schloppy1

The issue, as I see it is, once Delta stepped up, Kirby stated that United will follow. American is being steadfast in
its intransigence and has pre-cancelled thousands of flights this summer due to staffing. We aren’t hiring and the last conf. call stated they wanted to take 1.7 billion out of express’s hide. This’ll be partly accomplished by parking 11 planes. (Hopefully offset by new planes) One doesn’t get off reserve or upgrade by sitting in a jet that’s parked in Victorville and making plane noises. For the time being, reserve doesn’t really exist at the big three and upgrade is possible in less than a year. When we do open the doors, we’re offering a very long stent on reserve… in Memphis.

Just bringing us up to Delta rates will add $360 million to their pilot line item. (Avg. $60 raise x 1000hrs x 6000 pilots). We’re not winning this without a heck of a battle. At this point in time, I think a potential newcomer would be hard pressed to rationalize how FedEx beats the competition in life time earnings and QOL. The new contract may change that. Until then, coming here is a he** of a bet to make with a multi-million dollar career.

pinseeker

I'l agree with most of your sentiments. The only items I would like to mention are upgrade times and the raise. First, just because a few pilots can upgrade to captain in less than a year doesn't necessarily mean that is the average time to upgrade. We have WB captains getting WB pay with less than 5 years on the property. The Delta pilot who was awarded the 767 in their first year most likely will not see WB pay for quite a while. Their 76-300 pays the same as their 75's. Just last year we had a pilot who was in new hire training and was awarded the left of the 75. I don't think that will be happening again for a while here, but just like things changed here, they can change in the pax world as well.

As far as your numbers for a raise go, the first $45 of that average goes toward just keeping up with inflation. That is not a raise and should be expected at any company in the top 100 of the fortune 500. So, that raise actually would only cost the company $90 million a year. Even if this turns out to be a 5 year contract, that is less than half a billion dollars added for the life of the contract. Now, how much are they spending on stock buy back? They can afford it. We just have to demand it.

schloppy1

You’re absolutely right, Pinseeker. They can afford it and then some.

PurpleToolBox

You guys keep thinking this company is on the COVID cocaine ride it was 2 years ago. That is over. Our five year WB Captain days are over. Heck, those guys may lose their seats. The guy at Delta on the 767-300ER is making WB pay because they're short of pilots; they're green slipping and their revision pay is incredibly better than our substitution or disruption pay. We hired like 1800 pilots over two years when the difference in growth between pre-COVID and post-COVID is a mere 3%. Even accounting for mandatory retirements, we are overstaffed.

I had a former Delta FO on the jumpseat this week. He explained why his second year at FedEx paid less than his last year at Delta. Much more less. But he did admit that he flew more than double the block. When asked if he would go back to Delta, he said, "I'm on the list that can return should I want to."

BertMacklinFBI

did you think that the “Covid cocaine” ride was going to last forever. Do you think we are never going to hire again do you think delta will ever catch up and not need to go gang busters from their Covid slow down? Or is FedEx going to either and die? It’s not awesome now. And I sure wouldn’t come here right NOW if I could go to delta. But what happens in 5 years? 10? 20? Nobody knows. RELAX.

JackStraw

Evidently the company did. Every update a year ago was “we plan on hiring 1500 more pilots”. Now look at where we are. Bang up job to those responsible in Crew Planning.. Imagine being the plug on the seniority list and when you were hired you were told you’ll have 750 pilots under you in a year. Whoopsie! Relax, dude, just give it 5 years.

FXLAX

Also, their 737 and 320 rates match our WB rates come March.

BertMacklinFBI

this is airline strategy 101. Hire hire hire hire until you don’t.

pinseeker

I certainly don't think that. That is why I said "I don't think that will be happening again here for a while." I also don't think that Delta upgrades to the 767 left seat in the first year will happen in perpetuity.

pinseeker

Yes, comparing our 2015 contract rates to their new 2023 rates means that their NB pilots will always make the same as our WB pilots. Now let's compare our NOV 2015 rates to their Jan 2013 rates. Our rates have been stale since Nov 2020 and their March 2023 rates will have been refreshed. Point is, our new contract will have different rates and we will have to look at it as a whole.