Momma, make him stop.

 

Understood, but the hourly compensation is o.k. The company is o.k. The QOL is in decline. I am wiling to bet if another package came out that had only QOL improvements it would pass.

 

Let me go back and retract something I said for clarification purposes. The 175 rate we got coupled with our work rules is average with the entire industry. So your rates with your work rules are better, assuming that it's above the average. So it is a competitive compensation package for the pilots yet we don't get the aircraft. And supposedly from some SGU guy, it was because xjt doesn't have a rate in place. So it only further proves my point that he was either lying or ignorant. Both sides have competitive 175 rates in existence.

 

After reading your posts regarding XJT's pilot contract, I've no doubt your contract is much better and it still falls short of the compensation any airline pilot deserves. I have not nor will I ever debate that point with you.

However, being the most expensive regional is not a good position. As long as the whipsaw continues you will be outmaneuvered by management. I'm not referring to Skywest management either. The ONLY way this side of the industry ever gets better is if we are ONE voice. With wholly owned pilot groups that will never happen. Your union has done a tremendous job of negotiating one of the best pilot contracts in the industry, but there is absolutely nothing it can do to ensure XJT is awarded feed for the majors except capitulate and take concessions. I do not believe that will ever happen.

I guess every regional could vote in a contract that mirrors XJT's and then compete for bids based on performance, but that will not happen either.

This industry was never intended to be a career. The regionals (commuters) were supposed to be a stepping stone. I think the relaxation of scope opened Pandora's Box and the big boy management don't want it to close. I have said and will continue to say it. A UNION DOES NOT HAVE ANY POWER AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL.....at least when it comes to getting contracts awarded.

 

It's possible I misunderstood about the rate. It may have been like you mentioned about taking concessions in order to get the flying. Like I said, this person was from SGU where pilots that want to have QOL type items are thought to be greedy and unions that don't allow them to have their way with pilots are the devil.

The main gist of the conversation was XJT doesn't want to play nice so we just won't worry about bidding for my flying on that side. I did my part to let them know what the shenanigans they played with pilots did for morale. Surprisingly enough, I don't think they understood.

No doubt in my mind that they are able to extract 16% more out of us with our work rules (or lack thereof). Vacation rules alone would be at least 5%. Again, we would be so much stronger with 7,000 united voices.

 

If a union at a regional doesn't have any power when it comes to getting contracts, then how did awac, horizon, and xjt get theirs? Do you honestly believe that they would have gotten just as much if they were non-union? Don't think so and that's why your argument doesn't hold water.

Look, by definition, someone is always on the top. If you aren't doing your part to try to get to the top, then the top will come down to you and you will now be at the top. Look at SWA as a good example of that and that's despite them being union and having a labor friendly management.

Anyway, we are not only being whipsawed by mainline but also by our own management. Being whipsawed twice! There is leverage to be had now just as it was a decade ago. Almost every single regional group is getting deals that make them more expensive. We have to stop thinking that we have to take modest pay increases to stay competitive. That's management's job, not ours and they have been doing a really great job of that in the recent past.

 

They specifically wanted a 4% pay rate cut, PBS implementation, elimination of the B fund, and 4% worth of pay cuts in work rule concessions. They said that PBS and our B fund were each worth 4% (their numbers). That's how they wanted us to get to 16%. But the 16% was before we took a 7% concession and the PBS we are currently working to implement (supposedly cost neutral to the pilots).

 

Regional unions are sometimes in a position to GET contract enhancements, because management doesn't want to deal with disruption in the short-term. KEEPING said enhancements in the regional ecosystem is a whole 'nother issue. Oh yeah, you forget to mention COMAIR. And didn't horizon get industry-leading rates for their jets?

 

It's just an example of a pilot group who ended at the top because others came down.




And if there EVER was going to be a regional that can sustain it, it's Skywest. But you rather not even try. That's the mentality that doesn't help. If a pilot group is not willing to try to raise the bar, especially when they are in a position to do so, then the pilot group who is at the top will be brought down. I can't believe I have to even explain this.

 

Brutal week for attrition. Lost 21 pilots this week. Only 4 Captains but 17 FO's. 10 of those FO's were in training. Does it matter if we are filling our classes if we are losing so many before they hit the line?? And how much is this costing the company to waste the time spent on training when we are not getting any ROI on these pilots?

March was the first month in awhile where we lost more FO's than CA's (21 CA vs 24 FO), but so far this month we are losing 2 FO's for every CA (15 CA vs 29 FO) My estimates show about 250 hired, but it looks like we have lost a total of 170 pilots since the beginning of the year, so a net gain of around 80. Again, these are just what I have been able to gather but by no means are the 100% accurate since the company or SAPA doesn't provide these numbers consistently.