Originally Posted by
rickair7777
Unfortunately, the regional industry is NOT a suitable baseline for compensation if someone has to actually live on said compensation.
FO's crashing in their parents basement and eating their food don't have to live on it. Same with career changers and folks with a sugar daddy/momma.
Guys with families who need to send kids to college and then retire someday not only have to live on it, they need enough left over to save.
Cold hard fact of life: Pay is limited in the regional business because that's what the business model exists for...to limit pay! Not much we can do about that.
But SKW could have done us and themselves a favor by aggressively implementing QOL/scheduling enhancements which could be accomplished without breaking the bank, ie go after stuff that costs little or nothing but provides tangible benefit to the pilots. That would benefit the company in that they could attract new hires and possibly retain old-hires.
I agree. When I was interviewing all over and everyone asked where I saw myself in 10 years, my answer was not with the company anymore. The regional system is not setup to be a place to work and retire. It is set up to pay you as little as possible, you get the time, and you get out. Either moving up to a major or other 135/Corporate gigs. The people that use this as a retirement gig, whether they are late career changers or just don't want to move on, well... are out of luck. Sorry its the harsh reality, but you made the choice knowing that these are Regionals, not Majors.
Now could SKW made better QOL in the vote? Absolutely. Is it a small step in the right direction? Yes. Is the Pay better then what you had? YES!. You just got a raise! Most civilian companies don't give raises that equal inflation either you know right? I'm military, I don't have my raise equaling inflation...Heck now that I think about it, I don't even get to have a say in anything that I do or get paid. Yet I joined, knowing this just like other join the regionals knowing full well what they are getting into.
The suggestion that you should get in and get out is the correct way to look at it. If you left NOW, this package is better then the last one. In 3 years when the next vote comes around, make it better. You build one brick at a time after all. Look at it this way.... You could have lost planes, lost routes, and lost QOL as may of our competing airlines are doing. You could have 40% on reserve like Eagle, or heck, you could be Republic. Things could be much worse then what you just got in this vote.