Originally Posted by
271c
Ha -- I'm not required to define my salary the same way as you. If I choose to include an "ongoing," I didn't say "guaranteed" (I acknowledge it's "not guaranteed") bonus payment into my salary, I am free to do so. If I choose to bid low-value lines to leave room to pick up OT, I can do that as well. Sometimes I bid for a high-credit line instead and pick up no OT. So my hourly rate and min guarantee does little to define my salary.
And if you think you're grossly underpaid, I think that's a fair feeling to have. I wish I made more as well. I'm a proud union member just like you. The bonuses should be hourly rate increases. New hire bonuses should be spread amongst ALL pilots. QOL needs to improve across the board.
That said, I'm not starving. I waited to come to the airlines till pay went up, or at least trended that way. I had the chance to come in when wages were poverty. I chose to wait. As did thousands of others. Thousands more will come at the next raise. The free market is a great thing. So are unions. I love that in our industry we get the best of both.
From your post history, looks like you're at Envoy. Year 1 FO pay is $38/hr. Your guarantee is only 72 hrs for lineholders. So, your guaranteed salary is only $33,000.
Now if you add your bonuses (which run out after year 3), you will make "up to" $55000 year 1, $47000 year 2, and $47000 year 3. After year 3 you are back down to $37,000 unless you are fortunate enough to upgrade (and how close was American to closing Envoy when they voted no?). Right now your most junior captain was hired 6 years ago?
If you aren't finished paying off that loan by then, things could start getting tight, I imagine. Most people can't pay a $70,000 loan in 3 years....Do you understand now why I'm saying that the bonuses aren't guaranteed/salary? And that's even with the assumption that the company will actually pay it.