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For ACPA pilots: A radical idea


dagger

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I'm tired of the AC unions sitting around waiting to say "no"

I think it's time for a union ot only to say "yes", but to bring forward a new idea that will not only improve AC's costs, but also generate new revenues.

I know the freighter idea has been bounced around, but always from the company perspective. I'm proposing a union perspective that would be mutually beneficial.

We know Milton keeps advocating freighters. We know the company wants to spin off ACCargo as a separate entity.

So here is what I proposed below

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I'd like to see some out of the box thinking here from both sides

Enough talk about freighters. How about all ACPA pilots agreeing to productivity enhancements - even a little extra flying - for an equity position in Air Canada Cargo. Then launch a service with three (or more) 747 freighters. In effect, the labor would be free or subsidized by the pilots' productivity concessions. The profits would be shared - and with a cargo sub you wouldn't have to share the profits with CUPE or the CAW. (You could allow the IAM cargo people and ACCargo non-union types to buy in, too, through a wage cut.)

As a bonus, ACPA gets some big widebody flying which benefits its membership almost exclusively.

The ACPA share of ACCargo profits could be distributed to members as a form of annual profit sharing, or it could be flipped into a super Top Hat - over and above the plan the company is supposed to fund.

It can be even more radical - set this up as an income trust so that the profits aren't taxed within ACCargo but are distributed tax free to the pilots. And if ACCargo succeeds, and grows, you can even do a separate IPO with some of ACPA's shares sold as part of a secondary offer, with the proceeds flipped into that Top Hat plus.

Guys, you got to get radical here and you got to give your leadership a kick in the åss. Concessions can actually turn out to be profitable if you have the guts and the vision.

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The other benefit would be that ACCargo would become an example to the other unions of what profit sharing can do if applied for all of AC.

Now fire away and tell me why this won't work.

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Guest Dick Dastardly

I'd certainly be for it. I believe that there are a number of other initiatives that we could apply this line of thinking to as well. I've often thought that it would be interesting to offer opportunities to employee's on a voluntary basis where they could operate in a somewhat isolated environment. (similar to AC Jetz) More entrepreneurial, more flexible and more focused on tapping into profitable markets.

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Great idea, maybe RM can "Draft" or reassing Rob Giguere to run this new venture, i am sure you will find many pilots who are willing to make it work.

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Guest ACsidestick

Dagger,

It's a good idea.

As a sidenote, and not to detract from youy idea in any way, is some info on Milton and Freight.

When HH brought RM up to Canada he put him in charge of two things. Scheduling and Cargo. The very first thing Milton did as an Exec at AC was to shut down the freighter. Now a few years later, he's back asking to fire it up again.

I like your idea. I would sign it.

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dagger;

For a long time I have thuoght that Air BC ( now Jazz) should not have any pilots at all. The idea would be to crew using Air Canada pilots on a contract basis. The thought was that you would never have to worry about getting your money out of the company, if they turned a profit you merely up the rate you pay mother corp. for the pilots.

My latest thought is that a company called A.C.P.S. (Air Canada Piloting Services) be formed and spun off. ACPA could even buy this company. Piloting services could be sold to anyone who needed pilots, training etc.

just a thought.

Tony!

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Keep in mind the airline was flying DC-8s. DC-8s, even re-engined ones (as opposed to hushed ones), are now viewed as suitable only for package and courier companies. If I am not mistaken, Emery uses them a lot within NA. For intercontinental heavy freight, you need a 747.

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The problem with the AC cargo operation was that it only flew for a few hours everynight from Monday to Friday. The G time spent for crews was a killer along with the money spent on paying AC crews to not fly the prop airplanes that brought in the feed from smaller centres.

That and the heavy expense of maintaining the cargo terminals across the country made cargo a money loser.

The Cargo branch did not see a way to make it better so RM recommended to HH to shut it down and concentrate on using the combi's and the bellies of all of the 767's that were flying unused.

Remember it was also RM who brought the 74E's out of the desert.

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Guest Tristar

It was not Milton who got the 400s out of the desert. It was one of Hollis Harris first moves when he came to AC in late 91.

This freighter idea is not bad but it won't fly simply because it's not Milton's style. He wants all the profit for himself.

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I would take a serious look at this as well though as you note, structure and eventual success would require both a shift in attitude and a repaired trust, along with an accountability clause of course.. one to assist the train staying on the rails so to speak.

I think ACPA pilots have tired of empty promises and accountability problems from Calin and the likes.

I like the idea though, productivity and profit share are key I believe.. work it a little.

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The people running cargo have no idea on how to make money.They are sitting on a gold mine but its the same old same old.When the silo's come down and the management actually come up with a plan(which hasn't happened yet other then to hire more managers)to manage less employees.They are wayyyyy to busy shielding themselves from the yet to see cut backs.So untill then its the same old same old.

But its a nice idea daggar

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Lets see.. minimum age for pilot lic is 15.. 16 perhaps plus 25 and 30 respectively.. that makes you guys a minimum 40.

Like both you guys but man o man.. give it a rest already!

With all due respect to you both.

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I guess that we will have to wait for his book to come out to see if it was HH or RM. But, seeing how Hollis brought Robert into Air Canada as soon as he got there and told him to find out what was wrong with AC scheduling. My money is still on RM.

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Would this work with ZIP as well? Say ACPA and CUPE give AC the flexibility they need to expand ZIP as much as they'd like and allow all new hires to come on at ZIP pay scales and work rules, but in return get an equity position in ZIP.

How about doing the same with Ramp and Airport Services? Maintenance? Jazz? The possibilities are endless.

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Fido,

it was not milton who broughtt he -400 our of storage, I worked on them in the hangar in 91, long before Milton joined the company.If Milton states it was his idea, he is then nothing more than a common liar.

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Milton was employed by HH as a consultant for a long time prior to him becoming an employee of Air Canada.

He worked on Cargo, Fleet Planning and Flight Scheduling before he was an actual employee.

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You are suggesting giving a "capital value" to the inherent value of labour not yet provided...the "means of production" so to speak. Very Marxist of you.

Why give labour (and pilots are nothing more than labour) such participation in equity and profit without any corresponding risk of capital?

You elevate pilots to the level to which they aspire.

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