Originally Posted by
Fat Old Tired
While it's terrfic to see all the new hires coming in at record numbers, it all poses a bit of an issue when it comes contract talks. Many of our new folks are coming from regionals where the pay wasn't the best and qol was marginal at best. Now they get to united in a short amount of time compared to years past and are all starry eyed and excited, which is great.
However they might not feel the need for getting the best (highest) pay that we deserve. Getting to UAL for many people is "good enough" when it comes to career prospects and may not realize what us pilots can miss out on.
When making sweeping generalizations about whose willing to accept mediocre make sure you include all the pilots who think it’s their job to save the company money to be profitable so they can keep their great job that they like and don’t want to rock and the old pilots who are so senior they’re not really affected by the negatives in the contract and don’t keep up with what is industry leading or even standard (MPG, reserve rules, vacation day pay, training pay per day, commuter requirements etc. for example) and see this as their last chance to make more money before they’re forced out and have zero problems selling the future quality of life of the pilot group down the river to get theirs. And of course the union leadership who want a win on their records for their ego and an increased dues contribution for their war chest who peddle garbage to the pilot group and tell them it’s the best they can do because getting more is “like trying to get money from a bum”.
Collectively, pilot groups need to do a better job of saying no the first offer and accept shorter term pain for the long term outlook.