etc were not safe to fly with an extra bar.... but it was perfectly acceptable for them to be promoted on the classic.
It was questioned at the time and many could not believe our representatives agreed to it without trading it for something else at least. But for the most part we forgot about it and life went on. The reality was most of us wanted promotions as they became available.
Then the LOA with J* was introduced. Again at the time our representative negotiated it in secret. Scant details were made available. When the deal was finally struck much was talked about by everyone.... However our union delayed the release of the MOU as long as possible. Leaving very little time for us to read the MOU without the spin attached to it. We were then scaremongered into voting for it. Apparently the consequences of not signing were dire.
I think about 900 voted... 300 against... out of how many 2500?
There were no benefits from this for your average mainline driver. Having a look at the latest seniority list only six numbers appear as applying to the MOU. So no benifit to the vast majority and we risked a transfer of business case. Which we were assured at the time was not in jeapordy.
Now the latest LH EBA has been negotiated. It was done in secret with very little information given to the members. The reason being that they didnt want the details to leak out and jeapodise our bargaining postition with the company. Now it turns out the deal they have made sacrafices the most junior members. It was necessary were told. What have we traded for... Increase in LOL insurance by the company... and change of the age brackets from 50-55 to 50-60... and a 3% base pay rise.
For those towards the end of their careers fantastic... great for your final super payout and if you go out a bit early medically a golden handshake to boot... and it cost nothing. I use the previous statement to show the true worth of the EBA.. Causing division.
Now we are told by our reps that we should consider ourselves lucky if we manage to keep the existing long haul fleets. That J* will be expanding well beyond its 23 aircraft. Thats a lot of transfer of business already happening. Lets assume best case scenario... .we keep the A330's, the 744 and to be generous A380.
Now for this model to work there would be a massive reduction in numbers required. As more and more jobs went to the respective LCC there would be less and less flying for us.
Those with commands would be relatively ok. But any movement woud be frozen...
With no vertical promotion your only option for advancement would be the A330. With every promotion to the 744 & A380 having to be taken from the A330 and return of service obligation movement would be extremely slow indeed. If these go to a LCC then you have no chance for promotion within mainline.
Your only option... go to J* or Australian under the MOU... Pay for your endorsement... take a pay cut. Sit there for however many years it takes for your slot to open up back in mainline. What happens if there is nowhere for you to come back to when your ready. Move your life to MEL or CNS. Hope your wife doesnt leave you and your kids arent too disrupted in their schooling.
So you say... i'll sit here until my slot opens up. You could be there 5 10 15 years. In that time all those J* and junior mainline pilots that paid for their endorsements and got paid peanuts now get your slot on the big jets because you cant take it.
Why wasnt the LH EBA7 released on the AIPA website for all of us to disseminate as soon as it was approved. We are getting the same arguments from our representatives as we did with the last LOA... No information... what little is given is given at the last minute and then pressure is applied to vote yes.
We are now told in the latest friday newsletter that AIPA is still considering the transfer of business case and they cannot comment. Another stalling tactic is it? Why the heck are we still considering our position.. it was made clear to us that it had already been researched and we were assured that it would not be affected by J* or the MOU. Or is it just a case of stalling for time so the last nail in the coffin can be hammered in place. Who knows what the motivations are.... but guys your there to represent us,not to follow your own agenda... irrespective of wether you honestly believe your working in our best interests.
Keep this in mind... the people who are dealing with the company experts in IR are people who are no more trained in IR than your average factory worker. As pilots we tend to think we know it all. It tends to get us in trouble.
It doesnt really matter if the impulse guys work for less when we have an ample supply of white ants within our own ranks.
The reality is, it doesnt matter what good will exists between us and the company, or what the spirit of the agreement is. It is how the document is literally interpreted in law... eg First class accomodation.
If it appears that I am criticising senior pilots or all AIPA representatives I wish to point out that in my experience most of the public encouragement and support for junior members come from the most senior crew. Those at the end of their careers, almost untouchable, willing to stand up for the more junior crews. Without fear, real or imagined, of any retribution through training etc.
Those more junior crew willing to stand for election and stand up for us all are to be commended...They deserve our support. They risk much in return for very little.
The moral of this rather long post... next time you think something doesnt affect you and you wont get involved think twice.. Our biggest enemy is apathy... our most powerful asset unity.
For those that love a good conspiracy this is how it goes.
Seemingly unrelated events conspiring together to result in the situation we see forming now.
Management, from here on referred to as 'them' or 'they', finally found an opportunity to cut down their pilots, that i will refer to as 'us' or 'we'.
Hence the plan was put in place. It started simply enough. By attacking the most vulnerable group in the company. Those overpaid underworked 744 SO's. You know the ones... earning 130k + a year some 160k + .... more than some FO's on other fleets.... living the lifestyle with no intention to promote unless it was vertically.... (as opposed to what?).
So the pressure started to be put on SO's to go for promotion on other types. Despite, at the time, constant complaints from those crew about T&C's.
This went on for a couple of years... SO's would be constantly asked, usually by senior crew, when they were getting off their bums and doing some real work. Then one day vertical promotion was stopped on the 400. The union agreed to it on safety grounds. This was to say that SO's or FO's who were type rated and familiar with systems routes etc were not safe to fly with an extra bar.... but it was perfectly acceptable for them to be promoted on the classic.
It was questioned at the time and many could not believe our representatives agreed to it without trading it for something else at least. But for the most part we forgot about it and life went on. The reality was most of us wanted promotions as they became available.
Then the LOA with J* was introduced. Again at the time our representative negotiated it in secret. Scant details were made available. When the deal was finally struck much was talked about by everyone.... However our union delayed the release of the MOU as long as possible. Leaving very little time for us to read the MOU without the spin attached to it. We were then scaremongered into voting for it. Apparently the consequences of not signing were dire.
I think about 900 voted... 300 against... out of how many 2500?
There were no benefits from this for your average mainline driver. Having a look at the latest seniority list only six numbers appear as applying to the MOU. So no benifit to the vast majority and we risked a transfer of business case. Which we were assured at the time was not in jeapordy.
Now the latest LH EBA has been negotiated. It was done in secret with very little information given to the members. The reason being that they didnt want the details to leak out and jeapodise our bargaining postition with the company. Now it turns out the deal they have made sacrafices the most junior members. It was necessary were told. What have we traded for... Increase in LOL insurance by the company... and change of the age brackets from 50-55 to 50-60... and a 3% base pay rise.
For those towards the end of their careers fantastic... great for your final super payout and if you go out a bit early medically a golden handshake to boot... and it cost nothing. I use the previous statement to show the true worth of the EBA.. Causing division.
Now we are told by our reps that we should consider ourselves lucky if we manage to keep the existing long haul fleets. That J* will be expanding well beyond its 23 aircraft. Thats a lot of transfer of business already happening. Lets assume best case scenario... .we keep the A330's, the 744 and to be generous A380.
Now for this model to work there would be a massive reduction in numbers required. As more and more jobs went to the respective LCC there would be less and less flying for us.
Those with commands would be relatively ok. But any movement woud be frozen...
With no vertical promotion your only option for advancement would be the A330. With every promotion to the 744 & A380 having to be taken from the A330 and return of service obligation movement would be extremely slow indeed. If these go to a LCC then you have no chance for promotion within mainline.
Your only option... go to J* or Australian under the MOU... Pay for your endorsement... take a pay cut. Sit there for however many years it takes for your slot to open up back in mainline. What happens if there is nowhere for you to come back to when your ready. Move your life to MEL or CNS. Hope your wife doesnt leave you and your kids arent too disrupted in their schooling.
So you say... i'll sit here until my slot opens up. You could be there 5 10 15 years. In that time all those J* and junior mainline pilots that paid for their endorsements and got paid peanuts now get your slot on the big jets because you cant take it.
Why wasnt the LH EBA7 released on the AIPA website for all of us to disseminate as soon as it was approved. We are getting the same arguments from our representatives as we did with the last LOA... No information... what little is given is given at the last minute and then pressure is applied to vote yes.
We are now told in the latest friday newsletter that AIPA is still considering the transfer of business case and they cannot comment. Another stalling tactic is it? Why the heck are we still considering our position.. it was made clear to us that it had already been researched and we were assured that it would not be affected by J* or the MOU. Or is it just a case of stalling for time so the last nail in the coffin can be hammered in place. Who knows what the motivations are.... but guys your there to represent us,not to follow your own agenda... irrespective of wether you honestly believe your working in our best interests.
Keep this in mind... the people who are dealing with the company experts in IR are people who are no more trained in IR than your average factory worker. As pilots we tend to think we know it all. It tends to get us in trouble.
It doesnt really matter if the impulse guys work for less when we have an ample supply of white ants within our own ranks.
The reality is, it doesnt matter what good will exists between us and the company, or what the spirit of the agreement is. It is how the document is literally interpreted in law... eg First class accomodation.
If it appears that I am criticising senior pilots or all AIPA representatives I wish to point out that in my experience most of the public encouragement and support for junior members come from the most senior crew. Those at the end of their careers, almost untouchable, willing to stand up for the more junior crews. Without fear, real or imagined, of any retribution through training etc.
Those more junior crew willing to stand for election and stand up for us all are to be commended...They deserve our support. They risk much in return for very little.
The moral of this rather long post... next time you think something doesnt affect you and you wont get involved think twice.. Our biggest enemy is apathy... our most powerful asset unity.