Originally Posted by
satchip
How is the market even remotely equivalent to the markets of the 70s 80s or even 2K? The supply and demand curve is vastly different than it was then. There were no puppy mill pilot factories back then. There were no predatory subcontractors hiring marginally experienced pilots at lower wages. You didn't have a public and hence a government demanding ever decreasing airfares as a birth right.
The Grand Scheme of Things, in a business sense, is not yours to determine. Just because we "make it a priority" doesn't mean we will be successful. Just look to American. If we had the power to dictate to the bean counters and managers what our price will be and let them figure out how to make it work, you might not like how they did. The market is not static and Newton's Laws still apply. If we were successful in commanding above market rates, there would be an equal and opposite reaction. The cost of our contract would equalize to the costs of the competition's contracts somehow, most likely by eliminating bodies. If you raise the per unit cost of labor too far beyond the competition, employers will reduce the number of units to keep their total costs in line.
How much is enough? I have no idea. It will be based on the market conditions and trends at the time of negotiations. The past will have very little bearing on those conditions.
It is not a given that "equalizing costs" will result in "eliminating bodies." In fact, I think that is highly unlikely. They can do the same thing they do when the cost of any number of items goes up. They can either find other places to cut costs and/or find ways to increase revenue. That's what the executives get paid the big bucks for.
And speaking of big bucks... You're right. The market is different than it was in the 70's, 80's and C2K. So how is it that executive compensation has gone through the roof since then, while our compensation has basically been slashed in HALF? Again, it comes back to priorities and even good business management. It is very difficult to achieve success in a company if you treat your employees like cr@p. Smart business managers understand that employees are one of the most valuable assets to the business, not strictly a cost item to be minimized. We need to get back to good, sound, common sense, proven business and leadership practices, not the cold, ruthless, bean counter mentality we have today. In my opinion, you will be more likely to have continued, valuable employment conditions over your career if we fight to correct this now.