Why are pilots striking?
05-20-2023, 06:42 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2023
Position: Student pilot
Posts: 228
Why are pilots striking?
Before I get any hate I’m not yet an airline pilot, I’m a student pilot and I have been seeing a lot of strikes recently and I’ve always wanted to ask why? Is it for better pay or benefits? What difference is a contract does? I’m asking because I want to understand. Because from outside looking in, flying airplanes making $90/hr first year doesn’t sound bad at all comparing to having a bachelor’s degree in business, working in customer service getting yelled at by entitled people making $14/hr. I'm looking forward for your responses and having a great conversations about this topic with you guys!
05-20-2023, 06:53 PM
#2
That/It/Thang
Joined APC: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,848
Originally Posted by Plabelover
Before I get any hate I’m not yet an airline pilot, I’m a student pilot and I have been seeing a lot of strikes recently and I’ve always wanted to ask why? Is it for better pay or benefits? What difference is a contract does? I’m asking because I want to understand. Because from outside looking in, flying airplanes making $90/hr first year doesn’t sound bad at all comparing to having a bachelor’s degree in business, working in customer service getting yelled at by entitled people making $14/hr. I'm looking forward for your responses and having a great conversations about this topic with you guys!
05-20-2023, 07:05 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2018
Posts: 999
Pilots aren’t striking. They are performing informational pickets. There’s a very big difference. Work stops during a strike and, in aviation under the railway labor act, requires government approval to happen. It’s also a very long road to get to the point of striking and there are many steps that have to be taken along the way. The pilots you see in the picket line are volunteering during their personal time off. They aren’t skipping work to be there.
Yes, while what you perceive as “good money” (and I’m not denying that it is), still doesn’t touch what pilot wages were pre-9/11 prior to multiple bankruptcy contracts and pay cuts. Pilots want to get back what they once had and what was the industry norm for pay. But, that’s JUST pay. Contracts involve much more than that. Retirement, disability, work rules, scope, merger language, furlough protections, health benefits, scheduling rules, etc., have a major impact on the quality of life of a pilot. How would you feel about missing your kid’s graduation on your first day off because the airline says, “hey sorry, I know you were supposed to be done at 10am this morning, but we need you to work until 11pm tomorrow night. Hope your kid takes some pics during their graduation ceremony tomorrow night!”? It happens at many airlines, and all too often.
Pilots are subject to strict medical standards. Medical exams are a joke when you’re young and everything is working right. You’re probably in and out in 15 minutes with a fresh medical. Eventually you will go in and come out facing the possibility your career is over. What kind of protections does the airline your work for offer to help you financially through that time? Many airlines aren’t as good as it should be.
I could go on and on, but this post would be endless. Try to get ahold of a pilot contract for a major airline sometime. They are hundreds and hundreds of pages thick. Everything in there was negotiated at the bargaining table. Although the media zeros in on the pay rates, pilot contracts and their associated negotiations goes far beyond just the pay table.
Yes, while what you perceive as “good money” (and I’m not denying that it is), still doesn’t touch what pilot wages were pre-9/11 prior to multiple bankruptcy contracts and pay cuts. Pilots want to get back what they once had and what was the industry norm for pay. But, that’s JUST pay. Contracts involve much more than that. Retirement, disability, work rules, scope, merger language, furlough protections, health benefits, scheduling rules, etc., have a major impact on the quality of life of a pilot. How would you feel about missing your kid’s graduation on your first day off because the airline says, “hey sorry, I know you were supposed to be done at 10am this morning, but we need you to work until 11pm tomorrow night. Hope your kid takes some pics during their graduation ceremony tomorrow night!”? It happens at many airlines, and all too often.
Pilots are subject to strict medical standards. Medical exams are a joke when you’re young and everything is working right. You’re probably in and out in 15 minutes with a fresh medical. Eventually you will go in and come out facing the possibility your career is over. What kind of protections does the airline your work for offer to help you financially through that time? Many airlines aren’t as good as it should be.
I could go on and on, but this post would be endless. Try to get ahold of a pilot contract for a major airline sometime. They are hundreds and hundreds of pages thick. Everything in there was negotiated at the bargaining table. Although the media zeros in on the pay rates, pilot contracts and their associated negotiations goes far beyond just the pay table.
05-20-2023, 07:14 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
Posts: 6,613
Originally Posted by plabelover
before i get any hate i’m not yet an airline pilot, i’m a student pilot and i have been seeing a lot of strikes recently and i’ve always wanted to ask why? Is it for better pay or benefits? What difference is a contract does? I’m asking because i want to understand. Because from outside looking in, flying airplanes making $90/hr first year doesn’t sound bad at all comparing to having a bachelor’s degree in business, working in customer service getting yelled at by entitled people making $14/hr. I'm looking forward for your responses and having a great conversations about this topic with you guys!
…………..
05-20-2023, 07:30 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2023
Position: Student pilot
Posts: 228
Originally Posted by TOGALOCK
Pilots aren’t striking. They are performing informational pickets. There’s a very big difference. Work stops during a strike and, in aviation under the railway labor act, requires government approval to happen. It’s also a very long road to get to the point of striking and there are many steps that have to be taken along the way. The pilots you see in the picket line are volunteering during their personal time off. They aren’t skipping work to be there.
Yes, while what you perceive as “good money” (and I’m not denying that it is), still doesn’t touch what pilot wages were pre-9/11 prior to multiple bankruptcy contracts and pay cuts. Pilots want to get back what they once had and what was the industry norm for pay. But, that’s JUST pay. Contracts involve much more than that. Retirement, disability, work rules, scope, merger language, furlough protections, health benefits, scheduling rules, etc., have a major impact on the quality of life of a pilot. How would you feel about missing your kid’s graduation on your first day off because the airline says, “hey sorry, I know you were supposed to be done at 10am this morning, but we need you to work until 11pm tomorrow night. Hope your kid takes some pics during their graduation ceremony tomorrow night!”? It happens at many airlines, and all too often.
Pilots are subject to strict medical standards. Medical exams are a joke when you’re young and everything is working right. You’re probably in and out in 15 minutes with a fresh medical. Eventually you will go in and come out facing the possibility your career is over. What kind of protections does the airline your work for offer to help you financially through that time? Many airlines aren’t as good as it should be.
I could go on and on, but this post would be endless. Try to get ahold of a pilot contract for a major airline sometime. They are hundreds and hundreds of pages thick. Everything in there was negotiated at the bargaining table. Although the media zeros in on the pay rates, pilot contracts and their associated negotiations goes far beyond just the pay table.
Yes, while what you perceive as “good money” (and I’m not denying that it is), still doesn’t touch what pilot wages were pre-9/11 prior to multiple bankruptcy contracts and pay cuts. Pilots want to get back what they once had and what was the industry norm for pay. But, that’s JUST pay. Contracts involve much more than that. Retirement, disability, work rules, scope, merger language, furlough protections, health benefits, scheduling rules, etc., have a major impact on the quality of life of a pilot. How would you feel about missing your kid’s graduation on your first day off because the airline says, “hey sorry, I know you were supposed to be done at 10am this morning, but we need you to work until 11pm tomorrow night. Hope your kid takes some pics during their graduation ceremony tomorrow night!”? It happens at many airlines, and all too often.
Pilots are subject to strict medical standards. Medical exams are a joke when you’re young and everything is working right. You’re probably in and out in 15 minutes with a fresh medical. Eventually you will go in and come out facing the possibility your career is over. What kind of protections does the airline your work for offer to help you financially through that time? Many airlines aren’t as good as it should be.
I could go on and on, but this post would be endless. Try to get ahold of a pilot contract for a major airline sometime. They are hundreds and hundreds of pages thick. Everything in there was negotiated at the bargaining table. Although the media zeros in on the pay rates, pilot contracts and their associated negotiations goes far beyond just the pay table.
05-21-2023, 04:32 AM
#10
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2008
Position: Pilot
Posts: 2,625
Originally Posted by Plabelover
Before I get any hate I’m not yet an airline pilot, I’m a student pilot and I have been seeing a lot of strikes recently and I’ve always wanted to ask why? Is it for better pay or benefits? What difference is a contract does? I’m asking because I want to understand. Because from outside looking in, flying airplanes making $90/hr first year doesn’t sound bad at all comparing to having a bachelor’s degree in business, working in customer service getting yelled at by entitled people making $14/hr. I'm looking forward for your responses and having a great conversations about this topic with you guys!
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