Originally Posted by Bad-Andy

Using your analogy, really what happened is that Dad already made a deal with us that if we do chores 3 days a week, he will give us that $3 per week allowance, which bumps to $5 per week next year (regardless). He also promised that once he got a raise at work and made the same money as Mr. Jones (next door), he would raise our allowance to match what Mr. Jones gives his son -- $5 per week.

Now, he got the big raise, and decided not to give us the $5 per week. Instead, he will give us $6 per week. We'll be making slightly more than Jones Jr (until he gets his allowance boost). The catch is that instead of doing the same chores 3 days a week that Jones Jr. does, we will have to do chores 6 days a week for the money, and they will be much harder chores, at all hours of the day.

So, the question that needs to be asked is this -- is getting the extra money worth the extra work? Is it worth working more?

Enough analogies. Here are some cold, hard facts.

1.) Giving up the DOM/INT split bases will reduce headcount (in the form of overlapping reserves) in the LAA bases. As reserves will be available to cover both bases, they won't need as many. Thus, fewer higher paying Captain positions and fewer higher paying larger a/c. Right now, the company has to separate the LUS bases -- which means more of those positions.

2.) Giving up HBT will allow the company to go to 2 man cockpits on some of the West-bound Europe flights with a longer layover. That means fewer of the higher-paying wide-body positions. That means less money. It also means more days of work since we do not have trip rig/min day pay. A 4-day Europe will cost the same as a 3-day Europe trip. More time away for the same money. Fewer days to pickup time = less money. Will they do it? Who knows. But it is certainly a possibility...

3.) The midnight sims -- I keep hearing that "who cares, it's just 3 bounces." You do realize that the OTD syllabus calls for a full 4 hours on those, and it includes a LOFT leg to an RNAV approach, a V1 Cut to a single engine ILS/Landing, and a Rejected T/O, right? It also specifically states that any extra time is to be used for things like Windshear, EGPWS, TCAS, etc. I hear "but it is not jeopardy" all the time. True, in the sense that it is not a one-time pass/fail event. However, if you do anything and it does not meet standards, you MUST retrain it until it meets standards. If you run out of time, you are de-qualled (without pay) until they can get you back in to fix the item that went bad. Sounds like jeopardy to me... Do you really want to jump in the box in the middle of the night and do all those things (with no warm up), having not flown in nearly 3 months? That sounds like a cost to me.

You mentioned making a rational decision -- I agree. We have to take a look at all the aspects of it. We need a real, honest accounting of what the offer is, what it will cost us, and how that measures up to what they offer us. But, be completely honest with yourself when you make that decision (after all, you're the only one you need to convince). Don't just look at the payscales, but consider all of it...