Or you could buy your girlfriend a nice pair of tits, so she doesn't dump you when she sees your first paycheck.
;)

Not smart, you'll buy her boobs then she sees your check and leaves you for someone who can afford the new Victoria Secret lingerie for the upgraded boobs!

$5,000? That's it? I'm a guy who values every nickel I make, but it seems to me that's drastically low, even if it were in good faith. And who is gonna just jump to go to RAH for the $5K?

Surely it's not one lump sum payment. Does it come in $500 yearly installments?

Can't wait to see the union's response about this.

Think seriously about this newbies. You will likely be going into a situation where you will be:

1. Furloughed in September (RAH has furloughed three of the last four years)
2. Faced with the decision to:
a) cross a picket line and be branded a scab for life
b) be fired from the company during your probationary period for not crossing the line.

Do not go to RAH right now! Apply to Expressjet, Skywest, Air Whiskey, anywhere but there. When they get a new contract the world may change, but right now I would honestly advise anyone to fly banners for another six months rather than go to RAH. The pilot group is fighting the fight and anyone that goes there right now is assisting management. The situation is rancid and getting worse by the day. Talk to ANYONE that works there before being "purchased" for $5,000.

You obviously have no clue how the tax code works. You pay taxes on you total taxable income so you will get any overpayment back when you file.

But but that is 5,000 lotto tickets.

pilots should stand together to refuse to be a new hire at RAH till a contract is met. The clear lack of new hires for RAH right now is such huge leverage. Everyone should post on every forum that no one is go to RAH till they get a contract. This is such a great opportunity to unite.

I do understand how it operates, I was referring at how much tax you will have to pay initially when you receive the $5,000 bonus, the 25-28% of the pie the government will want right away. With the low wages that first year FOs make they should see a portion of that tax returned, but that initial 5K dollar bonus just became $3,750 when they receive it, they have to wait until they file their taxes for the possibility of recouping part of that tax. I was trying to refer how the money initially sounds good but in less than a year it could be made up at one of the other regionals that are hiring. This is only speaking just guarantee pay. If we speak of "soft pay" these new hires could easily overcome the 5K bonus in 6-8 moths at other regionals. Even with the 5K dollar bonus RAH first year pay will be less than most of the regionals hiring.