Originally Posted by
ny797
Maybe you're new to the airlines and don't understand how the RLA works and what a union can and cannot say. Nobody bidding a higher status and no straight time pickup is an unrealistic utopian idea, so I don't even know why you're even mentioning it unless you're that clueless to reality.
APA highlighted the poor pay and working conditions of being a LCA for a reason. Nobody is advocating current LCA to quit (job action) but rather think twice about taking the position that management is desperate to fill. You can't run an airline without check airmen and yet you cannot force anyone to be one either. We all respect our great check airmen at American as it has consistently been a point of pride among us. That being said, I sure as hell wouldn't want to be known as someone who was hired as a LCA in late 2021/2022 though that's for damn sure!
There's 14,000 pilots at this company so I'm sure they will find a few forward leaners to take the position and justify it with whatever excuse floats their boat.
I've been a dues paying member in good standing for first ALPA, and then APA for upwards of 30 years, with some volunteer work thrown in there as well. So I think I've got a handle on what they can say, and what they wont.
They didn't say "don't take a CKA job", because they cant. They just pointed out all the reasons someone might want to reconsider. You could write the same email about bidding a junior ca seat.
I'm sure all the people that apply are aware of the working conditions, and weigh that with what the job would mean for their situation. They aren't flying struck work, or crossing a line, like some would allude. So all the "name tag", "huge ego" and "I'd hate to be known as a late 21 early 22 CKA" make everyone saying that seem like a petulant child.
The CKA are us, they are APA represented, and as you pointed out, an asset to the rest of us. I'm sure the new CKA's will do a great job as well. I'd rather have someone who wants to be there doing the job. We will be getting trained and checked by these people for the rest of our careers, probably best not to ostracize them.
If everyone is so worried about the new CKA's effect on our perceived leverage (and I'll bet it's not as great as we want it to be) I'd say take a look at your own contributions, before you ask them to carry all the water. I don't fly extra, haven't for a long time, it's against my religion to work on my days off. Everyone is free however to do whatever works in their specific situation, including anyone who wants to apply for a check airman job.
Originally Posted by
Pilot X
so when you get a line check or go in for training do you ask the check airmen when he was hired as a check airmen?
I'm curious as well how that conversation would go.