Sully speaks

[kellwolf]

1. The supply of pilots drastically reduces. Everyone can point to the recent pilot shortage but guess what happened, the minimums were lowered to a mere 90 days experience (if you went to schools like ATP). There was no change in pay or work rules to attract better qualified pilots. In fact a huge amount of flying was outsourced to lower paying regional jobs during this so called pilot shortage. Now look at the industry. How many of us are furloughed? How many of us are willing to go to low paying operators just stay in the cockpit so that one day they can run off to the majors? While a commercial ticket only takes 90 days of training to accomplish and lines wrapped around the door to get into these schools and jobs than there will always be downward pressure on pilot compensation.

And how many are saying "Screw this" and doing other things? I'd be willing to bet that percentage is creeping higher and higher. I can tell you as a CA on the -200, in a stress situation such as severe WX or a diversion, having a low time guy in the right seat significantly increases the workload. The company really doesn't care. They see a) a way to get cheap labor in the seat without raising wages to attract people that are better qualified and b) since no accidents have occurred that relate to the low time guys, they assume the CA is going to save the day. Well, all it's gonna take is a CA on reduced rest or a CDO/stand up/high speed paired with one of these guys, and it's at LEAST an incident waiting to happen.

Personally, I've already worked for as little as I plan on as an FO. I won't go to CAL until they get their insurance BS straightened out. I won't got to Virgin America b/c they pay peanuts. If Skybus were still around, they wouldn't be getting my app either. The ones majors I plan on applying to are the ones I WANT to work for. Comparing most regionals is like comparing who's moldy sandwich tastes worse. Mesa sucks. Pinnacle sucks. Trans States sucks. Etc, etc. The only thing we can do is try to raise the bar from within at this point while trying to educate those on the outside.

 

[Cal Varnson]

I'm not an airline pilot, but I was sitting in ORD one day and got to talking to a guy. The conversation eventually got around to what we did for a living. I told him I was a pilot. Wow, he said, you must be making great money. What airline do you fly for? I told him that I don't fly for an airline, then asked him how much he thinks a first year FO makes flying one of those regional jets parked outside. His reply: probably around $200,000 per year. I laughed and told him more like $20,000.

 

[granlistillo]

And still everyone shows up at the gate, climbs in the cockpit and off they go. Talk is cheap. The only way I think things will change is...

___________________________
2. The unions come together and artificially lower the supply of pilots by NOT SHOWING UP FOR A JOB THAT PAYS JACK CRAP! This is how unions have been so successful in any industry. The whole workforce worked as a team and did not allow the company to produce by not showing up to work until the demands were met. Its that simple. A resignation letter from every pilot flying on the same day will skyrocket compensation within a matter of weeks (if not days).

Please don't be offended, but are you aware of the provisions of the RLA? Are you advocating a wildcat strike?

Seems to me that the RLA like most government intrusion limits freedom and is one of the root causes of the problems. I don't see anyway around it.
As a general rule, in Europe unions have the right to strike about any time they want. All of my collegues flying over there are much better paid, and have great work rules. Labor-management relations are much better, because if the bullcrap starts building the employee groups can exert their "influence". Believe it or not most unions are not interested gutting their company for personal gain. Over here it seems that management is...

So, maybe when I get my JAA tickets, I will go back to Europe.

 

[dbrault17]

Please don't be offended, but are you aware of the provisions of the RLA? Are you advocating a wildcat strike?

I know all about RLA. Yes Im advocating a wildcat strikes. Bankrupt the union for all I care. Dont work for crappy wages en masse and see what happens. RLA is managements rules. Unions will not win by playing by their rules. But as I said before, I dont ever see this happening so Im out.

The old guys there now are worried about nothing but their retirments, and the young guys comin up are just happy to be flying and dont know any better.

 

[derg]

By all means, management does hold most of the power and that's not right at all, but be careful advocating work actions outside of the confines of the RLA because you can absolutely be sued.

49 pilots at Southernjets got sued for staging an unlawful work action. Nothing like getting served at 0100 at home by a process server to kick off a four day trip.

 

[kellwolf]

By all means, management does hold most of the power and that's not right at all, but be careful advocating work actions outside of the confines of the RLA because you can absolutely be sued.

49 pilots at Southernjets got sued for staging an unlawful work action. Nothing like getting served at 0100 at home by a process server to kick off a four day trip.

:yeahthat:

If it's that bad....quit. I'd rather work a crappy job or get another job than be out tons of cash or in jail. The goal shouldn't be bankrupting airlines, it should be working within the system to get the laws changed.

 

[granlistillo]

I know all about RLA. Yes Im advocating a wildcat strikes. Bankrupt the union for all I care. Dont work for crappy wages en masse and see what happens. RLA is managements rules. Unions will not win by playing by their rules. But as I said before, I dont ever see this happening so Im out.

The old guys there now are worried about nothing but their retirments, and the young guys comin up are just happy to be flying and dont know any better.

I understand how you feel. And no I don't ever see that happening. Good luck!