Originally Posted by
FlyASA
You are absolutely right it is not undone quickly. The profession didn't start it's downward slide overnight either. We need to attack on two fronts.
First: Regional pilots need to negotiate for the best contracts we can so that their costs rise and we look less appeasing to the management at the majors. In order to do that pilots have to stop going to places like GoJet because it completely undermines the ability of everyone else to negotiate better contracts. Our management will simply say: "Well look at these GoJet guys they will fly for these wages with out any work rules, how come you guys won't?"
Secondly: Major pilots need to shore up scope and protect against codeshares (watch out for future RAH 100 seat codeshares) as much as possible so that the jobs can't be farmed easily or at all.
You can't put all the blame on either regional or major pilots, everyone has blood on their hands. We can't undo the past either. However we all know what is coming next, the 100 seat "RJ." We need to work now to make it as unattractive as possible for management to give those aircraft to regionals.
It is not an easy battle and it is not one that will be won in a year or even a decade. It is a battle that will be won one contract at a time.
This is true. Even better would be if all regional pilots just walked away and said "Screw this!". That would oust the regional era faster than anything. But its just a pipe dream.
Controlling a huge crowd, the communication required, and the nads required by everyone involved would prevent this from ever happening. Not to mention the RLA.
The contract idea is the better choice, obviously. However, this is a HUGE upward battle for all the reasons I've said on this board. As a group, pilots WILL fly for nothing. On an individual level, we'll all make our own choices, but as a group mass, people would fly for $10/hour - I guarantee it. (Remember GSA?) They'd harp about the quick upgrade time, the pay will get better later, or whatever else to justify it.
Furthermore, in a contracting demand situation we are confronted with, with a surplus of pilots available, the leverage just doesn't exist right now.
But, as you so aptly pointed out, it will take time - lots of time, if it can be done at all.