91k has improved my life on the road significantly, I feel rested and relaxed and actually have time to enjoy the cities I am staying in. Part of this is because our new MEC did not cave into the company requests. See with a union, that is all they are is REQUESTS, we have a say on what they try to dump on us.
I used to be embarrased to work for NJA, and am still regarding the pay, but I still have hope, and have not pursued 3 separate job openings in my city paying 95k and higher that have come up in the last 2 weeks.
Our leadership is fighting all the battles once and for all...single carrier, gateway lou has been scheduled for arbitration after 3 years, our old local is now history, and I just received word that Teamsters National will be repaying all the money ASAP/SU has spent (over 50k) of their/our own money to get our own local and separate from 284.
To all those that complain about the Teamsters, or ALPA, or whatever union, look in the mirror...you are the union, the national organization is less than 10% of your strength. If your group doesn't have the leadership within, and the internal strength to support them, it wouldn't matter who represented you.
I want to put one rumor to rest. We are not actively pursuing FLOPS guys...we don't need their money...we have over 1.6 million dollars of income from our only members, NJA pilots. FLOPS pilots have come to US, we are not Teamsters local 747 who was the group pursuing them. We can only give Options pilots the tools, they have to build their own house, and need to find some skilled carpenters in their group to lead them.
Notice how I am not bragging about our new contract, or how much we will get or anything along those lines. We may not get squat, but if we don't NJA won't be getting squat for customers either by tiime this war is over. I am only saying that for the first time in 5 years I know whatever comes down the line will be the most possible, good or bad.
I am not an MEC member, or on any board or committee. I am just a line pilot that believes in the benefits of a union. I was relatively anti-union when I started here over 5 years ago, but after 5 years of not losing one single benefit, and only seeing improvements (albeit slowly) I am now a believer. Our airplanes are safe, our mx is done, our pilots have great judgement, our training is good, and there is not one leg that I would sweat a team of FAA inspectors jumping onboard. Every lightbulb is MEL'd, nothing is broke, all the paperwork is done, I am rested and ready to work....all because I have no fear in refusing a trip without proper paperwork, without a ferry permit, or because I am tired or hungry.
I used to be embarrased to work for NJA, and am still regarding the pay, but I still have hope, and have not pursued 3 separate job openings in my city paying 95k and higher that have come up in the last 2 weeks.
Our leadership is fighting all the battles once and for all...single carrier, gateway lou has been scheduled for arbitration after 3 years, our old local is now history, and I just received word that Teamsters National will be repaying all the money ASAP/SU has spent (over 50k) of their/our own money to get our own local and separate from 284.
To all those that complain about the Teamsters, or ALPA, or whatever union, look in the mirror...you are the union, the national organization is less than 10% of your strength. If your group doesn't have the leadership within, and the internal strength to support them, it wouldn't matter who represented you.
I want to put one rumor to rest. We are not actively pursuing FLOPS guys...we don't need their money...we have over 1.6 million dollars of income from our only members, NJA pilots. FLOPS pilots have come to US, we are not Teamsters local 747 who was the group pursuing them. We can only give Options pilots the tools, they have to build their own house, and need to find some skilled carpenters in their group to lead them.
Notice how I am not bragging about our new contract, or how much we will get or anything along those lines. We may not get squat, but if we don't NJA won't be getting squat for customers either by tiime this war is over. I am only saying that for the first time in 5 years I know whatever comes down the line will be the most possible, good or bad.
I am not an MEC member, or on any board or committee. I am just a line pilot that believes in the benefits of a union. I was relatively anti-union when I started here over 5 years ago, but after 5 years of not losing one single benefit, and only seeing improvements (albeit slowly) I am now a believer. Our airplanes are safe, our mx is done, our pilots have great judgement, our training is good, and there is not one leg that I would sweat a team of FAA inspectors jumping onboard. Every lightbulb is MEL'd, nothing is broke, all the paperwork is done, I am rested and ready to work....all because I have no fear in refusing a trip without proper paperwork, without a ferry permit, or because I am tired or hungry.
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