In some respects, yes, in others, no. The current contract, before it was extended as of today, would have been amendable in January, 2017. Our contract does not expire; it becomes amendable, so in the absence of a renegotiated contract next January, we would continue to work under the current amendable contract until one of several things happens. Negotiating a new contract that reflects current and projected economical environment would always be the most desirable outcome. That has never happened in my 29 years as a UA pilot, but generally it is negotiated within three years after it’s amendable date.

I have to look at it from the perspective that, since management is never inclined to negotiate a contract before on on the day that the old one is amendable, yet in this case they came to us with this idea, they undoubtedly wanted something very badly, and they wanted it before the current amendable date. They will not sign an agreement unless it will provide something positive for them.

For us, there were five sections (of the current 25) that they wanted to renegotiate. Some were very valuable to them, some to us. Among them were some things they were initially willing to improve for us, including restoration of furloughee longevity and the pay rates that go with that longevity, pay scale improvements, and reserve system changes. Also there was some language regarding small jets. The small jets issue and the reserve improvements were removed from the negotiations along the way because we already have what we want in the small jet agreements within the current contract (the carrot that was already in our possession) and we could come to mutually agreeable improvements in the reserve system.

The only provision that I thought would be worth voting in favor of in this agreement was the furloughee restoration part, and just by the nature of Letters of Agreement being always up for discussion, I think that this would have been addressed in further interaction with the company, well before January, 2019.

I voted no, knowing that had it not passed, I would never see a pay increase beyond a couple of 2-3% increases in the next four years, because I’d be gone before a full Section Six negotiation was negotiated and ratified. But, there will be a UA pilot group after I’m gone, and like pilots before my time, I’d be willing to hold out for something that would better for the future pilots.

In short, I think that the value of this extension is not close to what our pilots would be able to achieve in full Section Six negotiations, even though I’d unlikely ever see the personal benefit to myself.

But it passed, by a fair and democratic vote, and the majority of pilots thought it is better than what I think it is.

FAB