Internals are those already working for the company in a capacity other than line pilot, e.g professional instructors and corporate pilots.

 

Or even more mundane jobs. My new hire class was mostly internals. We had one ex-Navy guy who worked as a courier for a year, and my sim partner flew checks in Alaska and worked part time on the ANC ramp before getting on the seniority list. I was a professional sim instructor, as were 6 others in the class (first class after original CBA went into effect.). Only 3 out of 12 were off the street.

 

I was also ex-Navy and an internal hire as well - 18 months (8/94-2/96) throwing boxes and driving a tug. Leaving active duty in late '93 was NOT great for getting hired at a major.

In my new hire class of 30, we had 6-7 internal hires, plus a couple guys that did internships at FedEx way back in the day (may not have necessarily got them the interview, but it sure gave them really low emp #s ). A guy hired a couple classes ahead of me had 17yrs at FedEx when he came to the line, working mostly in GOC.

 

That explains a lot.

 

Internal hires have slowly watched their compensation erode as they transition to a line holder. I was in one of the group's who did not get credit for vacation longevity as a pro. The groups that went to the line before me started as a new hire with accrued vacation longevity from date of hire with the company. That benefit was traded away for something in the contract negotiations. At least I got to keep my three years as a pro for retirement multipliers. The guys transitioning now start at zero but they do get to keep their DC plan.

 

Oh that it were so.

I think it was more like given away.


That was the first (technically first) CBA. We can do much better now.





.

 

Short chat with a bro who put it best….why would I leave my 16 % pension and seniority to come to a company that is going to offer me a 16% pension and less seniority?

FedEx will never have a problem hiring pilots. In this environment, they will have a challenge keeping all of them. Even if we keep our full A plan (which I am confident we will. It is a strike issue…) the fact the company has telegraphed a desire to end it will make coming here less attractive and staying here less lucrative to those with less than 3-4 years on the property. Our group has helped about 700 pilots get hired here. There have been at least 20 in the last year that have approached me about helping them go other places. Its not a huge number statically, but anecdotally is captures a lot of the mood I am seeing. Last week in Corpus Christi I asked a room full of airline wannabes which airline was their first choice….airline by airline. Not a pilot put their hands in the air when I asked "FedEx?" Its sad, because five years ago we were more than 50% of the guys first choice.

 

Heard a rumor that we have lost 30+ pilots already....

 

But, to some bean counter MBA, is that necessarily a bad thing? Training new guys costs, but last I heard those costs were fixed. As long as they can replace the trickle going out and put new guys in the cheap seats at lower longevity pay rates, why would they care (from a simple numbers standpoint). Just wondering.

 

Did a new hire class start today?