Carl;
This is my third section 6, fwiw. The first one was when I was just in the airlines, and I voted the TA down. Why? It sucked.

My family is more than prepared. If you recall in 2008, I wanted ALPA to bring in Dave Ramsey so that we could offer free clinics to our pilots. I still would like that. I have no worry about pressure from anyone. I know how I will vote, and what my mins are. Selling scope, or no sunsetting of these agreements, along with language that states DAL has to get our approval for every JV, CPA, or CS along with a term limit on the agreement that goes outside of the amendable date of a PWA are mins for me.

 

I could care less what Lee wants. There have been disagreements with Dan Ford; who is no longer a ALPA member by the way, and us. He pitched a fit and we did what we wanted to do. We will continue to do so. Like I said, the issue is that most of our guys see pay as more important than fixing the shortcoming in section 1. You need to change that, and once you do the politicians will fall in line.

 

Does it hurt your feelings that a 737 domestic captain at Southwest makes more money than you do flying a 767 internationally? If I would have went to Southwest at my hire date here, I would have been much better off. I would be making what our MD-88 captains make, and I would be a solid line holder at almost any base Southwest has. Unfortunately, I couldn't justify buying a type for a shot at a job. Here I'm an MD-88 first officer making less than second year Southwest first officers going more than 4 years on reserve with at least another 3 in my future. Those are the facts. I don't know whether leaving for Southwest now or staying is better for me especially with the Airtran merger. I do know that there hasn't been anyone quit Southwest for Delta in 10 years while we lost new hires a year and a half ago to Southwest. I am going to wait until our next contract. I'm going to try and bid to the 737 to get the type. If the contract is unacceptable to me, it will be time to seriously try and get on at Southwest. I'm tired of our low standards over here with regards to everything (regional jets, ALPA, pay, reserves getting paid less than lineholders, low vacation credit, low training pay, harassing sick calls, etc.).

 

No vote for me. That one was easy.

 

You are correct, and you cannot blame ALPA or DALPA, they are giving us waht the majority of us want if we vote that way.

 

It is easy for you. It's easy for me also. We have 30 years left. The pilot that has 5-10 years left it is not so easy for. We have a lot of those. I've had pilots tell me to my face they will vote yes for ANY raise.

 

Great, no really, good for them. They are unified and have not been though CH11.

We take a pay raise lower than theirs, they will see freezes or pay cuts.

They had a good fuel hedge that they used to hose the rest of the industry. That is gone and the competition with the legacies is rationalized. Period.

ALPA no ALPA does not matter, look at their profits and business model of the last decade and a half. They got lucky with a 55 dollar a bbl hedge. We did not.

 

Nope. I never depended on Delta for my retirement even when we had a DB plan. It was obvious even to me (with the help of ex-Western pilots) that it was a house of cards, so I budgeted and saved accordingly. Besides, I'm not that shallow.

Good for you. I hope you are happy with your decision. You'll be much more happy in the coming stagnation over at SWA I am sure.

 

I know that, and that is why I said in one of my previous posts to Carl, the issue is not ALPA or DALPA, the issue is our pilots and their desire to help them at your cost. It does not matter who the bargaining agent is, it is a pilot mentality issue.

When they have five years left and get displaced off the 777, they will finally get it, but than is too late.

 

I agree with you. That is why I am still at Delta and have no application in at Southwest. I am still jealous of how much more my former colleagues are making than me.