It’s fine we’ll just keep settling for less than industry standard. As someone else already stated.. it’s not like you are giving up very much at all if you leave in the first year anyways.

 

You literally just proved to yourself why it’s a useless thing to spend negotiating capital on.

It’s something that only benefits people who leave quickly, it’s not that much money after a year or two, and vesting schedule wouldn’t incentivize people to stay.

BuT tHe InDuStrie StAdeRdz… just stop.

 

Haha. Exactly. The guy said he left his unvested 401k and said he didn’t care. So why do we then try to give that guy who does care, or “phase” him, $20k on the way out the door?

Pass.

 

Because he worked for and earned that money, he should care. I bet you guys will want training contracts next with all the attrition. Putting golden handcuffs on your employees isn’t a way to make them stay. Most people show up to Spirit indoc with other airlines in the back of their heads. We need to make it so good for new hires that they can’t give it up. That’s the answer to the thread title. Instead new hires are paid less then minimum wage in training and no health insurance. You’d be an idiot NOT to be actively trying to move on as it stands.

 

You are constantly arguing against your own point, its hilarious to watch. Let me pick it apart before others.

Do you know how a pension works? You don't get your pension with a company if you stay a few years, its not "hard earned money" at that point, because it isnt capitalized.

So guys would be "crazy NOT to leave," so we should be vested 100% day 1 so these guys take it all with them? Benefits remaining Spirit pilots how?
So having us be 100% vested from day 1 will help attract new pilots to the airline? See point above you made, but then they would be crazy not to leave.

Its not golden handcuffs when people are openly saying leaving without the vested 401k is a no brainer.

"Well I have this job offer from DAL, but I am staying at Spirit because of the $15k thats unvested in my 401k account"
-Said nobody ever!

And finally a straw man argument with the training contract. Nice job!

 

He worked for it… but not long enough. That was the deal he entered into when he accepted the job.

Increasing first year pay and health benefits to ease the transition to Spirit is not the same thing as making it easier to cut and run with the company contributions.

We need to negotiate make the pay and lifestyle worth sticking around for more than 6 years, not worrying about trying to strong arm the company into paying out to those who choose to leave.

 

Maybe an omelette bar or chocolate strawberry station for those pilots who leave after 1 year? Maybe something to wish them well at their new airline. Ive seen On the Border cater some nice fajita stations.

Haha...its all pretty funny

 

LOL Honestly a "here's an ice cream sandwich and don't let the door hit ya on the way out" would have been awesome!!! I would have loved the candor!

After thinking about the 401k thing more, I can see why the company would have a vestment period (albeit somewhat long compared to other companies). If that's their rule, great. It wouldn't have changed my mind to stay or leave, so arguing over it is a waste of time. Better topics to discuss, in my opinion, are: 1st year pay, upgrade time, domiciles, meltdowns and how's Ted's beard doing?

 

1. About 1/2 of what’s needed
2. Getting longer
3. Getting more
4. SOP, now with Bendocon
5. Fabulous

 

I think it speaks more to who the airline is as far as confidence in their ability to attract and retain people. If we are going to have pilots that say the amount of money is small then it is definitely small by company perspective. So, the question comes down to is the company interested in attracting the best candidates and are they willing to put their money where there mouth is when it comes to making the place a place worth staying. Is the vesting issue a huge amount of money? No. But not having immediate vesting says volumes about the company's confidence in their ability to make it a job worth keeping.

So, when looking at an airline, the vesting schedule is not just about money, but about confidence in their place. The ones that have it know that they attract the right people and the are confident they have a place that pilots will stay. I would get it for regionals to not have it, but for a major to not have it, sends the wrong message. In this crazy career there have been times where they could get away with it. but in the times we are in now, that is a factor that will make it harder and harder to get somebody to jump to Spirit. I dont think the fact that folks are leaving is tied to the vesting directly, but that is a symptom of a greater problem and not having a vested 401K is part of the problem not a solution to it!! Making it a place that a vast majority would never consider leaving should be the goal, and that can not be accomplished with hand cuffs of any kind.

It is a simple one line statement in a contract, but it means alot more:

"22-A-1-b Immediate 100% vesting;" (chapter 22 covers retirement for us, but insert whatever chapter covers it for you and you get the point)

That alone won't solve the problem of folks leaving, but the mentality that goes along with it is what is needed to "stop the revolving door" at any major airline.