Originally Posted by
Excargodog
I believe the union has both a moral and legal responsibility to negotiate wages for first year pilots the same as they do for other pilots. If indeed NK hires the projected 800 newbies next year that group will constitute 20% of the total pilot group and nearly 40% of all FOs. How can you claim the union has no responsibility for their welfare? What do you feel is special about newbies that you think they should be excluded from consideration in the CBA?
If the union is not going to represent a subgroup of pilots, where does that end. Would you exclude negotiation for increased second year pay from the contract to allow a greater increase pay in pay for those year three and above? How about putting all that “negotiating pie” into just CA pay since eventually the FOs will presumably upgrade. Or just bargain for FOs since CAs are already making, you know, CA pay.
Deferring active negotiation for ANY group might potentially help all the others. What is special about first year that only they can be shat upon but no other group?
I find myself in (rare) agreement with CincoDeMayo (above) concerning signing bonuses. I would also be concerned about potential for management to use bonuses in nefarious ways if allowed to give them without negotiation with the union.
It’s called playing the hand you’re dealt. We know the company wants to pay new hires more and us old lifers as little as possible. If we start out negotiating industry leading first year pay/new hire benefits the company takes away some of our leverage. It’s the same game the rampers in FLL are playing. They know the company wants to pay them more to attract rampers but they want QOL provisions before they discuss pay.
I want nothing more for the first year guys to get industry leading pay and get health care and full pay from day one of training, but while wasting negotiating capital on it may be the noble thing to do, it also is not the smartest thing for the whole pilot group in my opinion.