Originally Posted by
deltajuliet
Pilots complain because there's no alternative to going the regional route. Maybe a few guys make it to a major/legacy going corporate first, but by and large we all have to go through the regional $h17 show.
Fair points, but you'd really need organization and union pressure to get a significant portion of guys at a given airline to do this, whether from their ignorance, apathy, or lone-wolf mentality.
Regionals are where we need to get rid of the RLA most, but since you bring up historical contracts, before 9/11 senior United guys could make nearly half a million, adjusted for inflation. Today, even after their shiny new Extension, they still lag nearly $200,000 behind that. Maybe with threat of a strike those pilots could've retained their pensions and gotten the Holy Grail of Restoration years ago.
I see where they're coming from but just don't buy it. Not much could be worse than indefinite negotiations where management acts in bad faith and you're unable to prove it. And even when you can, you're told you can't do anything about it. Honestly, what realistic outcome of updated RLA legislation could be worse than what we have? Non-rhetorical question.
There is always multiple ways to look at issues.
Just because there is no alternate route doesn't mean you are entitled to anything. You can take it or leave it, nobodies twisting your arm.
The airlines themselves have created this issue of the pilot shortage, its theirs to solve. With any luck, regionals will simply go out of business and the flying will be reabsorbed by mainline.
Regarding the union comment, you do not want them involved in any way. If you are going to take on the company with write ups, no overtime, and other pressures, that's on you or a loose knit group of people, but the union cannot in any way be involved or they will be sued. American and Delta are examples of a good idea that had some wrong decisions.
Pilots are weak, as a result management takes advantage of you. But if people wake up, they can realize they have more strength than they though.
Its pretty easy to apply the right pressure. You just need to speak their language- $$$$