By this logic, IPA pilots should acquiesce to UPS assaults on the CBA since there is nowhere for them to go; anywhere else would be a giant step backward. But we all know IPA pilots are best compensated on the planet. And the total number of UPS/IPA grievances dwarfs that of any other airline relationship.

I'm not throwing stones. I have tremendous empathy for guys trying to make it to the "Big Time." But what is the Big Time anymore? UPS? FEDEX? The measurable and SIGNIFICANT heavy lifting the IPA continues, and WILL continue to do in raising the bar for the ENTIRE aviation World ought to serve as an example to other professional pilot organizations; however, none of us should also escape the obvious conclusion that the reason IPA guys seem to be the envy of some, is because the PAX industry has lost so much ground, and retreated BACKWARD.

My Goodness, are any of you old enough to remember being a major airline pilot in the years prior to 911? NO ONE wanted to fly for FEDEX or UPS. Everyone was leaving in droves for a better life at the "Majors" for a "real" airline job.

P.S. My Goodness, do any of you remember pre-Deregulation, c. 1977? Back when the DoT determined pilots wages, many 727 FOs were making $800K per year (adjusted).

But with Deregulation, The Man surrendered some power back to The People. This makes it then incumbent on The People to collectively determine an acceptable level of compensation for their service, then collectively DEMAND it. At some point, we all need to be willing to hold our middle finger up to management, and ACTUALLY collectively not show up for work.

I realize it's a different risk matrix for an IPA pilot, knowing he'll have a company to come back to after the strike, because the company made Billion$. I endured 5 years of crap pay, instructing and cancelled checks, before getting into the USAF Reserve, which was the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't know if I'd have the stomach these days to endure 15 years at a Regional, just for the chance to make it somewhere else. The year I got hired at UPS, the average new-hire age was 39. They hired 1% of the WELL-QUALIFIED guys who applied. Those are LONG odds, by anyones's standard. Guys almost have a better chance playing 3rd Base for the Yankees.

The point is, we all need to make where we are working NOW a better place. If people rely on daydreams about a better life at Airline B, to help slog them through the day at Airline A, most will be disappointed. If the grass is greener next door, get his advice on how to make your grass just as green--then the whole neighborhood looks good.