Originally Posted by
Moonbeam
Exactly right. Jeffery Skiles is already being used to push for the age increase. It will be exactly like last time without any extra cognitive testing or studies and we all know it won't solve a thing.
That's exactly who I was thinking of when I wrote that.
Originally Posted by
DarkSideMoon
I’m not so sure. That’s an extra 3 years of long term disability depending on the airline, and especially if they add cognitive testing I’d bet big money on pilots hitting 65 then sandbagging the cog screen so they can golf for dollars.
If you go by that, then pilots could go on disability at 62.
Originally Posted by
guppie
As long as ALPA does not get behind age 67, good luck pushing this through the Dem controlled House and Senate.... or Biden's veto if the Republicans take Congress in the midterms. This is why we back the PAC.
I expect this to pass in early 2023. It will likely be an R House and Senate.
Originally Posted by
Hedley
The PAC bribes politicians on both sides of the aisle. If this is going to happen, it’s going to happen with or without our consent. We are just small fish in a big swamp when it comes to DC politics.
Correct; our PAC money is not enough to interest pols. There's a lot more money out there.
Originally Posted by
172skychicken
Whose management? Your own CEO was on CNBC this morning and said he opposes the change. FAR from a unified front. This is pretty clearly originating from the RAA.
I saw that on CNBC this AM. I think he knows exactly where pilots stand on an age change and just said that to please the bulk of United pilots.
How much would he reap in training savings if he squeezed another two years out of each pilot?
Originally Posted by
El Peso
According to Kirby in that interview, 36% of age 64 pilots at United are unavailable to fly due to sick, and LTD. CEOs at the big three need to get very vocal and oppose this proposed age increase. If Kirby’s against it I’m guessing the same is true for the other two.
You know what's so funny about that stat? There was a similar stat of 58 and 59 year olds before they increased retirement age. I thought it might make a difference in passing 65. It didn't. And now 'the big sick' usage years have moved to right before retirement. Again.
Originally Posted by
Thor
Do you believe that stat means that 36% of pilots, age 64, have underlying medical conditions that make them unable to meet the requirements of Part 67? Or, do you think it's a reflection of the CBA that gives NO credit for sick leave balances at retirement?
Let's flip it however, say 36% of age 64 pilots are unavailable, that means 64% of that group IS available. A CEO favoring replacing a pilot at the top of the list (who is a top pay scale, with maximum vacation, and all the other "maximum" labor costs for that job classification) with new guy who is at the bottom scale, and with benefits near or at the bottom of the scale can't be surprising to anyone. However, at United's own admission, they don't know where they'll get the manpower needed to execute on the marketing plan.
The get out of my seat crowd has little merit to the argument when there are unfilled Captain vacancy bids. The seats are open, but where are all the eager new guys to jump in?
All those 64 year old sick pilots will magically get sick at 66. Kirby knows it and was just throwing that out to appear that he's against the change.
I don't believe him. He want through SERE and learned about 'apparent sincerity'.
Originally Posted by
172skychicken
The vast majority of the current wave is being driven by airlines hiring aggressively to replace early and age 65 retirements during the covid lull. Raising the age does very little as long as that continues to be the case as projected retirements are a relatively minor influence in the current hiring and movement. Why take on the added long-term costs for what doesn't even amount to a bandaid fix? I find it hard to believe that any CEO of an airline whose attrition is primarily retirement-driven supports this.
No, there are a lot of retirements happening at the big 3. Plus they're trying to grow. I don't have the number of retirements for 2022 at United, but it's likely in excess of 400.