I recently was made aware of post on a different website where a UPS pilot was saying that, despite facing a furlough and the fact that she has a special needs child, she remains steadfast in her opinion that her contract should remain untouched and that no quarter be given to anyone seeking any type of concessions...even if it means she has to hit the street. She makes the argument that she would rather have something worthwhile from which to return, than sell out to those seeking to exploit through fear.

Awesome.

What a difference from FDX, where in the midst of a 777 pay rate dispute, we have ALPA reps, Union leaders, bidding the aircraft.

Not awesome.

 

That is one of the reasons that makes us Purple boys/girls special!

 

Well, until very recently I disagreed with her.

My thoughts were that she and other junior pilots like her (if she's junior which I don't think she is) were simply 'brainwashed' by some senior pilots who pretended to care about the junior guys' pay when they "come back" from a furlough when in fact they only care about themselves not getting a pay cut.

You know, the same senior pilots who wanted an A-plan “so they could retire”... The same ones who told us, “don't worry about the FO pay because you'll be captain here longer than you think”...

I still feel resentment toward some of the senior guys' especially the ones who keep rubbing in their "second house, third boat payment" stories but now I think we should give nothing back in pay cuts.

There might be a proposal to create a "take care of our own fund" where we as a union will pay medical costs and even a furlough salary to our furloughed pilots. One captain told me he'd rather give 10% (just a number he picked, not an actual proposal) to the union than 1% to the company. He said that way the money would go to our own guys/gals and once things improve his salary would go back to normal whereas if he gives anything to the company he'll never see it again...

I agree with him and believe we should not accept any pay cuts...

 

I tend to see it both ways too. I made the same comment when I was furloughed from a previous airline and was soundly ridiculed for being naive. The other way to view it is furloughees are hostages to the company, and will force the hand of the union for contract concessions. But then again, furloughs are an economic reality. if I get furloughed again, I'd probably call it quits and start something else (what was the number of that trucking school?)

So for a company that's still making money (although the stock's taking a beating) to threaten furloughs for paycuts is disingenuous. Just make it a separate issue and quit yanking us around. You want paycuts? We've already given 'em. You wanna furlough? Prove that you don't need us, and it's cheaper to let us go. (i.e. retraining, relocation, and D/H crews all over to make up for the shortfalls)

And, you don't wanna work with us to mitigate the overmanning? Fine, we won't work with you. That goes both ways...

 

Crikey Highflyer, ! If an MD-11 Capt gets furloughed, the truck driving school won't be hiring!! <g>