You obviously have no clue how the wage rates got driven up. So, here's a history lesson for you. The intial spike in wage rates happened when UAL proposed the merger with USAir. UAL management bribed the pilots into acquiescing to the merger with outrageously high pay rates.

Then Delta went into negotiations asking for UAL +1%. When DAL management balked, they refused to fly overtime. Since fully 20% of DAL flying at the time was done by pilots on overtime, the system stumbled. DAL managers had no choice but to accept those pay rates.

So, who's fault is it really? The pilots? UAL management offered the high rates as a bribe. DAL management agreed to the rates in contract negotiations.

If you don't know or understand the history of the pay scale, perhaps you should keep your "opinions" to yourself.

What MY manual says is the cockpit jumpseat is occupied at the discretion of the CAPTAIN. Personally, I wouldn't consider asking B6, VA or SKB for a ride anywhere. And I encourage other Union pilots to boycott those airlines for all travel, revenue or not.

 

Fireman,

There are none so blind as those that will not see.

Cheers!

 

We never have a shortage of American, Delta, etc. pilots looking for jumpseats. If we have seats open, they can have them.

BTW, we parked at the Alaska gate in EWR the other day. I had to smile just thinking about using Velocipede's company's equipment. I look forward to meeting you out in OAK or somewhere like that. I always look for an angry fat guy with a green face when I walk by the Alaska gates.

 

Well V, that's exactly what I heard at my last company. Other airline pilots chastising us for the money that we were being paid to fly our planes. Now that company is leading the industry in pay and benefits that will most likely never be matched by the legacies again. That company was ups. On one hand I see your point. Many companies management teams used B6 as the example for cutting the legacy pay. However, it was simply a convenient choice for management to pick on B6. We were there and the timing was right and lagacies management has always been greedy. Although, there have been many before B6 and some of those carriers are still in business today...still paying a wage that is not very far from their first days. B6 did not start a thing. This is the same song that has been hounding this industry since deregulation. B6 is merely the flavor of the day. Look to the management for your woes. Where do you believe pay scales would be now if everything else in the past 7 years was the same except...B6 was never created? I sincerely doubt that they would be higher than now...B6 or not.

 

Firemen,

No I was not saying that. I was attempting to show V that his attempt to blame the down turn of our industry to low cost and non union airlines was very narrow minded and needed to look in the mirror and see that more than just these have partaken in the cause of lower rates. I used UAL and DAL as an example because of their high pay raises they got proir to 911. I do agree Mangments would have filed any way and used it as an excuse and ran with it. Our industry ossilates so much you could point the finger in many directions but to put ALL blame on everone at lower cost and non union is not feasable when the finger could be coming back at you V.

I do believe that with retirements and a shortage of pilots that it will drive payrates up again. Supply and demand.

I do appreciate the history lesson V and hope you change your tactics towards other pilots on your jump seat. For me if they are on our reciprocal list they go. Even if I did not agree of their position in the industry, the cockpit is no place for politics and vendettas. What goes around comes around. Actually you could use that time to promote the union instead of condeming others.

 

CRGOK9-
Did you say you left UPS for JetBlue in your last post??
Just curious

 

You're right, there. The cockpit is a place where professionalism reigns supreme. That's why it is not availible to scabs OR non-Union pilots.

 

Yes, I left UPS after 10 years. There were many reasons...mainly my health. The job was killing me, never able to turn my body clock around from night to day. It cost me a marriage and was costing me more in health and stress. The company truly breeds a culture of hate toward it's employees. Most folks just let it roll off of their backs, I couldn't do that anymore. I got to the point that I simply could not continue to live that way. For me...it was a terribly dismal existance. So, in the end, I quit. The money was no longer worth it because I truly knew that I would not live to see my age 60 retirement.

 

Good Job V.

 

CRG0ok9
Hey dude, thanks for the info as to why you left UPS. Sorry to hear that things were difficult for you. I was asking because thats a side of the FDX/UPS mix which some guys never talk about. I spoke with several dudes that fly for FDX/UPS and they said it can be pretty brutal as far as night flying/lifestyle wise. The money is great it seems, but there is a toll you have to pay in order to get it.
I applaud your honesty. Thanks. Best of luck