Good evening Mr. Nerd.

The problem as I see it is not so much with management as it is with pilots. We have it ingrained in our pointy little skulls from day one the notion of dues paying. A guy will show up for an interview for a job knowing he will qualify for food stamps. Is this a problem of bad management? I don't think so.

It is managements job to run an airline as efficiently and profitably as possible. If your employees will keep working for crap pay why should they pay you more. Delta could fire every pilot they have tomorrow and offer to hire all new pilots for $15 per hour, and I bet they would have a stack of resumes big enough to fill a warehouse the next day. Is that managements fault we are dumb enough to apply?

Why are pilots our own worst enemy? In my humble opinion it is because of the seniority system and predetermined pay scales. We all believe we have to take it in the pooper or "pay your dues" so we can one day make the big money. You just better hope you can keep a job long enough to ever see that big payday. many never will. If we had the ability to negotiate our own pay or at least start out at much higher pay like many contract pilots do, I think it would help. We will always be undercut by desperate inexperienced starry eyed newbies in the industry. I was that guy once too.