Originally Posted by
CANAM
The airlines are trying to contol the economics of our profession. As a capitalist, I can't blame them. As a pilot, I'm angry. While I don't think there will be a pilot shortage anytime soon, by allowing lower standard pilots access to the cockpit it seriously offsets the law of SUPPLY AND DEMAND. We pilots stand to gain a lot by a shortage in the form of pay and benefits. If we allow there to be lower standards in a time of low supply, we'll be totally hosed. I urge everybody to take a good look at Multi-Crew Licences to see the future if we allow this to happen. It takes the power out of our hands. Trust me when I say this, but if the airlines were at all concerned with a shortage, they'd offer more pay. And one more thing, if there is this big shortage of workers for the future, why is it I haven't heard of a lawyer shortage?
THERE WILL NEVER BE A SHORTAGE OF WELL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FOR WELL PAYING JOBS.
You're exactly right- the MPL is the bigger threat, and the looming "pilot shortage" will be the justification for it. Whether the coming shortage is real or imagined, the airline lobby can spin it to look any way they want- much the way they can do with their financials to manipulate bankruptcy/ mergers ect.
As I've said before on here- I don't think we have the power to stop it. Our country is too union- hostile, (and too addicted to cheap fares) to really allow us to organize an effective fight against this.