thruthemurk

But our retirement is not set in any agreement. They could remove it tomorrow to "remain competitive" and you would have nothing to say about it.

Southerner

Gotta agree with KellWolf here. The broken record is getting effing old. Yeah. We get it. You're not happy.

So far, I am happy. Great move for me and mine. Will things improve? Hopefully so, but I'm not going to ***** and moan about my (in the grand scheme of jobs on this planet) unbelievably good job.

As far as the vote goes, it's no one's business how I or anyone else votes. That's the beauty of a democracy. We vote our conscience. You vote your way, I'll vote mine. If we vote differently, I'll still talk to you in the cockpit. Bunch of whiny-a$$ cry-babies saying, "It's going to be quiet on my next flight with a no voter." Grow up and be a professional.

Southerner

After getting that off my chest, I will say that I liked the presentation. It does show fairly clearly where the deficiencies are. If the company doesn't respond to these deficiencies in a meaningful way, I'm certain the next union vote will pass.

amcflyboy

I'm pretty much certain the next vote will pass, but I think it's going to be on a slim margin. It's a fact that a lot of the fence sitters have been pushed over because of the healthcare, nevermind anything else. We are getting new bodies, and I'll bet $20 that one of the reasons a lot of them came here was because of no union presence, hence my prediction of the slim margin.

Just a few guys I've flown with have defended the healthcare saying the company still needs to grow. I do agree that the company still needs to grow, however, what they don't know is that the company is making MORE money than what they are reporting. Classic propaganda. CS has stated that after the peer group comparison last year and how much egg was thrown on leadership's face, there will be no more peer group comparisons.

Most guys agree that we need a CBA; the DR has failed... miserably. Some will pick up and go to a legacy carrier. Go for it. I'm going to stay here and ride it out. Some will say that I'm dumb for doing that. Well maybe, but I need to weigh my options before I go to a Legacy, and get lost in translation amongst the other 12,000 to 17,000 pilots and risk getting furloughed. Once a company has pressed to test, and it works, it will become another move in their playbook, hands down.

One guy I recently flew with suggested that when either Delta or United calls, jump ship to them. Again, I'd have to see how dire the situation is that it warrants me jumping ship and starting all over again. Some say ALPA has screwed them over, I say that ALPA screwed over the Regionals and supported the Legacies more. Why? Because they make more money off of Legacy dues than Regional dues. Just facts I gathered from others and from reading. Correct me if I'm wrong.

With the possibility of guys bailing, then I stand a better chance of upgrading sooner.

Bonk

RJer, your concern over whether or not B6 can afford to compensate us is misplaced. Airplanes cost X. If you can't afford to pay X you don't get to have an airplane. Same with fuel, terminals, landing fees, catering, deicing, etc, etc. You need to look at labor the same way. The ONLY reason B6 is making any money is because they're getting away with undercutting their labor costs. If you can't afford to pay the going rate for an airplane you shouldn't be in the airline business. The same thing goes for paying your pilots. If you can't afford to pay the going rate you shouldn't be in the airline business. As a pilot it's not my responsibility to carry the financial burden of keeping the airline afloat. That task is for the multimillionaire CEO. He supposedly gets those big bucks for a reason. Well it's time for Barger to earn his keep and figure out how to pay the bills. One of the bills he hasn't been paying is pilot labor costs. Why should I work at a discount just so Barger can sell underpriced tickets?

amcflyboy

Agreed. Barger is no saint, as some would point out.

porqueno

can you please explain this? thank you.

Kellwolf

The 13% figure factors in a contribution of 5% on the pilots' part. Hence the 5% "pay cut." It's 5% of your paycheck deposited in your retirement instead of your bank account. So, the company's part is 8%, not 13%.

porqueno

Ok, so the company puts in 8% regardless of the match. thank you

Southerner

Does the company match the 5% you contribute? Would that make the overall retirement 18%? 13% company, 5% our own? Or is that 13% all in?