Originally Posted by
satchip
I don't assign value to my professional skills, the market place does. It's not really oil and management incompetence that has impacted our career earnings. The biggest factor is deregulation. In a regulated market carriers were guaranteed profits and had little competition on routes. That market no longer exists.
As to our management's competence or lack there of, very few managers could effectively navigate today's pseudo regulated market where government has an ulterior motive and plays favorites. Ex, LGA slot swap.
I'm the second highest paid 4th year 737 pilot in the US. How is that not fairly compensated? Could it be more, sure. But it ain't gonna be 50% more, at least here in Literalville.
Aren't the highlighted portions above indeed the problem. Isn't the "intrinsic value" of a pilot the same today as it was 40 years ago? Are we any less trained, experienced, responsible, professional, and in the end, when the poop hits the fan, the only ones who are left holding the bag as we were 40 years ago?
What is the value of a CEO, a lawyer, a doctor? Don't they all work in a deregulated market?
In 2010
DAL MADE 733 MILLION DOLLARS on bag fees. A fee that DID NOT EXIST 40 years ago. Where did all that money go. That's right spread out to ALL DAL employees................. (they did take a 40% pay cut and had their pensions terminated right?)
It's time as individuals, as professionals and as a UNION to set the MINIMUM bar of what a professional pilot NEEDS to be paid. Not what is "fairly compensated".............