Originally Posted by
GeeWizDriver
If you think the union at Netjets is a "success story," I can't help you. NJASAP puts the "fun" in dysfunctional.
Dooooooooood... Seriously?!?!
Prior to the union at Netjets, any union, that is... The place was a pay-for-training sweatshop... Not the standard bearer for the highest pay and best working conditions that it is today.
Back in 2001, my old airline had a big furlough and over 40 of our furloughed pilots got on there. We felt very sorry for them at the time: They could only live in 5 places and starting Captain's pay was $35,000 a year. At the time, it was Flight Options that was the standard bearer for good pay and working conditions in the Fractional Industry, although I don't believe that they had a union at the time. Looking at history, they should have organized to preserve what they had when times were good.
Do you think that Warren Buffet and Santuli, out of the goodness of their hearts, raised these pilots pay and working conditions to the level that it is now, or do think that it was the Union (First, IBT and now NJASAP) that brought this about through solidarity, picketing Berkshire Hathaway HQ and Wall Street, and one embarrassing banner tow fly by at the Kentucky Derby that brought these pilots where they are today?
EVERY fractional pilot (really, every commercial pilot anywhere) owes a debt of gratitude to these intrepid pathfinders that stormed the shore and secured a standard of pay and working conditions unmatched by any Fractional and many "majors".
Thanks to the Netjets pilots for proving that you don't get paid what you deserve, you get paid what you negotiate. Just ask any Netjets passenger. No, NJASAP isn't perfect, but it is a lot better than what virtually any other fractional pilots have.. With the close exception of Flight Options.