Originally Posted by flyallnite

You can say we had it taken from us, or that we sold it out, or that we helped save the company, and made it the resounding success it is today. None of that matters. The global economy is in meltdown, the US economy is sliding back into recession, and we are looking at a huge shift of wealth to a select few in our country. Things will seem bad for a long time to come for most people. But not to all.

The airline industry will continue to make money, be profitable, and sell tickets no matter what. We have stopped chasing the low margin passengers and instead focused on the money. The money is still there, it's just not with the plumbers and the steel workers any more. It's all shifted to the top %2 of the new economic class. We will survive into whatever the next phase is, because we market to them.

Will attorneys lower their rates due to the recession? No. Will your doctor charge you less? Your dentist? No. Will the Board of Directors at Delta vote to cut their pay? No. Will we allow ourselves to be lumped in with the bag throwers, fuelers and ticket takers who will see their salaries slump along with the rest of the middle class? Or will we use the leverage we have and DEMAND to be paid a respectable salary for our incomparably high responsibilities?

The company can afford huge pay raises for us. They will say they can't. They will say that while paying themselves millions in bonuses. They will make even more if we buy what they are selling. I am personally very close to a withdrawal of enthusiasm with respect to this job. If we don't have something very soon, the company will start getting what they are paying for. Half a pilot.