Originally Posted by
an225flyer
I would love to grab a beer sometime and of course it will be my treat..I would love to hear your opinions on how to improve this industry..if you are ever in the south Florida area you name the place I'll be there. That is how people in my position make things better..by listening to YOU. Everyone is so quick to criticize the decisions made and as leaders we are not here to make friends we are here to run a successful and profitable business so you and your colleagues can provide for and support you family. With that objective in mind there are a lot of good companies out there that have created a very positive work environment for a lot of people such as yourself..so when someone like Bob comes into a company like Spirit he has to figure out how to improve your overall performance as a company and since nobody likes change he is met with hostility and skepticism but let's look at the numbers..customer complaints are down considerably, OTP is trending upwards..these are two metrics that are essential to profitability and reliability..it may not seem like it right now it may seem hopeless but there is light at the end of the tunnel..you will get a new agreement but you can't expect to get an industry leading deal overnight and give up nothing in return. I genuinely hope I'm wrong but decades of experience tell me I'm not.
As for my low post count..even you had 8 posts at one time..maybe you will change your opinion one day when my post count reaches whatever is considered an acceptable level here..but in the meantime I challenge you to keep an open mind when someone with relevant experience goes advice..I don't put you down for sharing your opinion so try to give me the same courtesy.
An “Industry Standard” contract boils down to 2 main things: How much Work is performed multiplied by Pay. It’s almost like a physics problem: Force x Mass = Energy. Work x Pay = Industry Standard.
[Please forgive me the simplistic analogy physics majors--I’m a Finance guy]
In the world of a pilot, Work is defined by the sum total of our work rules. For example, Trip Rigs, Day Rigs, Min Days Off, Vacation Rules, Reserve call-out Rules, etc. Pay consists of an hourly rate and associated benefits--sick time, vacation time, health insurance, retirement, etc.
What I’ve seen (and yes, I’ve been on a negotiating committee for a 121 carrier) is that management frequently pulls its favorite work rules from a variety of different contracts and calls this “Industry Standard” when in reality, it’s the worst parts from 5 different contracts. Now, each of these contracts might wind up being truly being industry standard, but that’s because they each have the benefit of other provisions which compensate for one small variable that’s below industry standard. A particular carrier might have Pay (in the universal sense of the term) that’s slightly higher to compensate for slightly lower than standard Work provisions. 83%Work x 120%Pay = Industry Average.
It’s my belief that with Spirit and other other airlines similarly situated (Frontier), we have maybe 80% of Industry Average on the Work variable and about 60% on the Pay variable. Do the math and the result is underwhelming.
When you suggest that if we want Industry Standard, we should expect to give up something in terms of Work rules, you’re not acknowledging the whole picture. To be blunt, you’re ignorant or you think we’re ignorant. 70% Industry Average on the Work variable multiplied by 90% on the Pay variable does NOT equate to Industry Average.
I don’t believe management folks such as yourself are really ignorant. Unfortunately, that leaves me with the conclusion that you think you’re smarter than your workforce and our representatives. I find your attitude and presumptions offensive and antagonistic.