NJA Union Benefits

[bluepost]

Let me start off by saying that this post is in no way an attempt to pit NJA against any other fractionals. I hope all fractionals do well and that they all make 1% over what we make when our contract finally arrives. That being said the purpose of my post is to clear up some misconceptions about what the Teamsters have or have not done for us, other NJA guys feel free to chime in. I know the Teamsters are knocking on Options door and I wish them luck whichever way they choose.

Here are some of our benefits that may or may not be better then what is out there, but what our union has provided for us in our PAST contracts:

7and 7 for half of our guys (biddable on a quarterly basis which allows for senior guys to get up to 14 days off in a row every quarter and work as few as approx 162 days (not including vacation) per year instead of the normal 182 a 7and7 would provide), and a 17 day month (based on 12 months a year) for the rest with the ability to request days off and the company to build the schedule around those days

150% of our daily rate for an extended day

double extended day if not at our gateway by midnight

25 gateways

Scope which brought the BBJ to our side, and a 135k first year salary with a 3.75% raise every year

Untouchable 14 hour duty limit (including airlining)

Untouchable 10 hour rest

Untouchable 10 hour max flight hours per day

Untouchable senority based upgrades, and pay protections for FOs that are junior to any other captain in any other fleet

12 SICK days per year PLUS

2 weeks vacation yr 1-5
3 weeks vacation yr 6-10
4 weeks vacation yr 10 plus...so our senior guys are working as little as 134 days per year or 11.2 days per month not counting sick time

Professional standards committee

Protection of our miles/points benefits with our credit cards

Job protection period

$0 monthly health care cost

Company paid crew meals plus our per diem

hourly OT after 12 hours, before 8:00 and after 9 hours on day one

and most important an ability to control our future and negotiate our working conditions and pay (regardless of how long it is taking !

So as low as our pay is, and as much as I am looking forward to our new contract, I am proud of our current contract and the protections it provides for us which I enjoy every tour.

 

[old*art]

I would agree that being organized and having a contract has resulted in some of these positive aspects of working for NJA, but I would disagree that it was a result of the $1 million sent to the Teasmters rather than the hard work of the volunteer pilots working through our local organization. Just some specifics - gateways happened during the shortage to attract pilots. My class of 35 was asked how many would be living in CMH. 2 pilots raised their hands. Then the question was asked "How many would be here if you HAD to live in CMH". Again only 2 raised their hands. Pay for training went away when NJA could no longer get anyone to come to their job interviews. This may have been pre 9/11, but it was the condition at the time. It would not happen now.
There is a lot of debate on this issue, but I do not feel Buffett will allow the pilot force to strike. It is said he hates negative publicity and this would be a huge black eye with his buddies who fly NJA. Plus sales - the life blood of fractionals - would dry up immediately when labor problems became known. CS, FLOPS, et al would be sure the word was out and noone is going to shell out big bucks for a jet that may not be available in the near future.
I am all for being organized for negotiations, but I still feel being associatted with the Teamsters has more negative than positive implications at NJA - especially in light of the amount of money sent. As I stated in another post, after this contract is settled I would prefer to see a fractional pilot association replace the Teamsters at NJA - something that might possibly be more acceptable to the pilots of the industry.
Just my opinion - worth exactly what it cost you.

 

[FatesPawn]

Gunfyter,

I agree with you about having a powerless in-house union at NJA. It would be weak without the support and clout of a national organization.

That said, where was the Teamster Airline division when 91k was being wrestled through the FAA's offices? Fortunately, for all fractional pilots, a few intelligent, well spoken professionals took it upon themselves as individuals to provide comments on the proposed 91k rulemaking. Yes, there were comments from Local 284, but who's looking out for us beyond ourselves?

You sort of slammed pilot "Associations" like ALPA, APA, SWAPA, etc. I would argue that those Associations have much more power and leverage in congress than Local 284.

When I was an ALPA memeber, I recall calling ALPA aeromedical division in Denver with some health issues that I didn't want to talk to ANYBODY else about.

If I had the FAA breathing down my neck for something I did at work, I could call ALPA Legal for advice.

Most recently on our own 284 message boards there are a number of Legal and Medical questions floating around. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to call the National offices for advice, rather than asking questions in cyberspace?

The Teamsters' Airline division may be the best of a lot of poor choices. Perhaps when this industry is more mature, we'll see Options, Flex, NJA, CS, form the Teamsters' Fractional Division - Or better yet - grow to the size where they can form their own Fractional Pilots Association (or Union ;-) and have enough clout to stand beside the likes of the Teamsters and ALPA when it comes to it's members interests in Washington.

 

[FatesPawn]

No offense intended Gunfyter. I applaud you for sticking up for the Teamsters! I don't think ALPA would be a good fit either. Hopefully, in the future (though many many years I'm afraid) there will be a good option. If that's a re-vamped Teamsters Airline division or another "National Fractional Union" only time will tell.