Nothing anywhere will compare to what you have at NetJets with regards to health insurance. I believe that the NetJets healthcare is considered by the government to be a "cadillac plan".
Allegiants health plan PALES in comparison but resembles what you will see coming from most companies in the future due to several factors.
1) Allegiant is a small company (300 pilots) and does not have the negotiating power that a Legacy carrier has with thousands of pilots. Therefore, small and medium sized companies are screwed into paying higher premiums.
2) The law does not allow small and medium sized companies to "band together" to negotiate from a stronger position.
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Allegiant was the perfect sized company to get completely screwed by the Healthcare industry and management simply dug into the play book and found a trick play that worked. Everything posted earlier is correct and accurate about what we pay and you can google what a Health Care Savings Account (HSA) is. Its a 401(K) for healthcare expenses basically. I personally get $80 taken out per paycheck to cover my family.
All routine checkups are paid in full (no copay), but If you have a sick kid..... Get out that HSA debit card.... because you're paying the full boat (not a $20 copay).
It sucks. But with what is going on nationally it is a system that can be expected to grow rapidly and become the predominant means of employer based healthcare.
To the earlier point about Unions and CBA's...... I would just take from my personal experience that my last employer was an ALPA shop and during the 7 years that I was there, my dues paid for three separate concessionary negotiations. Not to mention that our MEC decided unilaterally to impose a merger fund on its pilot group and stole $240 from me. Yay ALPA!!! Give my pay back to the company and take more money from me for a fictitious merger that is speculated on by pure fantasy and fallacy. No merger ever happened and from what I can tell.... No merger will every happen. Alpa has since sent out an email saying that it reserves the right to use the money for other purposes if no merger takes place.
ALPA has the distinction of NEVER getting me paid more and ONLY every providing me with negotiated pay cuts, terrible work rules, a horrible work environment, and inept unintelligent leadership (Duane Woerth, Preater,...) ...... VERY EXPENSIVELY.
The only work group that has voted to unionize is the flight attendants. I hope it works for them and they find value in their union dues. I never did with ALPA....but that could just have been an ALPA problem and nothing more.
I am sure that there are thousands of airlines salivating at the prospects of acquiring Allegiant and finally getting their hands on our much coveted routs to places like Youngstown Ohio. But seriously? I think people talk about mergers and acquisitions to try to scare people into unionizing. For what personal purpose or gain? I have no idea.
I would tell anyone that if terrific healthcare is your number one priority when choosing an employer.... Allegiant is not going to be your first choice at this moment. But regardless of whether you are Unionized or not or what your CBA happens to say....
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Last edited by TonyWilliams; 07-07-2011 at 09:17 PM.
Reason: Delete politics