What is a scab in the airline pilot world?

[EricH]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Management stabs labor in the back EVERY DAY, and I don't hear of campaigns to induce suicides among management or their families. Absolutely sickening.

Your right. Labour needs solidarity among its members in order to defend themselves against attacks on wages. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen, and scabs make their own choice in antagonizing themselves from their union brothers and sisters. Personally, while I don't support suicide-inducing campaigns, or sabotage of aircraft causing danger to safety, the membership still have to defend the picket lines for the strike to be effective. Whatever methods that might involve, depends on each situation I guess...... (I'm not an airline pilot, so I can't say, though I work in a union-shop).

"An injury to one, is an injury to all"
Too bad some people forget that....

 

[aloft]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

I've seen it many times, but I don't buy the argument that Mesa pilots are scabs. Nor the early Freedom pilots, for that matter. To my understanding, the only way to become a scab in this business is to fly struck work. Period. If accepting substandard wages and work rules makes one a scab as many over there assert, everybody at UAL and AA are now scabs. Sorry, that dog don't hunt.

 

[F16Flyer]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Yea, what was the deal with the Freedom thing? I heard it was some branch of Mesa, with 90 seat jets?

Anyway of course look at UAL, AA, US. An A330 6 year Captain at US Air makes less then a NWA A320 10 year Captain (read it fome the APA website), AA pilots make terrible salary for how much they fly, and UAL, well who knows. People call them all scabs... at least they still have a job.

 

[derg]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

[ QUOTE ]
To my understanding, the only way to become a scab in this business is to fly struck work. Period.

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely 100% correct.

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, that dog don't hunt.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ha! Somebody's been watching Dr. Phil!

 

[Falcon262]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

[ QUOTE ]
Dad was a Teamster!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a Teamster Too!!!

 

[DE727UPS]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Freedom pilots weren't scabs...just pawns in JO's scheme to keep his pilot costs down.

"What if the money is absolutly needed, like a sick child, etc, etc... would people consider them scabs even then?"

Yeah...they are still scabs. During a strike the pilot group takes care of it's own. If a person has a need like that, they should be taken care of by the membership. If I ever need to go on strike, I'll not only be financially able to stay out as long as I need to, but I'll be able to help others who have these sort of needs....it's all about living within your means and socking away money for a rainy day...

 

[aloft]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Ha! Not hardly---stole it from someone who probably does, tho!

Great new avatar pic, Doug!

 

[derg]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Thanks!

Before anyone says "Oh, that's from years ago", it's actually only about three weeks old.

Nice job cutting Kristie out of the photo, eh?

 

[Kristie]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

[ QUOTE ]
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dad was a Teamster!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a Teamster Too!!!

[/ QUOTE ] wouldn't you like to be a teamster tooo... be a teamster.. drink Dr. Pepper... be a teamster... drink Dr. Pepper...

sorry

it was so similar, i had to run with it!

 

[derg]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Dork!

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

So really what's the deal with Freedom Air they fly 70-90 seat CRJ's for America West conn.

But have heard that there owned by Mesa or a division of Mesa or something.

And what is the back story of why they may or may not be scabs.

I wanna know all the gossip.



Matthew

 

[Mr_Creepy]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Sheesh stay away for one night and things run rampant!

There are no "scabs" at Mesa or Freedom. You better be careful how you use that word if you want to keep your nose in one piece in this industry. You call the wrong person a scab and you mig䁨t have a face fulll of fist. I'm not condoning this Aloft, it's just the way it is!

The last incident of "scabbing" is officially the Eastern Airlines strike. I know that Comair is trying to claim that contract pilots came in and repositioned some RJs, and that they are scabs - but they don't fit the definition of "flying struck work" do they? These were idle planes, and repositioning does not generate revenue.

Freedom Airlines did not fly struck work. Granted it was used as a negotiating tool against Mesa but they are not scabs by definition. They didn't do any of the four items listed a few posts back. In fact they were paid MORE than Mesa.

They used to call Gulfsteam Airlines pilots scabs when I flew around Florida. Admittedly they are very low on the food chain but they are not scabs! I recall a true Eastern Pilot getting very upset with some Piedmont pilots one day for throwing that word around. He told them off right in front of everyone in the Palm Beach Commuter gate area. Including passengers. It was very ugly. At that time I realize that the word "scab" has very strong meanings for a large group of pilots and you better watch your tongue before bandying that word around.

There is a famous jump seat story (probably an urban legend) about someone walking in to a United 727 and trying to hand his credentials to the captain. The FO intercepted and said "I'll take that. My name is Bob, the FE is Bill and this (pointing at the captain) is a SCAB." The story continues that the captain stared straight ahead and said nothing during all non-critical phases of flight and did all his duties during the critical phases. The impression given is that it was safe, but barely. A professional pilot values safety above all else correct? Well emotions over scabbing get pretty close.

 

[DE727UPS]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

I was waiting to get on a United jumpseat about 10 years ago when an off duty United pilot walks up an tells me he's taking the jumpseat, but that if I want to reimburse him for his pass, he'll take a pass and I can have the jumpseat. To me, it was a no brainer to pay $20 bucks to get a ride, so I paid him. Well, I get on the plane and introduce myself to the pilots and one wants to know if I gave the pass rider any money to switch his ticket from a jumpseat to a pass. When I told the crew what happened, they got pretty excited about it cause the guy was a scab and it turns out you aren't supposed to accept money for a pass. The Capt went back and had words with the pass rider in private. Not sure what happened to the scab guy but he chased me down the jetway, after the flight, cussing me out and telling me he'd never have another UPS pilot on his jumpseat. I just walked away, to not cause any more of a scene, but I'm sure the flight crew heard what he said to me and have always wondered what happened after that.

I also knew a United scab when I was working at LA Tracon. It was so bad for him trying to work their after the strike that he quit and went into air traffic control.

 

[derg]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

When SCABS reared their ugly face:

1932 Century Airlines
1946 TWA
1958 Western Airlines
1960 Southern Airways
1976 Rio Airways
1977 Air Alaska
1983 Continental Airlines
1985 Pan American
1985 United Airlines
1989 Eastern Airlines
1989 AFAP/Australian Federation of Airline Pilots (Some US pilots flew struck work)
2001 Comair (only two)

 

[mpenguin1]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Yeah! And pilots never forget who the scab pilots are, it is amazing, the pilots still remember who the Eastern scabs are.

 

[FLYMcDoofer]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Is there anyway to find out if someone is on a SCAB list? Family lore has it that my old mans 2nd cousin worked for Eastern during the Strike. He's now flying heavies for EVA I believe out of Taiwan. I dont think he could get a job in the states but know he is enjoying his gig now!

 

[derg]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

I can check! What's his name?

 

[IrishSheepdog]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

The Freedom and Gulfstream guys may not fit in the term "scab", but they sure fit the term "scum". Skirting the efforts of various pilot groups to advance pay and work rules, simply for their own personal gain. Sickening.

 

[FLYMcDoofer]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Check your PMs Doug. Also not on the lines of SCABs but of Delta pilots...is there a way you can see what equipment etc a fellow Delta pilot is on? My old neighbor moved back to ATL years ago to stay closer to the Motherland but he kind of introduced me to aviaiton. Was just curious if I could find out what he is doing these days. His name is Joe Standridge.

 

[derg]

Re: The ugly side of the airline industry

Joe is a 767-400 FO!