Thread: Any "Latest & Greatest" about Delta?
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Old 04-24-2010 | 06:15 PM
  #35819  
Scoop
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From: DAL 330
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Originally Posted by Pineapple Guy
I know exactly what you're saying. And while I'd like to believe you, I don't. Public sympathy for Colgan pilots making $16k/year is just not going to transfer to DAL pilots making $200k. The lowest DAL captain makes $151/hr. So you tell me the public is going to feel sorry for us when DAL publishes that the "average DAL Captain" makes $175k/year? I wish it were so.



Just a couple of thoughts on the subject:

Agree with the above 100%. We will definitely get killed on the PR battle because of the way our pay is calculated. Personally I could give a crap what Joe Sixpack thinks about our wages, but in fact, it is a very important factor -management will definitely try to use that against us and we better be prepared for it. We may have to look at differing ways to increase our compensation - ways that don't make us all appear to be living the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Especially if some of us are eating macaroni and cheese in a moldy crashpad! (Which fortunately I am not - but just saying .

Just because someone thinks a 20, 40, 60 or even a 100% pay raise is unrealistic does not detract from the discussion. Lets keep the discussion civil and on topic. Management will definitely take this stance so lets start playing devils advocate now - I sure hope the Union guys are doing so.

Lastly - we must be willing to take chances to be effective. If we are not willing to risk anything we will probably not get much. We may have to risk a lot more than some guys are willing to risk - so where is the Union PR telling us to start saving up a "strike fund?" I guess it might be too early and maybe we are going to try the "soft" approach as an opener (I said soft not lowball). Maybe this will work out good, and maybe it won't but personally I will be financially ready to weather whatever storm may come our way.

One thing that I do realize is that we have 12,000 + different personal situations going into negotiations - if we are unwilling to accept and respect differing opinions form within our ranks and allow management to effectively pit us against each other, we are toast.



Scoop