Fort Rucker Pilots Vote No

[3foothover]

The pilots working for LSI at Ft Rucker voted on the company's best and final offer.

286 Pilots voted which equaled 86% of the Local 102 membership.

100% of them voted NO on the contract.

98% voted to give the negotiating committee strike authority.

Only 6 members said no to strike authority. 280 voted yes.

Looks like it is back to the table for another round of talks!

[SASless]

It is about time the "retired" concept of supplementing their retirement pay gives way to demanding a real stand alone wage . That mentality kept the wages for helicopter pilots dismally low for 25 years.

Pilots at Air Log are not far behind the the effort to improve their wages from what I have heard too.

Pilots need to understand the "vast pool" of qualified pilots has dried up.....the Managers will never accept that fact. The law of supply and demand has finally allowed the pilots to be in the drivers seat in these matters.

I have heard LSI's current scheme does not grant vacations until the third or fourth year....and pays in the low 40's.......if so that is a deal that needs killing!

[Thomas coupling]

What do the pilots do for a living at Fort Rucker, then....

[SASless]

Same thing they always did Thomas....except in time they will do so at a better payscale. At least they have the military retired pay to fall back on while they sit out the affair. Non-retired pilots don't have that luxury. If you work for a government operation then you probably have the benefits and pay somewhat commensurate to your work as funded by the taxpayers that these guys are trying to get. The retired pay and benefits they enjoy as retired military pilots is their bonus.....not an excuse for LSI to hire them without providing the same benefits and quality pay that any working pilot deserves.

Would you do your job for the same scheme as they receive? I dare say not......if at anytime you think you are overpaid then feel free to write a check to your employer and refund the amount you think you have been overpaid.

I support them in their effort just as I support the Gulf of Mexico pilots in their efforts to improve their pay and benefits. For crying out loud, PHI went 10 years without giving a simple cost of living raise to the pilots....and the management wonders why they have a union to deal with now.

In this day and time....the only reason for a union is bad management.....the government has generated regulations, laws, and mandates that relieve the unions of their original causes beyond pay alone. Things like OSHA, EEC, DOL, DOT, and so forth greatly provide the protection of the workers.