$100,000 Minimum Regional First Officer
#191
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,137
In my opinion, if people wanted to get serious on this matter, the very first step in the process is the recognition and acceptance that ALPA doesn't support regional airline pilots. There can be no meaningful change without this.
#192
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Position: American Airlines Brake Pad Replacement Technician
Posts: 472
Don't blame management for attempting to be competitive. The blame lies with a large group of pilots that are willing to work for substandard conditions (pay, schedule, QOL) because it'll just be a stepping stone for them.
It appears as though there are pilot groups that are not embracing the "stepping stone" mentality, and are demanding changes in compensation, schedule, and QOL.
Those pilot groups...are doing the heavy lifting, that all should be doing.
It appears as though there are pilot groups that are not embracing the "stepping stone" mentality, and are demanding changes in compensation, schedule, and QOL.
Those pilot groups...are doing the heavy lifting, that all should be doing.
#193
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Position: American Airlines Brake Pad Replacement Technician
Posts: 472
1. starting wage is about 23K, there is a 5k bonus and the company will pay for all training to receive the ATP.
2. Gross pay is very dependent on how much one flies. Half the pilots commute, so they usually fly less. For an FO on average, I'd assume 25K the first yr, 30K the second, and 35 the third. Of course, overtime pay can increase this significantly.
Comparing to a national median is kind of pointless, because you've got the unskilled in that group, and millionaires. In my mind, it would be better to compare the wage to someone who operates power-plants, large complicated heavy machinery, and to those who do skilled work requiring extensive training and knowledge.
I never said there was a shortage of airline pilots, what I said was the regionals are screaming shortage. This is because they are finding it impossible to recruit new-hires w/o incentives. Regionals are offering bonuses, flow-throughs, and financial assistance to certain CFI's who agree to a work contract. Why are they doing this, generosity? No, they are testing the waters incrementally in order to see what bait works. There are mid level seniority regional pilots who see improved hiring opportunities at LCC's and the majors and are holding fast in their current jobs, but many are not being replaced as they leave.
The metric I am using is observation. At my own regional airline, the pilots rejected a concessionary package under job loss threat from both mgmt. and the union. Over 90% voted and of them 83% voted NO on concessions. At Republic a similar situation has occurred. So this indicated to me a large section of regional pilots are not going to tolerate more concessions. At Envoy and Endeavor, concessions were imposed but only after offering a flow-through and/or a hiring bonus. So if the regionals were not having a problem finding pilots, why offer all the incentives?
As far as regional profitability goes, is it growing or decreasing? I have not read any financial analyst's report who really understands the system and the dynamics of the regional business. No one has addressed the effects of a seniority system, the RLA, and discharge of debt through mainline bankruptcy--while retaining billions in profits. Have you read about the effects of the age 65 rule or the ATP requirement and lack of bank loans for a job that costs 100K in training for a reward in the 30-40K range if you don't upgrade? (not including the 23K first yr pay, pre-bonus). Have you read that Delta bailed out Pinnacle to create Endeavor and used that to reset it's contracts with all the other regionals--driving their profits down? Labor in the past was the only "flexibility" in the system, and it is becoming markedly less so.
Also, are these "record profits" being reached by playing the stock buyback game, like so many other companies are doing? A very important metric to look at is, what is the free cash flow of these profitable regionals? Is money being shifted around different regionals in a holding company in order to make one appear more profitable than another?
Finally, I have friends throughout this business and ALL the regional people I know are fed up and are not willing to take any more concessions, because we all realize now it's pointless. The savings just go into mgmt. pockets w/o improving anything, then a while later, they are back for more. The regional industry is not full of wide eyed naive newbies anymore, everyone has yrs of experience in this sad drama, and knows the score. That is why I think the regional model as it stands now is not only broken but unsustainable. Could it/ will it morph into something else? YES!
2. Gross pay is very dependent on how much one flies. Half the pilots commute, so they usually fly less. For an FO on average, I'd assume 25K the first yr, 30K the second, and 35 the third. Of course, overtime pay can increase this significantly.
Comparing to a national median is kind of pointless, because you've got the unskilled in that group, and millionaires. In my mind, it would be better to compare the wage to someone who operates power-plants, large complicated heavy machinery, and to those who do skilled work requiring extensive training and knowledge.
I never said there was a shortage of airline pilots, what I said was the regionals are screaming shortage. This is because they are finding it impossible to recruit new-hires w/o incentives. Regionals are offering bonuses, flow-throughs, and financial assistance to certain CFI's who agree to a work contract. Why are they doing this, generosity? No, they are testing the waters incrementally in order to see what bait works. There are mid level seniority regional pilots who see improved hiring opportunities at LCC's and the majors and are holding fast in their current jobs, but many are not being replaced as they leave.
The metric I am using is observation. At my own regional airline, the pilots rejected a concessionary package under job loss threat from both mgmt. and the union. Over 90% voted and of them 83% voted NO on concessions. At Republic a similar situation has occurred. So this indicated to me a large section of regional pilots are not going to tolerate more concessions. At Envoy and Endeavor, concessions were imposed but only after offering a flow-through and/or a hiring bonus. So if the regionals were not having a problem finding pilots, why offer all the incentives?
As far as regional profitability goes, is it growing or decreasing? I have not read any financial analyst's report who really understands the system and the dynamics of the regional business. No one has addressed the effects of a seniority system, the RLA, and discharge of debt through mainline bankruptcy--while retaining billions in profits. Have you read about the effects of the age 65 rule or the ATP requirement and lack of bank loans for a job that costs 100K in training for a reward in the 30-40K range if you don't upgrade? (not including the 23K first yr pay, pre-bonus). Have you read that Delta bailed out Pinnacle to create Endeavor and used that to reset it's contracts with all the other regionals--driving their profits down? Labor in the past was the only "flexibility" in the system, and it is becoming markedly less so.
Also, are these "record profits" being reached by playing the stock buyback game, like so many other companies are doing? A very important metric to look at is, what is the free cash flow of these profitable regionals? Is money being shifted around different regionals in a holding company in order to make one appear more profitable than another?
Finally, I have friends throughout this business and ALL the regional people I know are fed up and are not willing to take any more concessions, because we all realize now it's pointless. The savings just go into mgmt. pockets w/o improving anything, then a while later, they are back for more. The regional industry is not full of wide eyed naive newbies anymore, everyone has yrs of experience in this sad drama, and knows the score. That is why I think the regional model as it stands now is not only broken but unsustainable. Could it/ will it morph into something else? YES!
Let me ask this though...where do you think the resolve for the 83% no vote originated from?
#194
#195
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 571
It sounds from your last two posts that you believe we don't deserve anything more because we are contracted labor. Just because we are contracted labor doesn't mean we should accept working for less than we are worth as status quo because ALPA and the majors tell us it's a means to an end. For many, it is the end. FYI contracted labor doesn't always mean cheaper waged labor. There are contractors who are paid more than full time employees in some lines of work.
This almost unpaid "internship" doing the exact same thing as the majors (4 legs of 76 passengers in a 5 hour day is 300 pax...so can't say we fly fewer passengers and therefore deserve a much smaller paycheck) isn't always a temporary job. But ALPA/mainline will tell you it is. Your attitude is why we make horrible wages. If enough pilots held the line, we could make some changes. But WE let the whipsaw continue so we can get those new shiny jets. And I don't see that changing unfortunately, even when pilot supply/demand numbers are in our favor. If every single underpaid regional pilot quit (not talking strike, but quitting altogether) until things got better, it would be about less than a day before pay changed.
This almost unpaid "internship" doing the exact same thing as the majors (4 legs of 76 passengers in a 5 hour day is 300 pax...so can't say we fly fewer passengers and therefore deserve a much smaller paycheck) isn't always a temporary job. But ALPA/mainline will tell you it is. Your attitude is why we make horrible wages. If enough pilots held the line, we could make some changes. But WE let the whipsaw continue so we can get those new shiny jets. And I don't see that changing unfortunately, even when pilot supply/demand numbers are in our favor. If every single underpaid regional pilot quit (not talking strike, but quitting altogether) until things got better, it would be about less than a day before pay changed.
The whole idea of every regional pilot up and quitting just to make a point is a nice daydream. Realistically though, for every pilot that quit, two more would show up to do the job for less. Any one of your "union brothers" would step on your throat without a second thought if it would advance their career.
#196
You DESERVE to be paid what you're worth. If something happens to the captain, you're it. Can't put a price on that. Certainly more than food stamps, at least.
#197
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,137
No you don't. You don't deserve anything. You are in no way special, even though your mom told you otherwise. And how dare you decide you are worth more than someone else simply because you fly an airplane? Where does it end? Do you deserve more than the guy collecting your garbage? If so, by whose judgment?
Now if we go by your rules, than you deserve minimum wage. You aren't worth anything other than minimum wage as evidenced by your acceptance of paultry wages. That's what you deserve per your philosophy.
You are the cause of the entire problem.
Now if we go by your rules, than you deserve minimum wage. You aren't worth anything other than minimum wage as evidenced by your acceptance of paultry wages. That's what you deserve per your philosophy.
You are the cause of the entire problem.
#199
:-)
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,339
It's an interesting study in human psychology. There was a company in Silicon Valley that decided to pay all employees a $70K minimum wage no matter what they did, no more, no less. The company fell apart in short order, simply because humans can not work with equality. If they don't know someone is below them, or they can't advance, they can not fulfill their self actualization needs.
#200
:-)
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,339
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