Originally Posted by
Timbo
So what's the solution?
I don't have time to write (or rewrite) the book on this, so I will try to keep this as possible. In a word, ALPA needs a National Contract, with fixed pay rates for every type of equipment. OR, go to Longevity pay, ie. the more years of airline experience any ALPA Pilot has, the more he makes. That alone will take the incentive away from Management to outsource the 100 seat (or less) flying to the Regionals.
If we want to fundamentally change ALPA, then going to a National Contract, where alll ALPA Pilots are paid the same, based on Longevity Pay, with the same level of benefits across all ALPA pilot groups, would be a fundamental change.
Discuss, I've got to let the dogs out...
I agree, Timbo, but there's one major flaw in your system. What happens to those airlines that simply can't afford to pay that? They will go bankrupt, and then what happens to their pilots? Without a safety net for pilots in this situation (i.e. some type of "portable seniority"), these pilot groups will ALWAYS undercut their fellow pilot groups in a bid to survive. And that starts the whole downward spiral for everyone.
By each pilot group continuing to insist on airline specific seniority, we will never get a national contract.