Originally Posted by
symbian simian
I was single digit captain in base at a ULLC, almost 3 decades flying, and went to the bottom at a legacy. I couldn't disagree more. Sure, it would have been nice to come in at 15% relative seniority. But why should I bypass people for the upgrade that have been there longer than ? Or only if the company goes bankrupt? So now you punish people that were smart enough to leave the sinking ship, and reward the people that didn't try to leave. Where do you draw the line, 10 years, 20 years? Seniority system $uc#$. But it is better than anything else.
The argument I would make is If you were an Attorney General in Texas then moved to Oklahoma and got a new job. Would be odd if the only job you could get was as a junior prosecutor?
Like wise if your a 12 year A-320 Captain you should retain 12 year A-320 Captain pay and seat. Company seniority is different. That is where company longevity should matter. Even though your a 12 year Captain you should go to the very bottom of the list for that seat. (IDK about going from one type to another some times it's like going from AAA to AA other times it's like going from Soccer to Hockey.)
It would be a tough change with winners and losers at first. Eventually ALPA would be in charge of the training Like most Unions. A young pilot would do all the stuff they are doing now and eventually go to ALPA and either pay or be sponsored for a type rating. Later that same pilot could chose to upgrade or get a different type rating. based on availability.
Alpa controlling training is an important aspect of this. It is a huge burden to bare, but with that responsibility comes control, power and a real seat at the negotiating table. The ability to set Minimum rates (A-320 Cpt 12 =XXX$/hr) working conditions, how many pilots, Benefits and much more. One of the biggest advantages would be ALPA not spending untold millions negotiating nearly the same contract with how ever many airlines there are.
Its a steep hill to climb because it upsets the apple cart. That said it is a worth while goal. It is not completely one sided either. If Airlines could ditch all the time and energy they spend on training onto ALPA it would solve problems for them as well.