Originally Posted by
Elvis90
I really don't understand your issue with seniority, nor your purpose in trying to change minds regarding the system. The seniority based system in this industry will not change in the US...you're wasting your time. In terms of seniority being a tool of management, there are other organizations that use seniority that don't have a management-labor relationship, such as in politics or the military. Military date of rank sets seniority. Years as a senator or Congressman affect committee chairmanships. I think the entire argument is a red herring.
You may be right about wasting my time. All I can do is lead a horse to water...
Military is not a strictly seniority based system at all. It's completely different. Rank isn't exclusively based on date of hire and the military often hires recruits directly as officers or as NCOs based on certain skills. Also, if you change jobs in the military you don't have to give up your rank and pay.
Politics also isn't a good comparison because elected officials are not in an employer/employee relationship.
If pilots choose to starve themselves on shrinking salaries what else can I or anybody else do? The fact is only the unions or an act of congress could eliminate the seniority system but unions and management (who can hire congress) are the biggest fans of the system. It's the average line pilot who suffers.
It blows my mind that pilots keep doing this to themselves.