Originally Posted by
Qotsaautopilot
I hate to burst your bubble but we are now 50-100% underpaid on group II aircraft at spirit from Americans new numbers. Yes we have a couple work rules that are better in a few areas but the legacies have better work rules in most areas. We don't have tons of soft time either. Maybe 10% of the group does by exploiting the transition conflict language but it really screws up your whole month. Honestly I'd rather have the Legacy rates and work rules than rely on contract language and bidding stratagey to boost my pay to where it should be in the first place.
We also go into negotiations this year and are expecting big big increases in many areas so if you are about to vote on a contract soon or even go on strike please please look much higher than us in almost all sections. You should be shooting for AA rates + some, and a mix of everyone's best work rules. Along with at least 3% increases per year of the contract and after while negotiating the next one. Don't forget SCOPE for outsourced flying, joint ventures, code share, and merger protection. Did I mention SCOPE?
Fair enough, tbh I haven't looked at what AA has been doing in awhile, I have spent some time in the AA and Airways Jumpseat (prior to the latest contract) and some of the stuff they told me, well basically it sounded identical to my previous regional with higher hourly wages and bigger planes. But I'll educate myself to this new contract.
I'll still take work rules and over the highest hourly wages any day. But I'm the guy that doesn't really hawk open time, I'd rather fly 50 hours and credit 80 (more if possible) and get 16+ days off. My personal priority is something on par with a 5 hour min day with a min days off of 15 per month, 2.75/hr PD. And for the open time guys, 200% on a day off, and other stuff of course. I say all this from experience, my previous employer had paper thin work rules and our W2s were less despite us being able to brag that we made more hourly than our commensurate carriers.
And yes, scope will be addressed in this new contract, we didn't forget it, we just don't have a real contract right now so the company can literally do as they please in this area.