In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have to post an official disclaimer policy. Sadly, our world fails to meet that description.
Disclaimer #1
This post does not represent the positions, policy, opinions, thoughts, feelings, or guidance of any company, organization, union, church, cult, club, or entity other than this website. This is one dude typing shit into a computer and posting on a website with an intentionally stupid name chosen specifically to remind himself and any visitors to not take ourselves too seriously. If you can’t honor that guiding principle, go somewhere else.
Disclaimer #2
I once deigned to comment on contract negotiations happening at a company I don’t work for. I faced a small, but shocking amount of hatred and vitriol (contrasted by significantly more positive feedback) to that post. I was told that it’s inappropriate for me to comment on a contract that I won’t have to live under.
I reject that assertion.
Like it or not, airline pilots in the United States are inextricably linked. ALPA’s founder, Captain Dave Behncke, wanted a single, national pilot contract. He couldn’t get that, so he instead founded ALPA on a strategy of “pattern bargaining.” This strategy uses gains won in any given pilot contract negotiation to raise the bar for all subsequent negotiations across our industry.
This strategy has enjoyed wild success. We all owe thanks to both Behncke for setting this system up, and our union brothers and sisters at our peer airlines for (mostly) continuing to raise the bar over the years.
Interestingly, pattern bargaining is such a prevalent part of the US airline industry that it crosses organizational boundaries. You might think that ALPA would want to look out for its own, while hoping to prevent non-ALPA pilot groups from using our negotiations as leverage. Thankfully, in the true spirit of unionism, this is not the case.
Pilots at non-ALPA carriers, including Southwest, UPS, American, and others are part of a nationwide pattern bargaining cycle. ALPA celebrates victories achieved by those peer unions, and visa-versa. I participated in an informational picketing event at JFK during my pilot group’s last contract negotiations. I was thrilled that pilots from several other airlines, including at least one non-ALPA carrier, joined us that day. ALPA openly encourages all pilots to support and walk the line with brothers and sisters organized under all unions: ALPA, SWAPA, APA, IPA, and others.
Even during my relatively short career, this nationwide process has provided some great results:
- After Delta led the way inaugurating a MBCBP, pilot groups at United and American have gained access to similar plans. The pending Southwest TA included a MBCBP, and I suspect this will become industry standard.
- The Delta pilots got “retro” pay in their most recent contract: 4% of 2020 pay, 4% of 2021 pay, and 14% of 2022 pay. That 4/4/14 figure was copied exactly in recent contracts at United and American.
- In the contract cycle prior to this one, United and American introduced “me-too” clauses that triggered automatic pay rate increases if pilots at their peer airlines subsequently achieved better raises. Delta pilots got a me-too clause in their most recent contract, and the United MEC made it openly known that they’d negotiated pay rates intended to trigger Delta’s me-too clause…knowing it would trigger the equivalent clause in their contract. That logic was presented by the MEC as part of their TA, and the United pilots voted to approve the agreement with that in mind. (Thanks y’all!)
- When SWAPA communicated the pay rates in their new TA to their pilots, they widely explained them as “Delta 737 Captain, plus 1%” and “Delta 757 FO” rates.
- The pending Southwest TA also has an annual 2.5% “bonus” that kicks in once their contract meets its amendable date. I’ve long advocated for something like this at my own airline as a way of encouraging the company to negotiate in good faith, rather than dragging negotiations out to for leverage and cost cutting. I hope to see something along these lines implemented in my contract in future negotiations, and as an industry standard.
These are just a few of the many examples showing the tight links between pilots throughout our industry. Yes, we all work at different companies with different contracts. However, it’s at best willfully ignorant to suggest that contract provisions at one company don’t affect pilots throughout our industry.
Is it wrong for me to weigh in to encourage the good or identify the bad in another contract when ALPA’s grand pattern bargaining strategy makes each of those provisions a potential gain or looming threat for my pilot group and me personally?
No.
I raise the BS flag on that one.