Originally Posted by
nwaf16dude
Pay rates are great, but I think we should mostly be focusing on other ways to increase compensation, like bringing back significant night pay, big nums for international pay, and a huge (x4) increase in per diem. And pay from doors closed to open. Larger minimum calendar day, not duty period. These are all ways to make significantly more cash, some tax advantaged, with lower increases to hourly rates. That way the company gets to tell the financial community that we only gave x when the reality is much more.
Raising per diem that much would not be a smart move. There is no real tax advantage once you reach the accepted deductions for transport workers for meal expenses. The IRS is quite wise to move pay into other areas to try and avoid taxes. You will be taxed on the excess per diem. What you wont get on that money is the 13 percent DC or the ability to contribute some of it to your 401k and fill your 415C limit. Some increase in per diem to the max allowed tax free would be good. That is probably not more then 50 cents an hour more then current. The rest should be in pay.