Originally Posted by
Xray678
I think PG is probably right about the affect on the seniority list. The choice of staying senior on smaller equipment or being junior on larger equipment would likely be gone. No matter what, there will be some unintended consequences.
But what really bothers me is if you have one pay scale for captains and on for FOs then someone is going to get a pay cut. Whatever we do with the pay scale, it will have to be cost neutral vs the current pay scale. I see no way to pay everyone on the same scale without the top guys taking a paycut. Even assuming we were going to get large pay raises, then the guys at the top would get nothing while everyone else had their pay brought up to the top rate.
There are a lot of senior widebody FOs who have not bid narrowbody captain. The hit to their lifestyle was not worth the small pay raise. But if every captain seat paid the same as a 777 seat, then you can bet your ass a large number of them will want a captain seat....any captain seat. If you get to one pay rate do you rebid the whole airline? How much will that cost the company?
From a scope standpoint, if you support a single pay scale you may as well sell out the 100 seaters. There is no way the company will invest in a 100 seat aircraft when they have to pay the pilots the same as a 777 pilot.
Getting away from different rates per aircraft sounds great in theory, but in practice it can never happen at an airline like Delta. Too many obstacles.
He makes a really good point. It would happen over time. That is why the Junior pilots are Flying International for may of the European airlines. Day turns are mo betta than the international stuff for older pilots.
That said, my point with LBP was this: We have 32(31) jets in the highest paying category, the AF JV (given how they are paid and how we are paid, along with the Import-Export Bank advantages given to foreign carriers) tilts bigger metal going to overseas airlines and 330/ER time being sent our way. It also means we will fly more block hrs in this pay area. Given these facts/observations, it would make sense to 1) look at advantages/disadvantages to a LBP system or some sort of modification to our current tiered system. In other words, put good capital where the lion's share of the growth of our fleet will be.
Also, I know that many people feel that getting 73n/320 rates above the SWA line is doable, but to raise the rates above these jets will be harder due to the industry pay rate averages right now. I disagree as we saw pre CH11 the widebody rates were always well above that of the 73N. The only difference this time is that we are dealing with a different industry. That is also why it is imperative to have the FDX and UPS PWA/CBA's included. They are relevant.
Given these two points, we are at a crossroads of what our future fleet will look like. We need to decide to include the FDX/UPS rates then fight with vigor, or look at a different way of compensating our members. The point is to discuss the issue so you can give pertinent input to your reps. The first step in this in acknowledging what trends the JVs and Alliances have created for US carriers.