Originally Posted by
Once United
Would you explain how the UAL MEC sacrificed the junior pilots? Do you really think they planned to do harm to the junior pilots or was the harm a byproduct of 9/11, bankruptcy and the Tilton Plan.
Once,
Never did I say planned, but people were sacrificed in order to save the A Plan with the moves that were made. "The gun to the head" position only goes so far with me. Decisions were made regardless of why they had to be made knowing it would cost jobs. I do believe that the final decision was made knowing that fact would be the undesireable outcome.
Now, say go back to C2000. In the negotiation process all things have a dollar sign, or cost attached to them. Things like Int'l override for Capts (meant originally to compensate FO's exercising the PIC of their ATP), senior manning, coming up with a last minute red-line paychart hitting the 5 or less year FO's to shift dollars to pay for the WB 28% increase.....
And, I could go on. In good times and bad, yes, the MEC has made decisions that hurt the junior to help the senior.
It is what it is. The paradigm shift that needs to happen is that there really isn't a situation in the industry anymore where using that tactic works. There is no nirvana at the upper end of the seniority list anymore that warrants the "paying your dues" until you get there.
Yes, seniority (and relative seniority in fleet/seat) should always result in some "perks" regarding schedule, vaca, etc. It has no merit now taking from one side of the list to plus up the senior for things like FAE and so on really don't exist anymore. And, having the junior continue to try and make up for the loss of the A Plan is a non-starter.
Your retirement, etc., is all about what you made while you were there and put into the B/C Fund. But, to trully take care of all the pilots and benefit them the most, you'd be better off making more initially realizing that your top pay at retirement might be reduced as a result. Time value of money and all.
That paradigm shift really hasn't occurred nor do I expect it to until all that have that "I paid my dues" mentallity finally retire.
After all, we've really all paid our dues. I'm sure those twice furloughed feel they have paid their dues.
IMO, yes, your time at the company and what you fly should equate to more income......not to the extent you create a cast system. The MEC should have the sight picture that all pilots are equally capable and valuable to the company line. The spectrum between pay disparity needs to be shrunk.
Frats,
Lee