https://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...for-Its-Pilots


May 31, 2022 10:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time
HOLLYWOOD, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silver Airways, America’s leading independent regional airline and The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the carrier’s collective bargaining agent for its pilots, have finalized a letter of agreement (LOA) where newly hired pilots and pilots who already enjoy a decades-long career with the airline will have multiple ways to “Make More Money,” starting with a new pay scale for both First Officers and Captains effective June 1, 2022.

With this agreement, and before additional incentives are applied, the starting hourly rate for a first year First Officer will be $52.03 and the rate for a first year Captain will be $92.01. Also included in the LOA is a unique block or actual hours flown supplement that applies to all pilots regardless of position or seniority. Through this incentive, all pilots who fly within the airline’s passenger operations will receive a 10% override applied to the block or actual hours flown – meaning, the first year hourly rate for a First Officer would effectively become $57.23 and the rate for a first year Captain would effectively be $101.21. Both rates are now at the top of the pay scale for the regional airline industry.

As the airline has experienced significant expansion with its cargo operation based at Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) in Texas, pilots who fly from AFW within the cargo division will have a 30% override applied to the hourly rate. With this industry-first incentive, the starting hourly rate for a First Officer would increase to $67.63, and for a first year Captain, the effective hourly rate would be $119.61. Pilots based in AFW will also receive a $300 monthly living allowance.

Silver is the North American launch customer of the ATR 42-600 and ATR 72-600 and is committed to providing additional opportunities for its pilots to enjoy meaningful quality of life with schedules that offer minimal overnights while receiving top compensation. Some of these earning options include:

$10,000 New Captain Bonus – for pilots who join as Direct Entry Captain, or upgrade
$30,000 Longevity Bonus at the second year mark as Captain
$40,000 Longevity Bonus at the fifth year mark as Captain
Sick/Vacation Day “Buy Back” Program – up to 5 days per quarter at 125% of the hourly rate for superior attendance
Quarterly Captain Retention Bonus of $3,000 in passenger operations and $4,000 in AFW cargo
These incentives are in addition to other bonus programs, such as the annual High Season Bonus, which was ratified in the current CBA completed last summer. Pilots who complete flying during the carrier’s busiest period will receive an additional $4,000 bonus for the 2022 High Season.

“The commitment of our pilots to safely and reliably transport our passengers and enhance the success of our growing cargo operation, is unparalleled in my airline career,” said Steven A. Rossum, Silver’s Chief Executive Officer. The CEO added “Our thanks to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and our pilots who recognized the growth potential for Silver and quickly negotiated and ratified this transformational agreement.”

“This is an exciting time for Silver Airways,” said Captain Charles Osborne, Silver’s Chief Pilot. “Our pilots have multiple career paths with the ability to gain rapid and valuable experience flying for our cargo or passenger operations, or both, all while receiving outstanding training, accumulating hours, and enjoying an exceptional quality of life and working with an amazing team of dedicated aviation professionals.”

While some of the incentives in the LOA are subject to further negotiations, the pay scale is considered ratified until the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement which expires October 1, 2025. Additional details and the full Letter of Agreement can be found here.

LOA: https://www.silverairways.com/docs/d...3-final%29.pdf

Will it work? It’s a bit late to be offering bonuses AND to fly turboprops. That new regional with Dash 8s isn’t getting hardly any people AND their bonuses are really high.
Also, it’s non commutable which will severely restrict finding people in this current market. There are also A LOT of restrictions tied to those bonuses. I’m all for it and Silver seems like a nice operation but so do a lot of others. Just saying.

Having read the LOA (you can read it in my post above), there are some fine print that was left out of the media announcement.

1) The new pay rate is based on DOS +2 (date of signing, October 1, 2020), so unless I'm missing something, it doesn't occur until November 1 based on the note below the payrate table:
** DOS+2 rates are effective the first of the month following ratification of the 2022 Pay and Retention LOA. NOTE – DOS+3, DOS+4 and DOS+5 rates continue to be effective on the October 1 anniversary date of the CBA effective date.


2)“Incentive Trial” Provisions

The following provisions of this LOA will be run on a “trial basis” and,
except as otherwise mutually agreed in writing by the Parties, shall expire
at midnight on December 31, 2023:
• 2.c – Monthly AFW Base Stipend
• 2.d – AFW Cargo Flying Override
• 3.a – Standard Flying Override
• 4.b – Quarterly Captain Retention Bonus
• 4.c – Captain Upgrade Incentive
• 4.d – Career Captain Retention Bonus (see below)
• 4.e – Personal Day and Sick Day Buy Back Program


The Parties shall meet at least ninety (90) days before December 31, 2023
to attempt to reach mutual agreement on which, if any of the above
provisions shall be continued and on what terms. Absent mutual
agreement in writing, a provision shall expire at midnight on December
31, 2023.

So all of the bonus incentives could end at the end of 2023. Not when the CBA expires on October 1, 2025.

75 is still the minimum monthly guarantee, they just used 85 credit hours as an example. But honestly they are hurting for pilots and it's very easy to credit much more than that per month.

When is Silver going to upgrade to 2022 technology and replace the ATR fleet with E175’s

As soon as they ink the FFD deal with Alaska.

All regionals are hurting, no doubt, but yeah, everyone has shiny jet syndrome. Can't blame 'em. I'd say the only attractions for SIL are easy day trips, Florida living (or San Juan if you want the Caribbean experience), and now a pretty decent payscale.


With the current route structure, it would never happen. E175s wouldn't make a dime on these short routes. Turboprops sip on fuel and have always made more economical sense on these short hops. Only way SIL is getting shiny jets is if management can ink a deal with a major and have them finance it. Even then, majors aren't looking to sign more regionals. Quite the opposite. In the meantime, I'm sure SIL management and investors wouldn't mind a larger regional buy out and merger.

The ATRs are brand new, so probably newer than most 175s

I know what you're getting at but the routes are short and I'm sure they looked at all their options when they dumped the Saabs.

Thanks for that good info and congrats on the announced pay & financial incentives! So how does it work with no overnight trips on the PAX side as far as days off are concerned . . . like do you get back to base late at night and are expected to fly the next morning after the min. required rest period? Or is it a one day on one day off type of deal?

Not 100% sure about the new pay scale being decent enough to fully compensate for the cost of living in AFW, FLL, or TPA nowadays though . . . if their ops are not commuter-friendly then they may need to offer some sort of housing incentive as well.