Originally Posted by
UnskilledFXer
Family ATM,
I've got a question, are we talking passover pay or pay protection? I believe passover pay is thoroughly outlined in the contract. I agree with someone making WB pay not wanting to downgrade to NB pay, so don't bid it. The same mantra has been spewed to the average line guy about this LOA. I do think that pay protecting a specific group of individuals is wrong, initial cadre or not. This pay protection would amount to $30,000+ per year for a MEM 757 CA. That's the same amount given to a CA or FO moving to CDG and signing the company agreement. Hardly seems equatable. I realize LCA's and Flex's do a very demanding job and most perform exceptionally. Unless there is a major modification to this LOA I think pay protection should be a low priority. I guarantee the company(mgt) is not getting the people they want to fill the seats at the FDA's either, but they seem perfectly happy getting who the get, the same will be true for the initial cadre of 757 Flex's and LCA's.
Hey, Unskilled,
You forget that there are a limited number of qualified individuals to do the PCA/LCA job. It takes almost a year to stand up a new instructor. On top of that, not very many guys go from wide body, glass cockpit F/O to the left seat of the jurassic jet, and even fewer of them become PCA's or LCA's after doing so. So how exactly is the company supposed to pull together, in very short order, a large enough group of already trained, glass cockpit instructors, put a fledgling program in place to stand up a new aircraft and new domicile? The only group to draw on is the bus or maddog, and how successful do you think that will be if that group is forced to take a pay cut? No one would do it. Pay protecting those guys for a couple years is a smart choice. That pay protection has absolutely nothing to do with the LOA. Even MEM based 757 instructors would be included in the pay protection.
