Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
I don't understand this concept of taking the SWAPA contract in its entirety. For instance - if we had the SWAPA contract, word for word, then we wouldn't have pay scales for most of our fleets.
With SWAPA's pay, I'd be making about 100K more per year as a 747 Capt. Therefore, I wouldn't care if we pay banded the entire fleet. But a 737 Captain at DAL needs to paid at least the same as a 737 Captain at SWA. Period. If the company says that the only way they'll agree to that is if a 747 Captain makes the same, so be it. I'll just have to suffer with my 100K pay raise.
Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
That's ok, you say, we'll juts add a provision that says all of the other fleets will use the same pay scale.
Nope...see above.
Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
Heck, it would still be a pay raise for most pilots. The problem is, by doing that, you have, by necessity, modified the original contract and you no longer have the actual SWAPA contract.
No need for the pilots to want a modification. It is MANAGEMENT that would be wanting the modifications. And for every one that THEY demand, we could cost it out, then agree to their modification if we thought we could live with it. Regardless, you let MANAGEMENT be the ones having to scream for modifications.
Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
How about crew rest facilities? I bet there's no provision in the SWAPA contract for crew rest facilities - another thing that would have to be changed (or, do we just let mgt do their own thing wrt crew rest)
First of all, management is already attempting to do their own thing with our crew rest facilities. Second, there are regulations regarding crew rest facilities. On the vast majority of our wide body fleet, our rest area is a passenger seat. If the company gets its way with the A330, the only real crew rest areas will be on the 747/777. 34 airplanes. If the company was forced to sign off on the SWAPA contract, would they pull out those rest facilities too and give us passenger seats like the rest of the wide body fleet? They might. But in my view, it is an extremely small price to pay to achieve SWAPA's scope and pay.
Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
. 2 capts, 2 FO's on 12+ hour flights, isn't that in our contract as well? I guess we could go to 1 and 3 - captains are over rated any way. Again more changes.
Yup, the company could go to 1 capt and 3 f/o's. That means some captains like me would get bumped off to a smaller jet. But if we're pay banded...who cares?
Originally Posted by
Dash8widget
I agree - there is probably much of the SWAPA contract that would be great for DL pilots (their scope is hard to beat) - but the whole contract, in it's entirety, without modification? I don't see how that would even work.
It would work incredibly for the pilots. We would take some small hits, but make MAJOR gains in pay and scope. But would it work for management? Sure it would, but it would cost them way too much in their view. They like the huge cost advantage against SWA. An advantage given to them by us continuing to work for emergency/bankruptcy wages.
Carl