Originally Posted by
scambo1
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Pineapple;
I see a great deal of logic in your posts, but IMO this one crosses the line from trade unionist to 4th floor wannabe. I believe I understand what you are trying to say, but your divisive and dismissive statements to a front line fellow pilot don't encourage me.
If my strike fund is big enough for me to strike until I am 97 does that encourage you?
It isn't only about what 777 Capts and 744 Capts make. There are likely DC-9 fo's that make less than flight attendants - is that good with you?
There is an element of our compensation that beyond which we may actually be able to add back in the occasional luxury toy. Today, the general DAL pilot doesn't have that discretionary income. Yeah, the economy sucks, but I really don't worry or care what a $10/hour man or a fellow DAL employee thinks about my compensation.
When we were about to enter chap 11, I had a dead battery in the employee parking lot and a DAL mechanic wouldn't give me a jump start because we hadn't yet voted in a a pay cut. Right then and there, I stopped caring what they thought about pilots...forever.
I am not an angry young man, but if you are union officer, please change your goggles or return to the line.
scambo,
I agree with everything you said, and I apologize to 88 if I was overly dismissive. Let me try to summarize my views:
1. History is irrelevant. It doesn't matter what we used to make. Our future rate will be a function of the economy, the airline's health, the rest of the industry's pilot rates, and pilot unity. Nothing more. Life's not fair.
2. We will never get sympathy from the traveling public. It's naive to think anything different. The regionals are another story.
3. We will never get sympathy or support from the other employee groups, and I don't care.
4. I agree with 88 that the quality of pilots entering this profession will go down. That will impact safety. But as acl points out, we're at least 10 years away from that affecting the majors, and by then it will be too late. But no one in management has the foresight to avoid this approaching calamity. I am deeply troubled by where this industry is heading, but don't believe we can stop it.
5. And here's the most depressing part. Our job is still an enjoyable job, and there will never be a shortage of pilots willing to work for peanuts to do it. Thus, market forces and supply/demand will always work against us. Just look at the regionals. The fact that so many pilots are willingly going to work every day at those rates continues to amaze me. And until that stops, there will forevermore be downward pressure on the rates at the majors, as well as scope battles.
Sorry for the depressing words. Those are just my two cents, based on my 20+ years in the industry. Wish I was wrong.