If we want to be able to hire and then keep these exemplary pilots, you are correct- we will need exemplary compensation. The latest seniority list shows 9 recent hires leaving in the last month. This number has been growing month over month. This and the fact that the company has recently lowered the minimums for the second time in the last year are a good indicator that we do not have said exemplary compensation. Hopefully next month will continue the trend of rising numbers of departures.

 

I don’t know a solid number, but I suspect ~3 left on the training departments term too. Nothing against low time CFI’s, as I was one too. But, the program isn’t tailored to that group like the regionals are. I suspect the training attrition might rise too.

 

Now is not the time.

 

That’s correct. From the union president himself. (In the IBI 23’post) He has a young family and doesn’t want to have to start over at the bottom of someone’s seniority list if something goes wrong. I was under the impression that a union president shouldn’t put his personal wants in front of the membership.
BTW. There’s never been a better time to make this happen. The company wants to wait till we are in a recession and then negotiate.

 

How It’s possible that 2700 people don’t all see this, is nothing short of a mystery.

 

I’m not sure. There’s so many company leg humpers that believe anything the company or union says. Just read our message boards. DZ and GR come to mind. There’s finally a few over there that are chiming in and making waves. The problem is that if you say something the union doesn’t like you are shut off. So much for that pesky 1st amendment, I may new here but I’ve been at NJ since ‘99 and have seen this program before.

 

They still monopolizing the bandwidth? Haven’t been on in a long time.

 

It's the same people that have their $30k bonus spent before voting ends on an IBB. The same people whom will not want the 2.5 VED to sunset in December.

 

Hopefully the fresh blood won’t be so easily swayed by $150/ service month.

 

This argument drives me crazy! The 2.5 VED is a win for everyone! Junior F.O.s such as myself rely on that to supplement our incomes while we patiently wait to upgrade or work our way up the F.O. payscale. VED is not mandatory. Don't like it? Don't volunteer for it!

The company benefits because if enough people volunteer they can adequately staff the fleet and therefore spend less on expensive third party contract vendors. That allows them to make more profit which is preferable to the pilot group as a whole if we're trying to increase our compensation. Would you rather negotiate while the company is hemorrhaging profit on third party vendors?

One more thing while I've got my ranting hat on. (Not necessarily directed at you heavyD.)
Not all new hires have a wet ink ATP. I was hired last year with 10,000 hours (of which 7,000 is 121&135 PIC, 4 type ratings and 2 check airman letters. I'm flying with guys that have zero time in type post IOE and zero PIC time because they just upgraded, yet I sit in the right seat earning half the pay. That's the way it works in this crazy industry. Leaving one job to start another is like deliberately landing on the "bankrupt" wedge on the wheel of fortune. Start over again from zero. That's my choice and my long term strategy so I can't complain too loudly for self inflicted circumstances, but I can still speak up and raise the B.S. flag when my colleagues are advocating cutting off their noses to spite their faces.

Inflation is real. Us pilots know it, management knows it and the aircraft owners know it. Increases will need to come due to basic math, but playing silly buggers in an attempt to poke the bear will benefit nobody.