Originally Posted by
DAL 88 Driver
This is a good example of how we shoot ourselves in the foot. It's just like when LM, in one of his final letters as MEC Chairman, crowed that we had reached a milestone in that we were back to our pre-bankruptcy pay. Totally leaves out the fact that we took a 32.5% pay cut PRIOR to bankruptcy and that our pay was/is nowhere close to being restored. Technically, it was an accurate statement (just like yours), but it is extremely misleading. Unless you're happy with where we are now. And maybe YOU are, but if that's the case, I think you're in a very small minority.
I hold down THREE jobs. Still, I can't make up for the $20,000 bath I took in the markets last week.
No, I'm not thrilled with my pay, but realistically, I'm doing better than 80% of US Air. In this market (both as Delta pilots and in our personal dealings) we have to deal with reality. Assumptions, like an 8% return on investment (4% after inflation), are probably gone. Further, you may find yourself as the one wage earner in your immediate family, or extended family. Our neighbors on either side don't really have jobs and are now picking up contract gigs here and there while letting their other real estate investments (which were speculative) go back to banks.
Point being, a lack of pragmatism and care can hurt a guy a lot worse in this economy than in typical times when errors could be caught back up. We do not need a repeat of last decade. Would I like a 35% raise? Sure. Would I like a 35% raise which would nearly certainly result in the loss of my job?
My preference is to work with Delta to find a model by which Delta pilots perform Delta flying. I'm fine with reasonable wages and I'll enjoy a more than 35% raise by upgrading and getting back in the command seat. There is potential for a win / win here, by our doing our flying more productively with less managerial redundancy.