Evidence that unions have a purpose
 

I'm just at the beginning of the long climb up the ladder to what will hopefully be a successful career in aviation. What will be there for me when I get to the top will be whatever the pilots before me accepted or demanded. It is easy to forget that unions were created for a reason; they so rarely move with purpose that it is easy to forget that they can and why they do. When they don't, it is usually a sign of the good times... but times are not so good right now. All I can say is that I'm glad that the DAL ALPA folks have activated their unity to make a point. When things like what happened today happen it is the mechanism by which the industry recalibrates back to reality. The union is there to make sure the airlines understand the value and legitimate demands of their pilots, something easily forgotten in the numbers game of business. Delta pilots DID act out of self-interest as many of you have complained about, but in so doing they create a standard for the treatment of pilots and what they ought to be able to expect. Is it unreasonable to expect a contract that was signed in good faith to not be thrown out? These people have freely given away their pensions and prospects for a decent retirement while losing wages with which to live for now and save for the now uncertain future with. All I can say is that I am greatful that DAL pilots have used the tool that is available to them to draw a line in the sand, for themselves knowingly.. but perhaps unknowingly for me to still have a CAREER to look forward to in a few years. Thanks all!

More cool aid please....

:mad: and becuse Hank Duffy was the president of ALPA

Amen,Capt. Drew,Amen

RedeyeAV8r, It was not Skywriting who made the comments you replied to... apparently the quote option does not work on his computer... Those were MY earlier comments.



Apparently, management is asking for more from the empolyees people with the highest pay scales... the unions may have bargained down from what was earlier deemed necessary by management.





I'm not really sure why this is being brought up... people are entitled to opinion and rational thinking.





There is nothing wrong with this, but it seems that pilots are unwilling to take any paycuts in the mainline when they are the only employees making in excess of 80K. Where else is the company supposed to take cuts?... FA's, baggage handlers... those people make less than nothing to start out with... IF Executive bonuses are cancelled, this usually means little and will only be a respectful formality because bonuses in certain cases are usually given in company stock options, rather than cash.



All emloyees at delta are suffering... particularly those who only make $9.00 or so an hour. And now the pilots want to strike during difficult times at Delta and run the airline into the ground... and put everyone out of work. I have a feeling that non-pilots are not on the same boat in terms of striking. Most Delta mainline pilots after the cuts will be making well above the national average income. I think this is reasonable considering difficult times.

When times are GOOD then pay-raises and added benefits are always a good thing and there will be NO objections from my side of the fence.

Let's all pray that this striking issue will be resolved quickly and not to the detriment of the company.





I may want this job, but I may not have it if the Delta strike drives Delta out of business... then a little guy like me after schooling will have a couple hundred hours compared to the thousands of hours ex-Delta guys will have... as well as ex-Indy air pilots, as well as all the furloughed and laid off pilots across the country.



I think in the end if this stike ends Delta, it would be because pilots have too much pride and too little concern for other people (new pilots and non-pilot employees alike).





In an earlier post I retracted this opinion... I don't have the time or capability to gather the references to verify my claim... so I won't go into this any further.





If I ended up hating flying for the airlines after a year... I'll quit. Just like any other industry if the working conditions aren't satisfactory for an individual they can just post their resume and move on. Most pilots are well educated, but very demoralized... this is quite perplexing... if a person hates a job enough, they should quit for their own benefit... not drive the industry to the ground because of bad feelings.

This brings another gripe that I have with the airlines... pensions... unless they can be taken on by new employers or transferred from career to career then they need to be phased out (with the new generation) and converted into personal investment schemes that can follow an individual regardless of employer or career choice. I think ultimately it is adherence to pensions (among other things) that keep pilots unhappy and immobile... two of the things that are poison in the employee pools of big business.




I understand and respect your experiences and opinions concerning this issue, however there are repeated concerns of mine that have yet to be addressed.

I'm hoping that eventually someone will give me solid, common sense answers that I can understand.

Once again your ignoring the fact that MANAGEMENT isn't part of these extensive cuts. If the Pilots are asked to take a 50% cut than management, (the HIGHEST paid people at Delta), should take 75% ones, right? News flash Imbecileo, they aren't and have no plans to do so.


I hope, for our sake, that you never become employed by a major carrier. Its blatantly obvious that you'll fit in perfectly as a Scab, Chief Pilot or other suck-ass management type who has not one iota of concern for his fellow Airman. Try spouting that rhetoric once you get the job and you may find yourself upside down in the nearest trashcan.

Do us all a favor and QUIT FLYING and choose another career.

I will chose whatever career I wish. Thank You.

You have quite an immature way of expressing yourself... personal attacks and other childish games. I'm 24 and I express my opinions as opinions... and nothing more or less. If you have something to enlighten me with, enlighten me... I am willing to be learn. But don't use childish games to humilate those you disagree with while offering little of substance in return... it simply isn't becoming of your rank as an aircraft officer.

I realise this, but there is no real practical way of carrying seniority into a another field of work if a pilot feels the need to stay on the ground. That's why I didn't comment about seniority when I commented about pensions. I think a mobile pension or a personal investment scheme will definitely be an asset though.

The bottom three lines are my reply to Imeneo,s Post. Quote didn't work!!!!