Since you like to throw around your unsolicited bullsh i t words. What picket line did you walk? What airline was that, Rat?

 

Isn't every company meant to make owners and inverstors rich? That is the whole point of being in business. The legacies or any other airline for that matter exist not to provide you stable employment, but to make as much money as they can. As soon as any airline consistently starts losing money, one can expect the plug to be pulled. So far, Allegiant has proven very successful at making money and that in turn can be good for the labor groups. It's pretty hard to negotiate pay raises with a company that does nothing but lose money.

SWA is no sure thing. No place is for that matter. The 10 plus year upgrade would give me pause for wanting to go there. To each their own though.

 

Yes a publicly owned company is there to make the shareholders wealthy but it is also the duty of the CEO/board of directors to keep the shareholders investments safe as best they can for continued growth and stability, hence "fiduciary" responsibility to the shareholders. I'm all about investors making money because they take the risk by putting their own money in BUT in that, there can also be the ability to properly pay and treat the employes that helped them rise.

This reminds me of Carneggie, Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan and Rockefeller. Each of these men had huge companies that made them the wealthiest men in America but in their greed/ego to outdo one another, they started "cutting costs" to increase their profitability. They cut pay to their employees and made them work more hours in a less safe environment for that extra gain. What happened next? Unions rose....Interesting how we never learn from history yet it keeps repeating itself....

Your comment about sitting right seat at Southwest for 10 years? There's a saying in spanish and i'll translate to the best of my efforts: "it's better to be the tail of a Lion than the head of a mouse" Basically, I'd rather be a 10 year FO at Southwest with great benefits, pay and contract than a 15 year CA at Allegiant where all it takes is you missing an MEL or having some issue where your job is on the line.... And if it's just about you not wanting to pull gear? Drop the pride, this is all about making $$$ not how many stripes you wear. Oh and I don't work for Southwest Nuff Said!

 

So Southwest is a lion and Allegiant is a mouse huh? What is you think makes Southwest so wonderful? Yes they are profitable. They are also a rapidly maturing airline. They don't have the ability to grow domestically more than they already have. They have little retirements comparatively to the legacies and increasing labor costs. Their profits aren't exactly stellar these days.

Allegiant been around as long as Southwest, but post bankruptcy they have had 48 consecutive quarters of profits. Their business model is working and it would seem that it will continue to work for the foreseeable future. You are right about management needing to reward it's employees not only for their efforts, but they also need to pay market rates for the services their staff provide. Allegiant is woefully under paying their pilots for sure. The good news is that they can afford to pay more, much much more and still be profitable. Allegiant management is playing a game right now. They are merely stalling the inevitable as long as they can. It's up to Allegiant pilots to fight for a fair wage. We also can't allow ourselves to be duped by the notion that we are worth less because of our business model. Allegiant pays the same for fuel, parts and attorney fees as the legacies. they also operate the same equipment. With that in mind, Allegiant pilots also deserve the same wages.

To those that think Allegiant close up shop if they have to pay higher wages, I say you are insane. Allegiant is a business. Like any other business you will keep doing what you're doing as long as you can make money. I don't know of any business that closed up shop that was profitable for the purpose of spiting it's employees. This isn't personal guys. Management will do what they can to make as much as they can as so should we. We can have it all because Allegiant profits permit it. It;s up to us to fight for it and take what's ours.

Keep showing up to work well groomed and pressed. Thank our customers and smile. We will all be fine in the end.

 

Yeah man, my pay checks post Merlot were a disaster and I lost money, in part because I lost energy trying to constantly audit my checks and then squabble with payroll to rectify the errors. My spreadsheeting abilities are second to none though now. Heck, I know a captain who was overpaid in excess of 10k. So some were being paid too little, others too much...an absolute $hitshow of epic proportions. Merlot was actually so bad it made me laugh...and provided the necessary motivation to get out. I guess it was a good thing in that regard. Congrats on your new job.

 

Allegiant = $3.3Billion market cap, not gonna pull a Lorenzo

Offer $$ for pilots to cross the picket line - wanna see youself, spouse, kids, house on youtube?

Contract with other carriers for sub-service - see above for anyone who flies struck work.

So they can't just shut it down & start over, & they won't get anyone to cross a picket line.

What options are left, should it come to that?

I don't know, maybe try actually negotiating?

 

The strike is coming. You're right about them not being able to start over. Whom would they do it with? Few will stick around unless the pay came up. The market conditions for pilots is on our side and will continue to be for a while.

Patience my friend. Easier said than done, I know.

 

[QUOTE=disco inferno;1843675]So Southwest is a lion and Allegiant is a mouse huh? What is you think makes Southwest so wonderful? Yes they are profitable. They are also a rapidly maturing airline. They don't have the ability to grow domestically more than they already have. They have little retirements comparatively to the legacies and increasing labor costs. Their profits aren't exactly stellar these days.

Allegiant been around as long as Southwest, but post bankruptcy they have had 48 consecutive quarters of profits. Their business model is working and it would seem that it will continue to work for the foreseeable future.

Totally missed the point bro, it's all good though

Umm if I remember correctly, Southwest has been around over 40 years? Peeps correct me if I'm wrong here but Allegiant has been around what 12-15 since Uncle M took over?

Thanks Duke! I am happy Allegiant gave me employment but like you said, after Merlot, amongst other issues, it was a slam dunk!

 

[QUOTE=clunkerdrv;1843734]I meant to say Allegiant HASN'T been around as long as Southwest. My point is, if you're at Allegiant you're in a better position as far as seniority progression goes. We aren't just waiting for gramps to die or retire. There is actually lot's of growth coming and tons of growth potential. We just have to get the contract right and this could be a really great place to be.

I remember talking to CAL guys on the jumpseat back in 2006-2008. Many of them regretted at the time not going to SWA. CAL actually had many guys get their 737 type and leave for SWA. I was told that SWA used to be the redheaded stepchild of the industry. It was supposedly full of guys who couldn't land a job at a legacy. The same could be said for Fedex and UPS. How times change peoples perspective. The important thing is Allegiant is profitable and can continue to be even if they paid legacy wages. It's up to the pilot group to know their worth and demand it.

 

Does anyone know if they have run any classes, or conducted any interviews in the last month?