Originally Posted by
trunk junk
Managment types love the bonus idea. It allows them to simply meet thier staffing shortage for as little as possible. If they need 700 pilots and can only get 400 then they offer a bonus to get the rest. Those 300 get a bonus and the rest do not. They are paying a relativly small price for staff rather to raise the pay for all first year FOs. Its only helping you in the short term if your one getting a bonus, which only as few as possible will. Unions need to fight this.
I would gladly take a pay raise over a signing bonus. Unfortunately with union negotiating, that is a lot harder to get than a simple bonus. Everyone will want a raise if you pay the new hires more despite the gross disparity between first year pay and everyone else.