mach92

https://www.facebook.com/UnitedPilotsMEC

zeus2120

I'll start by saying I'm anticipating that I'll catch some flack for this -- but today I noticed the majority of pilots I was around wearing "Contract First, United Next" lanyards. I am all for negotiating and improving work benefits, standards, QOL, etc -- but I just can't help but feel that this looks extremely tacky. Imagine a school teacher wearing a "Contract First, Students Next" lanyard in the classroom. I'm surprised these are allowed by the UA dress code. I can't imagine walking into my job with disgruntled slogans emblazoned around my neck.

EWR764

I'd disagree with the characterization of a labor union representing an employee group of a for-profit entity as comparable or equivalent to a union in the public sector, like education. But that discussion is certainly outside the scope of this forum!

United's contract and work rules in certain areas are objectively worse than some of its direct competitors, and the company has trumpeted its concessions with the pilots as instrumental in its post-COVID flexibility and growth. United's pilot union has committed some unforced errors in the negotiating process, but I take no issue with their efforts to turn up the heat in a safe, lawful manner.

757FO

I think a mod should lock this thread before it gets out of hand!

Bear96

The bolded part would be illegal under US labor law for UA to prohibit.

stupidhead

I can agree with that (the bolded). Paying customers are not interested in your dispute with your leadership, and it's certainly unprofessional for them to take their frustrations out on customers.

halls120

How is wearing a lanyard with a message any different than �message� lapel pins? How does a message lanyard constitute �taking their frustrations out on their customers?�

bitterproffit

One, they aren't teachers. They are pilots for a FOR PROFIT corporation (big difference).
Two, if you don't look out for your salary, who will?
Three, the lanyard isn't a message for 'paying customers'. Its for solidarity.
Four, as a teacher in a non union state, if I could collective bargain, I would wear that lanyard in a second. I don't work for free.

nnn

I agree it's a tacky look, looks almost whiny, especially when it's the customers and other rank-and-file employees who are seeing the lanyard by and large, but I wouldn't go so far as to say they're taking out their frustrations on customers. I suppose if it's between seeing a lanyard or the pilots striking or otherwise delaying/canceling flights, I'll take the lanyard.

That being said, I greatly appreciate UAL pilots and the hard work they do to keep us safe. Now if only they'd keep Ch. 9 on.

zeus2120

Give us a chance lol so far, so good

What part would be illegal? An employer can institute uniform policy that includes the barring of propaganda in the workplace. Would you be ok if the pilot union handed out lanyards for presidential political candidates next year in hopes to spread the word to get their guy in? Probably not -- or at least 50% wouldn't be okay with that. The group benefiting from the "messaging" right now clearly are ok with it -- but if the tables turned those same people would be in protest of it.

A union is a union. I'm not in one bit criticizing unions, pilots, or anything of the like. Publicly airing your work grievances to me, as a customer, looks extremely tacky and unprofessional. It also shows no care for the coworkers. Pilots out earn nearly 100% of the other employees. I just think it's a bad message to advertise around customers and co workers.

Agreed. UAL pilots are some of the best. No complaints there!

plas

This is a bit rich.

bitterproffit

I respect people who put their salary before the demands of the for-profit organization that would drop them in a second if the cost/benefit equation shifted.

I am not going to be triggered by lanyards. You don't see the pilot 99% of the flight, so the lanyard isn't a message to the customers.

I have more thoughts, but they would probably put this thread into Omni/PR. But I stand in solidarity with the pilots (I just wish I had collective bargaining power).

zeus2120

If it wasn't...they wouldn't be wearing them. Come on now. The pilot union knows that the messaging is an eye sore for United. It's being done for the public (the customers) to see, day in and day out, in order to give United a negative look and encourage supporting of the employees. If a contract is signed tomorrow, would those lanyards disappear? Pretty sure they would. It's not about solidarity. It's messaging to the public. And it's working -- I noticed and I'm talking about it.

lincolnjkc

I agree it looks tacky (though unlike the "Contract First, Students Next" example it's clearly a reference to the United Next initiative and I think there's at least a tiny bit of a point to be made that getting the current house in order make sense before building an expansion... But this also isn't unique to UA. I've seen AA pilots with similar messaging (and at least UA ALPA hasnt (yet) gone down the road of buying ad time to promote how miserable they are which AA APA did a year or two ago)

Anyway I'll take a silent statement (lanyard) over alternatives like PA announcements (can you imagine if they started doing speils like the Chase cards?) This makes the point without being obtrusive

Bear96

Google something like, "Can an employer prohibit union insignia."