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UPS Airline / Gateway
Pilots - Here we go!
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<blockquote data-quote="tieguy" data-source="post: 72559" data-attributes="member: 1912"><p>"What if in 97 the pilots said "You want how much for unskilled labor?" and "Why should the drivers make more than a taxi driver when they actually deliver people and work longer hours?" Not one pilot crossed the teamster's line, not one."</p><p></p><p>In fairness to the comparison you list your pilots could afford to enjoy the 2 week august vacation the teamsters provided them. I wonder if a package car driver working hard to support his family and meet his monthly mortgage will really get his heart into supporting a pilot who makes 175000 a year and is trying to get up to 200,000. One of the successes of the 97 strike was the teamster success at marketing that strike as a fight to get part timers full time jobs. Thats an issue the public was more than willing to support. It would be a little more difficult to get public support for pilots who for all intents and purposes are at the upper end of the wage scale . Realistically the only selling point hoffa has in the war is the point that the pilots are a union who supported the teamsters in 97. Their really is no other similarity between the blue collar teamsters and the elitist pilots group. The pilots sacrifice was wage wise significantly less of a drain on them than it would be on a teamster walking in kind. Should the pilots actually walk then Hoffa would be in a difficult situation. A long protacted strike would drain the teamster coffers.The pilots union being as small as it is would not have the financial resources to replenish the teamster coffers. Other unions would have to kick in financial support. This happening two years before the teamsters renegotiate their contract would weaken the teamsters bargaining position in 2008. Obviously not supporting the pilots would put him in political jeopardy. He would be in between the classic "rock and a hard place". I believer most UPSers support the union because belonging solidifies their bargaining position and the union does provide them some protection from overzealous management. That said i also believe most UPSers do not want to lose the financial position they gain belonging to a union by constantly being on the picket line. The teamsters union and the IPA also find theirselves in a difficult position because any hostile action against UPS does weaken UPS competitively which in turn weakens the unions in future bargaining efforts. Any effort by the union to concede issues to the company shows a weakness that could cost present union leadership politically. Prior to the 97 strike approximately 85 percent of all shippers were single carrier shippers with most shipping ground through UPS. While I have not seen recent numbers I think it would be safe to guess that most shippers today have become multiple carrier shippers. The 97 strike certainly played a part in that switch. Hence our present day struggles. How do we come up with a contract negotiating process that continues to allow our people to be the best compensated in the industry without hurting UPS competively. Many on the union side will blame the company for not negotiating in good faith when contract negotiations approach contract expiration. At the same time if the company actually gave in on all points during the initial stages of negotiations I have to wonder if the union would actually agree to settle the contract. Would they then actually agree to a fair offer presented early in the process or would they fear their membership would think that they the union had not fought hard enough for the best deal possible. Too many head games played when these negotiations take place and if we don't find a better way then all of us could end up paying the price.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="tieguy, post: 72559, member: 1912"] "What if in 97 the pilots said "You want how much for unskilled labor?" and "Why should the drivers make more than a taxi driver when they actually deliver people and work longer hours?" Not one pilot crossed the teamster's line, not one." In fairness to the comparison you list your pilots could afford to enjoy the 2 week august vacation the teamsters provided them. I wonder if a package car driver working hard to support his family and meet his monthly mortgage will really get his heart into supporting a pilot who makes 175000 a year and is trying to get up to 200,000. One of the successes of the 97 strike was the teamster success at marketing that strike as a fight to get part timers full time jobs. Thats an issue the public was more than willing to support. It would be a little more difficult to get public support for pilots who for all intents and purposes are at the upper end of the wage scale . Realistically the only selling point hoffa has in the war is the point that the pilots are a union who supported the teamsters in 97. Their really is no other similarity between the blue collar teamsters and the elitist pilots group. The pilots sacrifice was wage wise significantly less of a drain on them than it would be on a teamster walking in kind. Should the pilots actually walk then Hoffa would be in a difficult situation. A long protacted strike would drain the teamster coffers.The pilots union being as small as it is would not have the financial resources to replenish the teamster coffers. Other unions would have to kick in financial support. This happening two years before the teamsters renegotiate their contract would weaken the teamsters bargaining position in 2008. Obviously not supporting the pilots would put him in political jeopardy. He would be in between the classic "rock and a hard place". I believer most UPSers support the union because belonging solidifies their bargaining position and the union does provide them some protection from overzealous management. That said i also believe most UPSers do not want to lose the financial position they gain belonging to a union by constantly being on the picket line. The teamsters union and the IPA also find theirselves in a difficult position because any hostile action against UPS does weaken UPS competitively which in turn weakens the unions in future bargaining efforts. Any effort by the union to concede issues to the company shows a weakness that could cost present union leadership politically. Prior to the 97 strike approximately 85 percent of all shippers were single carrier shippers with most shipping ground through UPS. While I have not seen recent numbers I think it would be safe to guess that most shippers today have become multiple carrier shippers. The 97 strike certainly played a part in that switch. Hence our present day struggles. How do we come up with a contract negotiating process that continues to allow our people to be the best compensated in the industry without hurting UPS competively. Many on the union side will blame the company for not negotiating in good faith when contract negotiations approach contract expiration. At the same time if the company actually gave in on all points during the initial stages of negotiations I have to wonder if the union would actually agree to settle the contract. Would they then actually agree to a fair offer presented early in the process or would they fear their membership would think that they the union had not fought hard enough for the best deal possible. Too many head games played when these negotiations take place and if we don't find a better way then all of us could end up paying the price. [/QUOTE]
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