Prevailing wage stops the race to the bottom, If a CEO wants to be a better competator they can't cut wages as they are set by the board and all airlines pay the same. He must cut other variables in the profitababilty matrix, we will let him figure that out! Thats his/her job.

It's not a new idea, U.S. Grant signed the first Prevailing wage law in 1868! My wonder is why the Aviation Unions have not embraced the idea. The current pay situation is not good for anyone.

 

Seriously now. We need ideas how to fix compensation and work rules to make the industry safer. There are many reasons why our ideas won't work but we need to try. This is the first time in recent memory that pilot wages are in the news in a negative light. We are actually getting press time that could help us. This could be our time to make a change even though the odds are against us.
Some people here have come up with ideas to make changes which is good to see. Obviously ideas that are posted here are not finished or fully researched answers but they are a start in the right direction. Instead of only coming up for reasons why an idea will not work we need to find alternative solutions, sometimes within the problem itself.
I'm writing to the congressman for the aviation oversight committee but he (or his staffer) will pay less attention if I just vent my issues. Ideas for solutions is what we need.
In my mind this is a big window for us and we would be stupid not to give it our best shot to make improvements.

 

It is different because Walmart employees are not responsible for life. The only way this type of thing can get legs is if the government realizes that low pay=lack of talent at the regional level. Whenever any pilot starts to obtain solid experience at the regional level, they are trying to leave to make more money. Therefor the regionals do not have the talent that could have if they paid better.

And this is not capitalism. Capitalism is dead, look no further than the banking, auto, and housing industry. Capitalism would have called for the weak to die and the strong to survive.

 

KingAir you are EXACTLY right!!!!! NOTHING is going to change if we don't ALL come together and try and fix this problem. Those that keep saying "oh it will never work we might as well not try" just don't want to put in the work to make the industry better again like it was before 9/11. Well I for one am willing to do as much as I can to help make a change. If you could send me the name of that congressman that you were going to write, I will be right behind you in sending him some of my ideas as well. And maybe if you, and I, and Wally 24 as well as the others that actually want to try to help make this industry a great place to work again, really work at it I KNOW we can make a difference. LET'S ALL COME TOGETHER AND STOP BICKERING WITH ONE ANOTHER!!!!!!! Let's ALL make a difference and get paid for what we all love to do in the first place...FLYING!!!!!

 

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), chairman of the Senate aviation operations, safety and security subcommittee

I'm just leaving the door for my commute but I'll be drafting my letter on the way. I've seen the start of some good ideas on here. I'd really like to see more and if people don't like it some constructive criticism would be welcomed verses just criticism.

 

This might make the Sunday paper tommorrow, but then that'll probably be the end of it. Then the window will close.

I NEVER talk about flying outside the cockpit, but suddenly neighbors and family are asking me what's going on in the industry. This has the public's attention more than I would've realized.

Kingair is right. I'm going to write my fine elected representatives in DC.

 

As long as we're brainstorming, perhaps we can work on getting paid while on duty or for TAFB instead of this parking brake off - parking brake on B.S.

The safety discussion probably needs to go the direction of pilot experience and/or training; not pay.

 

AWESOME KingAir Thank You!!!!! In addition to what you talked about earlier in the thread there is also the idea I had, now granted this is just a beginning idea, but if the govn. isn't able to regulate some of the issues that need to be corrected, now before I get shot at here I'm not saying regulate the whole industry (we all know that didn't work earlier on ) just certain parts like pay and fatigue issues etc., maybe the govn. could at least regulate the minimum price that is charged for each route. I think one of the problems with the pay issue is the fact that all the companies are trying to undercut each other by charging less and less. And if the companies charge less and less, their employees get paid less and less This comment from a Regional airline pilot made me think about this:

("I am a regional pilot. I made about 24k last year. I spent over 300 hours away from home last month. Only during my 87 flying hours was I paid. I have been in some form of training for 9 years. I have 8 different pilot certificates. I have flown over two thousand hours. I have over 60k of college debt. My union is almost useless because a loophole in the law that doesn't allow us to strike properly for the wages we deserve. Because of the seniority system I can not leave my current airline for fear of starting all over again. My life is falling apart, because I decided to chase my dream. The airlines know this. They know that I want to go to work, and I can never leave. I do not want to make a million dollars. I do however want the respect of my passengers, my nearly homeless brethren, and the FAA. I want to sleep more then 5 hours a night. Everyone should damn the current set of laws that allow the airline to push us around. I recently was on a trip that gave to give my crew nearly 9 hours of "Scheduled Rest". The "Rest" was scheduled to begin upon our arrival at the airport, not the pillow. Our flight was delayed, then we had to wait for passengers to deplane(including the ones that have to wait up to 10 minutes for wheelchairs), then wait to catch a shuttle bus to a hotel 20 minutes away, try to sleep, then get up early because the hotel van only travels to the airport every 30 minutes, pass through security, and arrive at the gate in enough time to preflight and run 6 checklists. My 9 hours of "REST" turned into little more then 5 hours, during the middle of the day. How could anyone function after six days in a row of that kind of abuse. I think sleep deprivation was used in "Get-mo" as a form of torture for terrorist that wanted to hijack our airplanes. It seems to be more effective when used by crew scheduling to make those same aircraft crash anyway. Public perception is important, behind the shiny wings and fancy epaulets, is a person that makes a fraction of what he or she used to, or deserves to. I am responsible for YOUR life. I deserve to make at least a decent wage.")

Well if there is regulation on just the minimum amounts for each route, in addition to what you suggested before in this thread, I think we could finally get back to the pre-9/11 payscale that we deserve. I'll add this idea in whith the letter I send Senator Dorgan. If you have any other ideas that you would like to run by someone don't hesitate to PM me. Thanks again!

 

Nice idea! However, what would force the extra money charged per route to be passed onto the pilots and not into the pockets of those higher up??

 

Or the government? (as new "Aviation Re-regulation Act Tax", or perhaps the answer to preventing GA "user fees") Or the other employees? (Don't the rampers and mechanics deserve a little more too?)