Originally Posted by
Clear Right
Please...really? You want sympathy from the general public. The general public thinks you work 15 days a month for more than a 6 figure salary.
Pensioned employees...they don't exist anymore. Teachers, firemen, and police won't get the sympathy of the general public either. Have you seen a firemans pension?? Do you think it is sustainable with municipalities going bankrupt left and right. Pensions are a thing of the past, unsustainable in any financial situation, private industry or municiple government.
I know it sucks, but it is the financial reality of people living too long. No company or government can afford to sustain a pension for people that live 30, 40, and in some cases 50 years after retirement.
In my opinion you need to negotiate the highest 401k match and Profit Sharing possible in your next contract...lose the pension. Nobody can ever take that money away from you or use it as leverage against you once it is deposited in your personal retirement account. Pensions are a handicap that management will use to leverage the senior pilots against the junior pilots. Why give management that power.
All of that being said about pensions, I do believe we are in a struggle between the income gap. That is where you need to spend the energy educating the general public.
Obviously, you're clueless. The pension issue isn't even on the table at AA as far as saving it. The amount of the 401(k) IS though. Both funds are gone and that's known by all and I think his reference to pensions wasn't about pensions per se, but about the greater assault on fair compensation for various professions, especially that of airline pilots. You talk about what "others" should do about educating the general public, but do nothing yourself. That's ok as I think your retirement package is perfectly appropriate considering the airline you work for.
Perhaps that will improve though once your merger is announced ?
Of course, if it does it will be because of others educating the public and not you.
