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Point is this: (I know you all know this) We put in way more than 1 hour for 1 hour of pay. This makes the hourly wage look astronomical to Joe SixPac.
Since most pilots don't understand how they are paid, there is no way Joe SixPac will understand it. Thus the hourly pay, and pay hours are used as a tool by management to sway public perception against the crews.
Not until the gate keepers control the number of pilots will we see any real long term gains in this career. With MPL on the front and age 65 on the back, it appears any hope of controlling pilot "supply" is just a pipe dream.
The public will never support pilot pay gains. The ad was a waste of money.
This is why I'm quitting flying to become a pro football player. I heard they only work 2 hours each week and make Boo-Koo bucks per hour!
Good point. But remember this point you made in another thread?Originally Posted by seaav8tor
During indoc a flight ops admin person explained with the help of an overhead projector how the pilot pay was calculated. She said don't worry if you do not understand this. Most pilots here do not understand how they get paid. 12 years later I can validate her claim.Point is this: (I know you all know this) We put in way more than 1 hour for 1 hour of pay. This makes the hourly wage look astronomical to Joe SixPac.
Since most pilots don't understand how they are paid, there is no way Joe SixPac will understand it. Thus the hourly pay, and pay hours are used as a tool by management to sway public perception against the crews.
Not until the gate keepers control the number of pilots will we see any real long term gains in this career. With MPL on the front and age 65 on the back, it appears any hope of controlling pilot "supply" is just a pipe dream.
The public will never support pilot pay gains. The ad was a waste of money.
This is why I'm quitting flying to become a pro football player. I heard they only work 2 hours each week and make Boo-Koo bucks per hour!
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