Originally Posted by
RJSAviator76
What profession? You think a professional takes 80% paycut if he/she starts over at a different company?
I'll just say this - US airline pilots, sad to say, aren't "professionals" per se. They are union flunkies. When a senior 757 captain whose airline suddenly shuts down has to start over making $22/hour despite decades of experience... well, let's just say I don't consider that industry or rather that part of the industry as professional.
Talking about a line in the sand? Again, I'm sorry, but you don't have the guts to actually do anything about it. Why? Because if the management calls you on it... you stand to lose seniority and have to start over again making the rock bottom dollar which you know you aren't prepared to do - your entire time spent at your current airline will be for nothing. The management knows this, and sadly, you do too... and that's why you're taking it up the keister.
I'm taking it up the keister by working at ASA instead of GoJet? By that logic I guess someone who goes to Southwest is taking it up the keister by not going to Spirit or Virgin America.
Going to GoJet increases the chance that I eventually lose my seniority and have to start all over because managment wants to outsource the major job to GoJet. Look at the expansion of United Express for proof of that. If we want to stop the spread of regionals we all need to work towards getting better contracts and we need to remind our brothers and sisters at the majors to protect and tighten scope. If regionals become more expensive they'll stop growing, that is simple economics.
A frog that is dropped into a boiling pot of water jumps out. A frog that is placed in cold water that is slowly heated to a boil sits there and dies. We are currently the frog being slowly boiled. It's time we do what we can to extiguish the flame management has lit under us. That means fighting for better contracts, protecting scope, and not working for the lowest paid regional we can find just for the quick upgrade.
It isn't easy because we are disadvantaged but nothing worth fighting for is ever easy. Unfortunately we don't have the ability to take aggressive action against management because of the RLA but that doesn't mean that we don't have the courage or guts to take any action. Fighting for better contracts, protecting scope, and turning down jobs at low budget places are all things we can do to better the profession one step at a time. GoJet represents steps backwards.
Going to GoJet tells management that they can further lower QOL and wages. If past experience tells us anything, TSA/GoJet management will try and create a new certificate to undercut GoJet when/if the opportunity arrises for bigger RJ flying. I can't even imagine how bad that place will be to work, but "Hey it's ok it is only a stepping stone to something better."
Meanwhile those bigger RJs replace more flying at UA and that elusive job at the majors will disappear as the temperature rises in the pot. When do we decide to work to try and turn down the heat? When GoJet II or III is flying 757s and 767s for $23 an hour?