Originally Posted by
Led Zep
To an extent I will agree that there is some type of shortage. The shortage, as I see it, is a shortage of
qualified individuals willing to go to work for current wages and QOL offered by most carriers, especially the regional carriers.
The proverbial pilot shortage has been written about since I began taking lessons 18 years ago. True, we have seen many regional carriers lower their hiring minimums, but we are in a much different state of the industry than we were in the 1990's. Then, the vast majority of those who flew for a regional/commuter did so as a stepping stone rather than looking at it as a career destination. Now, regional airlines are a career for the majority and a stepping stone for the few. I believe that is what keeps a lot of otherwise qualified individuals from searching for aviation employment and why we see a
perceived pilot shortage. Nothing scientific, just my personal observation.
Yes, they have been writing about it for a long time... they have been saying it will come in 15-25 years (depending where you read it).... the 15-25 years has arrived.
Originally Posted by
Led Zep
I saw this response under a quote with regards to the screen actors guild. I'm not sure how civil service employment and Hollywood SAG employment are related, if that is indeed what you were trying to communicate.
Two different examples. One of a Guild system that it doesn't matter who employs the Guild member, they get Guild negotiated wages and benefits...
The other of a layoff and recall system that works, keeping trained people employed, before going to new hires.... while preserving their time into the retirement system, years of service (for vacation totals and things of that nature).
Originally Posted by
Led Zep
I think the key word is walk. If you are allowed to walk, then you might have some leverage. But, and this again is an observation, I would be prepared for one of two possibilities.
First, because of the financial instability of a lot of carriers, the labor agreement itself could force the company into a bankruptcy situation. The second possibility is that management may allow you to walk and let the company shut down. I wouldn't put it past a lot of airline managers to throw the baby out with the bath water.
The larger cities (i.e., LA, NY, Miami-Dade, etc.) are full time professional. Some of the suburbs (and county) FD's are professional as well. But some large areas, Virginia Beach for example, are a combination of paid and volunteer. It's a sensitive topic with their union - and I can understand why.
Oh it's all PR motivated. Think about it, nobody is happy to see the cops show up. Everyone is happy when the Fire Dept. does.
Noted.
True, people are generally happy to see the big red trucks, and unhappy to see the stormtroopers.
That being said, there are a bunch of states where they do maintain layoff lists, and require cities and town to hire from layoff before going to new hires.
Sounds to me like we actually agree more than disagree.... and that it is just slightdifferences in verbage we're arguing over. No big deal.
I do agree, the regionals have become a career destination, while a few do still hit it right and make it to a major. That is why ALPA needs to start running more like a national union, instead of just the loose association of several locals that they have now. It is too easy for for one airline to mess with, and whipsaw, their pilots. It is an entirely different thing, when company X does something dumb, and EVERY single ALPA pilot at all airlines....... s...l...o...w.......d...o...w...n.... in the interest of safety.