Oldfreightdawg

Good point. But remember this point you made in another thread?

Industry belief: There is not now nor will there ever be a shortage of people willing to work as pilots at any wage.

True fact. Nor will there ever be a shortage of people willing to be Professional Ball players, or Firefighters or CEOs at any wage. The question is this: Will the industry be able to attract and retain the level of competence required at any wage? The answer is no. At the current Federal minimum wage you would not be able to consistently find competent Professional Ball players, Firefighters, CEOs or Airline pilots.

I think you're contradicting yourself a little. I think your first analogy is more correct, there will never be a shortage of anybody willing to do anything at any wage. CEO's and their senior management teams extract obscene pay from a power base of networks and lobbying efforts, not because some non-bias compensation committee deemed it appropriate. They take their pay with force and thumb their noses at us and the public. Deep down inside the American psychic, the public actually accepts this behavior. CEO's have developed, over time, a careful public campaign to assuage public scorn of their outrageous salaries. There are no shortages of qualified CEO's, but there are "gate keepers" that restrict entry.

Just like there will be no shortages of qualified pilots, we as pilots must gain control of our own gate. We do this the same way CEO's do. The battlefield extends well beyond the negotiating table. It resides in Washington as well as in the public eye. Which means ALPA is doing the right thing. I don't necessarily agree with the "look at us poor victim workers" message. But winning over the hearts and minds of the public is essential to winning the battle. JMHO

edznaz

[True fact. Nor will there ever be a shortage of people willing to be Professional Ball players, or Firefighters or CEOs at any wage.

Great. The only other thing I'm any good at is running into burning buildings. Guess I'm all in. Interview next week.

Z

seaav8tor

Firefighters in my area receive X$/hour for each hour on duty at the firehouse. Normally 24 hour duty shift. (TAFB in pilot speak)

Imagine if Firefighters were only paid from block out to block in on actual calls and the hourly rate was adjusted up so the overall pay remained the same.

Then when the Firefighters were up for a pay raise, the city, county etc, claimed Firefighters at station 3 receive an average pay of $250.00/hour and only work 5 hours per week!

Before the flames start I'm not suggesting this. I'm just pointing out how public perception can be distorted, as it has been in the case of pilots.

Now consider if pilots were paid hourly rate based on TAFB (just like our friends at the firehouse); and the rate was reduce so the overall pay remained the same. Now what would they think if they were told a Jet FO starting out made $ 7.00/ hour (Pinnacle) and the pilots were trying to get a pay raise to attract a higher level of experience? (higher than 200 hrs TT)

seaav8tor

I agree with you but I'm not sure where the contradiction lies?

We could, but we choose not control the "supply" and that means there will never be a shortage.

The "Gate Keepers" leave the gate wide open.

Koolaidman

I keep seeing on tv how there is this "war on the middle class" on whatever news station it is. I have to change the channel because it is so frustrating to watch knowing that there is very little that I can do about it. They keep saying how production is up, but wages are down and more are without healthcare. What the @#*! is going on in Washington? Nationwide, wages and QOL need to improve. However, it seems as if people just go to work and don't realize what is going on. I guess people enjoy the abuse the upper management is putting on them? Because I certainly don't see too many others upset with current situation in the American work force.

If ALPA did more stuff like this article, I may be more inclined to bring them on at SkyWest. However, just because they put an ad in a newspaper doesn't mean Tilton is going to give them a raise.

captjns

I can’t see the piece in USA to drive the flying public to petition Congress to establish a minimum wage along with pay increases, benefits for pilots. After all, what percentage of the flying public earns a wage equal to pilots? The flying public is interested in cheap fares and frequent flyer mile upgrades. Besides since USA Today is a free read, it’s the pilots that usually that read USA on those long legs to pass the time away.

Now… you want to get the attention of the flying public, board of directors and share holders??? Every member of ALPA show unity and call in sick for a day or two.

7576United

This ad wasn't a plea for help from joe sixpack, this ad was designed to help joe sixpack understand where we're coming from when the fight to regain our lost wages turns really ugly.

Ironically, this 87 thousand dollar ad originally had facts and figures that included tilton's pay package....all public information...but the U.S. Today wouldn't allow it.

Consider one thing before you go blasting the ad: The ceo's of this country have hand picked compensation committees that decide their salaries, who do you have on your side?

chitownpilot

While am not for the organization of my fellow SkyWest pilots by ALPA (please don't go into it here), I do agree with ALPA 100% here on this ad. Upper management has got to start giving a damn about the employees. It is the only way to bring United back to the airline it once was. At SkyWest, they told us "employees first"....happy employees = happy customers. And you know what, it shows on many of the flights I fly as a CRJ F/O out of ORD.

Upper management at UAL has to get a clue, or get out.

myoface

skywest has an employees first attitude? not according to my buddies over there.

dba74

....or at ASA