Skipper, I totally understand your point. And a good one it is. I look at it this way. When it comes to the flying public and their perception of us being all high and mighty (the opposite of a cab driver, limo driver, bus driver) we are to blame for giving them that picture of us being stuck up paid too much to work too little pilots. I suppose not "you and me" but the guys of the past that did have that attitude and really fed that image to everyone. We are not those guys and may never be again. But it doesn't matter because that's they way they see us. The same reason they hold high expectations on a wrapped up technical app to landing that ended up perfect from our point of view and too rough by theirs.

Management knows who we are and their decision to pay us what we are worth or not has nothing to do with how we present ourselves. They know damn well how much work and dedication went into achieving a career as a pilot. Our self perception (ie. not in the same boat or level as a hotel van driver) obviously plays no role in how well we are compensated as we have been trying and trying to prove we are worth more. Go ahead, carry a bag down the stairs for some old lady. She sure isn't going to waste the tip on you. She's saving it for the hotel van driver since he could use it more to pay back all of the training it took to get to be that van driver. And next time he hands you your bag and you go ahead and throw em a buck for all the effort, remember it's your self image that's ultimately holding you back from that real comfortable living that we are all looking for. I know 300 bucks isn't much but hey it's a start. I know if I was shorted 300 bucks I'd feel it. JMO..........