Originally Posted by
skywatch
Typewriter repair?
I would not be so quick to blame the RLA for the pay scales - after all, the unions negotiated them. Do you think a 15 year RJ captain is going to go on strike to raise FO pay? They could raise it tomorrow, as long as they were willing to give up some of theirs - do you think they would ever agree to that?
Point is, the FO pay is like that because the union negotiated it like that - and got higher rates elsewhere...
It's amazing how some people still do not get it. The company is willing to spent X amount of dollars on pilot payroll(totaling pay rate/ benefits/ soft money..etc). It's up to the union to slice up that pie. FO's are paid $35/hr not because the company dictate it, it's because your union wanted $95 for CAs and $35 for FOs. Your company couldn't care less if the rates were $115/$15 or $75/$55 as long as the total pilot payroll is at or below the negotiated overall rate of X.
I remember a few years back when the company wanted to offer FOs more money in terms of sign on bonus and retention bonus. My union would not allow the company to do so unless the rest of the pilot group received something as well.
Anyways, your union has more to do with creating the payscale than your company.