Originally Posted by
Carl Spackler
Really? You're really going to use a chart showing inflation adjusted rates in a discussion about whether our pay increases over the decades represent a boom/bust cycle?
Fair enough - but see below.
Originally Posted by
Carl Spackler
The facts are that since 1978, pilot pay rates have seen nice steady increases with an occasional step down, followed by steady increases. Until the world changing events of 9/11. That is NOT a boom/bust cycle.
I can only speak for DAL. I was hired in the late 80's and the early 90s contract had modest raises. By today's standard, that's a boom. Then the 1996 contract had a 2% paycut, followed with a 4-year, no raise, contract. That a bust by my definition. Then the 2001 contract had about a 30% raise. That's a boom by my definition. Then our pre-bankruptcy and bankruptcy contracts had a combined 42% paycut, and a pension termination. That's a bust by my definition. And I'll call the JCBA a wash.
So, in my 20 years, five contracts have been boom-bust-boom-bust-wash. Pretty much just what slow was claiming to be true. I can't speak for how those twenty years played out at NWA.
Originally Posted by
Carl Spackler
When I was a newbie in the late 70's, I recall my airline's 747 captain pay had just cracked the incredible $100 per hour figure, and it was near the best in the industry. ALPA and its pilots have a lot to be proud of for maintaining the steady upward trend for all these decades up to 9/11. The characterization of boom/bust is simply wrong. And to use an inflation adjusted chart to make your case about pay rates is disingenuous at best.
Carl
DAL88, where are you? Carl states that modest increases, which were in reality modest decreases when adjusted for inflation, are something to be proud of. Eerily similar to LM claiming that we are now back to pre-bankruptcy pay rates, don't you think? Hmmm. Could it be??? Is Carl really a pseudonym for our very own LM? Things that make you go Hmmm.
