Originally Posted by
Crown
1. They're claiming force majeure, therefore wiping out the 30 days of furlough pay.
2. AFAIK, this type of saving the junior pilots has never been presented as an opportunity. The way that I see it, the United ALPA focused on caring for the top 1/3 of the pilots, alienating 2/3rds of their pilot group. Sure, it passed, but unless you are walking in their shoes, you don't understand the desperation of saving your job.
3. We all knew/know furlough was and is a risk. It doesn't mean we should resign it as a guarantee if there are methods to work around it.
4. JamesBond is a very selfish person. I'm sure he'd say the same thing about me. There's one big difference - I was willing to discuss retirement but NOT at the expense of other things! He was willing to sell EVERYTHING for retirement gains. That by definition makes him selfish.
5. We could certainly look at retirement enhancements when that time comes. I'm not just going to automatically sign off on it, but I do think we should explore it as a thank you to the senior guys for showing unity to the junior guys. With that being said, let's be honest - senior guys are not going to be giving up money. With lower GS limits, with an extra day off or two, I suspect senior guys will be making MORE.
The Market Based Cash Balance Plan is another retirement win because it will give another avenue for cash advantaged savings for retirement. Because of VEOP, and the previously discussed math regarding minimum balance questions, there are far fewer pilots that would need a lump sum payment to meet a minimum balance (value of minimum balance TBD). I’d say the first big obstacle would be a return of passengers and business travelers. That milestone may now be within the timeframe of this potential LOA, and then we can go back to flying and (hopefully) worrying about how much money we’re making..