Originally Posted by SitBackRelax
First of all it's important to compare apples to apples I think. We've been around for 6 years and we're getting compared to legacies rather than other LCCs or, even more fairly, other airlines who are 6 years old. It's flattering, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to take seriously an accusation that we should be demanding what Delta captains used to make.
Sorry don't buy it. Your being self depreciated.
Your customers
don't look at you and discount you compare to Delta, they'd fly Delta over JB in a heartbeat if it saved a few bucks. I don't think anyone here expects you to be at 6 year capts to pay (old) Delta 12 year rates. It would be nice and level the playing field, but I don't think anyone here has any allusion that that will happen any time soon.
Regarding retirement.
Airlinepilot Central pay comparison is all I've got to go on. No A plan (agreed, but its still a shame its disappearing) No B plan. This
is the 401K plan at most companies. Some percentage of your gross pay. Without an A plan, it should be over 10%, maybe near 15% or more. A matching part is OK, but when you have no defined benefit, this needs to be there and fairly large, otherwise you have to put income aside to have a reasonable retirement. Ask yourself this, "are you pulling money out of your take home pay (or should) to fully fund your retirement?" If the answer is yes, you don't really have a proper retirement plan. The profit sharing is good, but as you point out, can't be trusted to fund a retirement 20+ years from now. Just thinking about the Emron fiasco should be proof enough not to trust ones own stock for retirement. Add it all up, it woefully inadequate, IMHO.
Originally Posted by SitBackRelax
......... .. Certainly you don't mean to say that the ICAO rules, which take circadian rhythms more into account than ours do, are unsafe? Yet they allow 8+ hours. My point is that the objections I have to the exemption are based on possible repercussions and misuse outside JB. ............. But if you're going to tell me that a 10 hour daytime transcon turn is more "dangerous" than alternating day flights and redeyes with min rest in between then I'm going to have a hearty chuckle.
Is JB advocating the JAR's (regulation) on duty limits for domestic flying?? If so, I'm on board. Or is just the
good parts (like the 10 hour bit)??
, sorry than, I'm not with you . I'll try to look up what JB advocated when I finish this and post (if I'm savvy enough to do so) If its the JAR reg I'll stand corrected.
Originally Posted by SitBackRelax
A union is not the only way to communicate with management. At many companies it's necessary, but by and large we've been able to bring concerns, requests, and problems to management and for the most part they've responded pretty well, or told us in good faith why they can't or won't quite yet. It doesn't mean we don't have problems or discontent, it means that this system is working fairly well for us at the moment.
I'm going to keep this one short because I've said before and others (with less , how to say....diplomacy)
have already been down this road. I don't think you have a true contract. I know you believe otherwise, so I'll leave it there. Thee are other things advantageous about using a union to interface with the company, and we all know of a very good example of a successful airline that is unionised top to bottom with a good labor-management relationship. Nuff said.