Originally Posted by smoothatFL410

It's gotta pass, first. You're putting the cart before the horse. People are getting snow blind on the pay rates and not looking at the work rules. And even though it isn't reality yet as far as an arbitrator is concerned, the reality is, that Delta and Southwest pilots are about to hit $289/hr or more on the 320. Spirit will bound closer to that, and if we accept what we are rumored to see here, we will be not just the bottom feeder, but WAY down there compared to our competitors, including Spirit and (Virgin merged) Alaska. By close to $100/hr. Yes, an arbitrator won't look at the future. But we can. If you accept this contract as is, you could be looking a situation in a year of making 50% of Delta and Southwest pilots make on the same equipment, just on salary alone and not including the relatively expensive Teamsters insurance at $400/month and a 401(k) that is still only matched at 2 to 1 to 10%. Then add in that the contract won't be amendable for 5 years, and MG's history of negotiating stalling, you are looking at being stuck at 50% of legacy pay for at least a decade. In your career at Allegiant at 20 years.... that could be well over $1 million dollars you leave on the table.

This is a huge decision. Yes, the pay is up there a little, especially when you do not include what will be happening in the near future with other carriers. But the excuses of "business models" to keep our work rules below regional airline levels in not just a few but many areas in the contract simply because pilots "are home every night" as the benefit to it is a bunch of crap. If MG has to staff a little higher because of his 'business model" that's his problem. "Business models" can change. He just needs to adjust his "business model" to allow pilots to have adequate time off. He doesn't work weekends normally, we shouldn't have to either as a general rule regardless of our seniority as it is now, and having 4 to 6 single days off is quite frankly not necessary except for not caring about employees' lives to make that the "business model" at the size we are growing to.

Airline Pilots have not had the negotiating strength we have today as a union at the negotiating table in close to 30 years. It is despicable to think that this new contract will be lacking compared to REGIONAL airlines in many areas if the rumors are true. Allegiant is having a hard time finding qualified candidates. That will only get worse if our pay becomes bottom feeder at close to $100/hr topped out less than a legacy. Some say that will be in our advantage and would force the company to renegotiate. However, consider the world economy... The EU is crashing. The economy is about to cycle and we are about to LOSE the leverage pilots have, now. It hasn't happened yet. If we were to vote down a crappy contract today the company would be required to seriously reconsider making serious changes to parity our work rules to others. Yes, this will mean staffing appropriately to give people proper time off and work rules if they want to keep their "business model." So be it.

Pilots need to look toward the long-term. You are not as young as you used to be. Remember that a second contract is 10 years from now. If you like Allegiant and want this place to be your career, where are you in 10 years? Where could you be? Long-term should be where your eyes are, not the short-term "OMG look what I get paid per hour!"

I know this is new, but for the first time in 30 years, we do not need to wh0re ourselves out. We actually finally are worth something, and are a valuable commodity and hard to replace. I for one wait in ernest to see this contract on Wednesday, but I'm not afraid to vote NO on it if it is sub-par for our current pilot market. We are worth it, and our time is now. It will never be this strong for us again. The EU will impact our future, which will affect the next contract. Now is the time to demand the absolute most from our negotiators and the Company.

Look at this contract with a long-term eye as a career Captain with a 20 year career. Your career will be half-way over if you were to start today, by the time the 2nd contract comes around, so get that "first contract" idea out of your head. Whether you are a Captain or a First Officer, millions in your career and retirement are at stake, here, not to mention quality of life during that career. Compare it to our competitors. Do not "settle" for anything, as the negotiating strength our pilots have today, RIGHT NOW, is the best you probably will ever see it in your entire career. If a pilot group could ever return a TA for a massive increase on another TA, it would be now, as once the EU crashes as we know it will in the next 2 years, it will affect our industry detrimentally.