After being here for about a year, I am starting to agree more and more with this. About the only thing we have going for us is the "perceived" ability to drop to zero, sick bank payout at retirement and LDT. All great, but I dont think it justifies out lower rates. I say perceived because you cant always do it and you certainly cant always do it on the days you want. I really hope that the negotiating team sees this same reality when things heat up soon and dont go in thinking we somehow have something everyone else doesnt. I know guys/gals at virtually every major outfit and they all have more days off a month, make more money, have better IT/infrastructure, more varied flying and generally like their company.

With all of that said, I love being at NK, we do have great crews and if you know the system, can get a great QOL. If United/DAL called me now, it would be a tough decision mainly because I dont live in one of their bases. If AA called, much easier choice in terms of bases but not entirely sure I would ever want to work for that company again.

I don’t know anything about the Spirit IT, but if it’s worse than Delta’s, hoooey, that’s not good.

It it worse, I guarantee it. My regional outfit was miles ahead of NK in this regard.

^^^
The LTD that offsets your benefit lower if you get a new non flying career or job? The LTD that provides zero retirement contribution? The LTD that only provides medical coverage for 5 years? That one?

Yeah that's the one, like I said, I dont think it justifies the hype that some people here seem to think it deserves.

This ^^^^

The buy up is also based on your year prior’s W2 so if you took FMLA or EIL/VIL in 2021 you are hosed if you go out on LTD in 2022. Have fun living on $5k/month taxable for the rest of your life. I don’t think most guys here realize just how many Mack truck sized holes our LTD has in it.

It’s own occupation. No offsets from what was sold

The benefit offsets dollar for dollar for any future income earned. If you go out and find a job that pays $60k, your LTD benefit is reduced by $60k. Of all the weaknesses in our current LTD policy, this is the one in most desperate need of fixing.

Correct.

And the fact no medical after 5 years.

So you can have a medical condition that kills your career and then you lose your insurance 5 years after losing your career

I won’t trash our LTD for the simple fact we had absolute nothing of value prior to this, we secured own occupation protection in this contract with a large buy up opportunity. Yes, it’s based on income, but that’s the idea, to help with what you lost. You make more, your buy up benefit is more. It was a gain for all of us, now we improve it this round.

DC contributions on LTD is needed as well.

I’m not stupid (feel free to disagree), but I really don’t understand why the insurance company/Spirit wouldn’t push for at least a partial offset. Apparently they think they should not have to pay a cent for every cent that I am capable of making, and I understand that, but where is the motivation for me to even try working? If I would lose half a dollar of my LTD for every (after tax) dollar I made with a side job, both the insurance and I would come out ahead. Is it ALPA holding out for 0 offset that is the problem? I mean, that would be great, but if it’s never going to happen…. Not negotiating in public, but would have liked a survey question “would you take a 50% offset, company DC contribution, health insurance till Medicare, over the current plan”.