Monkey Man

A

albatross

New Member
[ QUOTE ]
The pilots are comparable to the MD drive through staff.. they are both starting off.. each provides a service... so why should the pilot be worth more ???

[/ QUOTE ]

The preceding was a sentiment expressed by a prominent poster on a flight sim forum, regarding a discussion about the low starting pay of most regional FO's. This poster is very knowledgable about simming, but a real smartass. His point I guess is that the pilots are paid exactly what the market allows. I tried to argue the other side, but to no avail. Ended up with him making an ill advised comment about the latest jetliners and trained monkies, think he was just trying to stir things up. Not trying to start any kind of poop storm, but what do you guys think about this, monkey comment aside. My uninformed opinion is that the market can support a higher starting pay.
 
The pilot should be paid more than the MD staff because A) Pilots actually spend money(lots) to be trained while the MD staff is paid to train and B) Because the pilot spent an exponential amount of training compared to the 2-3 it takes to train someone to hand a bag out the window.
 
Don't forget there is a huge difference between a 16yr kid flippin' burgers and someone operating a multimillion dollar machine!
 
Consider the source... a computer pilot with little or no experience in the real thing. Nuff said.
 
I think you guys are missing the point.

A Fry Flipper is not responsible for the lives of his passengers. Nor is he a sovereign of his ship.

Look it up. The pilot in command has sovereign power and authority.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think you guys are missing the point.

A Fry Flipper is not responsible for the lives of his passengers. Nor is he a sovereign of his ship.

Look it up. The pilot in command has sovereign power and authority.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree - not only that but the guy whose in charge of the drive through doesn't have to accept responsibility or accountability for making sure the order is correct and warm... whereas a pilot has to take responsibility for making sure passengers get to their point of destination and is totally accountable for any errors made or any comments made by passengers... you won't typically find that type of "take charge" itude with an MD worker when a patron comes back with a complaint - the manager takes over at that point...
 
This is yet another philosophical exploration of "worth." How much is anything worth? Am I worth $50k a year? $60k? $150k? $12k? What am I worth?

If I could convince my employer I'm worth $150k a year (or more), by God I'll work hard to do so. I think pilots, through organized unions or any other means, have every right to seek the highest pay possible. Any employee has the right to seek as much money as possible.

But if the only job I can find that I'm willing to take flying aircraft pays only $32k a year, am I "worth" more? If I indeed think I'm worth more than that, I won't take the job. If I do take the job... well then, right at that moment, I may not like getting paid so little, and I might ask and seek for more money in the future... but right at that moment, that is what I'm worth... $32k.

Is an ounce of gold worth $200, $300, or $400? An ounce of gold is only worth what you can sell it for on the market at that moment. No more, no less.

"Should" pilots be paid more? I think so, yes. I think everyone "should" be paid more, and pilots especially, given the tough working conditions they endure, and especially considering the years of "paying dues" and huge debts to acquire training.

But what we agree "should" be has little correlation to what we're "worth" at the end of the day. What we're "worth" is precisely the amount we're willing to accept. What the market dictates at that moment.

If discussions of worth and demands that pilots are worth more will raise pay levels, then I'm for it 100%. Employees should always be working to show to their employers that they're worth more.

But in separate, philosophical debates on boards, I think it is important to make the distinction between what we think we "should" be worth (and don't we ALWAYS think we "should" be worth more?); and what we're actually, truly worth on the market right at this moment.

Nobody is worth more than they are being paid right at this moment. Perhaps they "should" be worth more; but worth right at any moment is set precisely at the salary you're offered by the market, and what you're willing to accept.

If I can get $150k, I'm worth it. If I take only $10k, that's all I'm worth. Any debates on "worth" beyond what you're actually paid is purely philosophical.

In my humble opinion at least
smile.gif
Does anyone disagree?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top