ComAirColonel

I'm sorry Loon did not like my response to an obvious plant by the company. I'm not at Republic and any dogs I have in the fight are not really in the picture.

I am trying to educate everyone on the changing market. The post I commented on had nothing to do with a contract. Here is what it said:

"Im a newer hire here despite following the advice of the forum and going elsewhere. I have loved every minute and the new contract rolling out is just an added bonus if it passes. Every single pilot I have ran in to has been super friendly and ready to drop anything they're doing to help me if I have a question or need help. That goes for the same with everybody on the corporate side too. For as many pilots as we have, if I send an email to payroll, crew scheduling, etc. it is usually answered within a few hours. If you call they don't ever get ****ed off or agitated no matter how stupid the question might sound. The EFBs are nice and all the training facilities and instructors were superb.

And from every pilot Ive talked to since the LBFO rolled out, they've said they're going to vote yes if it goes to vote."

Basically he said, pay no attention to the important stuff because your email will be answered promptly with a smile.

Lets talk about the contract which is pay, benefits, scheduling, and working rules. It is not smiles, emails, and questions answered which are the responsibility of management and needed for their operation to function.

The market rate for an RJ captain now is 120k, possibly 102 to 110k first year if hired off the street. For an FO, 40 to 50, maybe higher?

I was helping someone sell a house that was being sold for 300k. The sale fell through in April because the buyer found there was a fish pound he did not know about because when he looked at the house it was covered with snow. In april 300 was a top price. Last week he got a new offer that he accepted, 358k. Why 58k more? Well, the market has risen and 358k is actually at the low end of value now. You must deal in the now, not the past.

Republic, Gojet, and the other regional airlines want you to live in the past. They don't want you to evaluate the market or do any research. They want you to look at Envoy and demand what Envoy pilots are getting, maybe 50 cents an hour more. They want you to look at Skywest. They don't want you to look at the market and supply and demand.

There are no pilots out there willing to work for 20k a year or 30k a year so they are now offering pilots 35 to 40k with bonuses. Second year pay will stay the same which may be lower than first year with the bonus. They figure they will already own you.

For the first time since the early 60s the pilots hold the cards. You can get what you demand and negotiate. If you are a captain and not making 120k plus then you are taking below market.

Stop thinking about the pay of the majors and what you will make when you get there. Get what you should now. Don't let them cheat you out of 500k over the next 10 years so that you can possibly get a job at the majors in 5 to 10 years. You deserve 120k now. The market has changed.

A year ago or so I posted (might have been another site) that someone unemployed should wait to take a job because in 3 or 4 months they will need to up the pay from 20k a year up to 35 or 40 to get pilots. Wait 3 or 4 months and you will get it. I was right, the market has changed.

What needs to change in the airline world is pilot's evaluation of their own worth. They are thinking 40 first year and 35 second believe it or not. They are thinking 70 for a captain when they should be thinking 120k.

70k was what they were paying in 2003. It went down during the downturn of 2008 to 2012. The number now is 120k.

Sorry to bring the bad news Loon and MrErj.

Super EZ E

Republic is only concerned about getting new hires, until Captains run out the door as fast as they can then plan on low pay. Problem is you guys are happy working for $60k. The Captains won't move on, once that happens you'll see higher pay!!

Rahlifer

Unfortunately, we do have a very top heavy seniority list. It's not just as simple as having those dastardly captains move on and quit hogging the captain seats. Most have tried and are just not hire able anywhere else. I think RAH is going to eventually have to slash pay for anyone over ten years longevity in order to bump up the FO rates and junior CA rates in order to attract any applicants. That's just my personal feeling I have about what BB will do once finally backed into a corner.

spikemath

What you say is true, but the only solution you are offering is to not work. This won't really cause anything to happen because only a small amount of guys are willing to do nothing and wait. Most pilots are of the thought that "the longer I wait to get into an airline the longer I'll sit at the bottom of the seniority list" and they're absolutely right.

How can we realistically cause change without hurting ourselves? Go foreign?

spikemath

Plus, the airlines don't negotiate on an individual basis; you pretty much have to deal with the unions. And they really don't have the market value wages for pilots as their top priority.

morerightrudder

Yep- many also just don't want to move on. That might have been the plan when they started out, but now they're comfortable in random outstation, mabye a bit older, and decided time with their families and not commuting/moving are worth more than an FO seat at a major. Some don't have the personality or desire to be an FO again. It seems like Republic just has a lot more of these types.

The company has tried to furlough out of seniority before. Mabye they will try that route again in a bankruptcy.

TillerEnvy

I disagree. Flew with so many lifers who weren't planning on going anywhere. It's gonna come back around to bite them in the arse. A 10 year CA pay cap needs to happen (not including COL yearly increases) in order for 3-8 year CAs to be paid appropriately. This is a regional, not a home for life.

PicJink

Approve, get a bump and look for a better gig. Reject it, don't get a bump maybe a long vacation while looking for a better gig. Not a tough choice.

TurbineTime

Hoffa sided with the local, the LBFO will not be voted on again. It is officially dead. The game of brinksmanship continues.

basesjuiced

pretty surprising as i would have expected the national being in bed with rah executives to be on full display by overriding the local. Not to worry though, the company will come right back to sweeten the offer slightly. this isnt a real "lbfo" as we all know