Futureman

I'm sure the F/O's are super worried about getting you captains a pay raise after you screwed them with age 65.

Busboy

I did? I must have some form of selective amnesia. I thought I was against age 65.


Thanks for setting me straight, slick.

subicpilot

Damn...they're onto us...

Busboy

I just want to be sure I'm not being misunderstood...I'm not advocating raises for just captains.

I'm no economist. But, I do believe that blanket, overall % raises, provide more income, for more years, for more pilots. Than, raises targeted at a select group, that will only be in that position temporarily. Albeit, for a longer period than wanted.

I'm done. Carry on.

Wild Bill

A deviation bank that clears every month is counter productive. I recommend a system that rewards behavior that benefits the company and the pilots.

As it stands every pilot should try to spend the banks every penny without going over, which is not good for the company. The system rewards pilots that burn their bank anyway they can every month. For instance, a pilot can save a drive to the airport by getting a limo that drops them off in front, saves wear and tear on their vehicle, and saves them tolls, gas, etc. If they have bank money available the system encourages this.

If a pilot doesn't have bank money available he end up eating expenses which isn't good for them.

It's ridiculous that a pilot could save FedEx $3000 by deviating one month (even after four limo rides where they could have used their own vehicle, which would have saved FedEx $3400) and eat $450 dollars in deviation expenses next month.

I recommend a plan where x% rolls over for use in subsequent bid months, y% (currently 100%) is returned to the company, and z% is paid to the pilot. This is beneficial to the pilot because they would have deviation bank available to cover their expenses and get paid a little more. This is also beneficial to the company because pilots would have incentive to build their deviation bank instead of burning it. Pilots would have an incentive to shop for cheaper car services, ride the jumpseat instead of paying for a ticket, etc. Each pilots level of comfort versus greed is different in building their deviation bank, but the company could use the greed of the pilots to their advantage. In the event the pilot doesn't have a subsequent bid month (retirement, termination, company bankruptcy) then n% of the rollover bank goes to the pilot and 100-n% returns to the company. This n% is to encourage pilots not to burn their bank as they approach retirement, termination, bankruptcy, etc. The bean counters can figure out the x%, y%, z%, and n% then we can all argue over the percentages they determine. I think this is a win-win contract improvement for all parties, but fire away.

PastV1

Nice generalization Futureboy. Not all the Capt's are in the same boat as FH on the 65 thing. But go ahead and shoot every Capt anyway. We're all just trying to keep you down...

MD11Fr8Dog

Try using the Preview Post button!

Daniel Larusso

Futureman,

Read what started this discussion and THINK for a minute, b/c you are playing your part all to well.

Fedupbusdriver said it best:
Get serious guys. Unless we work together for the good of everyone, we might as well buy lottery tickets.....

We just have to make sure that 'together' is really together and not a rallying cry that ends up primarily supporting the few or some special interest group. A lot of plates on the table for the upcoming negotiations and we're all probably going to have to show genuine interest in some give and take between the various faction in order to get the best contract(imo).

Daniel Larusso

BB,

None of us economists or negotiators which is why we'll have to the NC and EF & A guys put together a strategy based on our wants that we can all get behind. Who knows, the money might not come from where we think it will. For instance, outside of the FDA's I don't think we have any Capt's who will have been here for less then @ 8-9 years by the time negotiations roll around. Perhaps between that and the lost DC-10 S/O money, they can find a way to stiffen up some of the FO rates in the 'stuck' portion of the list before applying the standard X% pay raise across the board. Just in case it sounds like I've betting sniffing fairy dust, I'm not pulling this out of thin air-similar things have been done for various reasons over the years at other carriers. Now I'll beat my drum one more time, the main thing is to not tear each other up over the various angles that will be shown to us in the near future.

FDXLAG

I'm no economist but I seem to remember a class that talked about time value of money and some other BS. All other things being equal, pilots would be better off if we were all paid the same amount. That way when you were young and broke you didn't go into the hole to survive. Your investments would be $ cost averaged. And inflation wouldn't hurt so much. But since all other things are not equal it is probably better to use the system we have.

With the exception of new hire training pay and 1st year pay. That is counter productive to winning their hearts and minds when they are young.