Skybus wanabee's, think long and hard!

[HA25]

I just read this from the latest Airline Pilot (ALPA magazine) from the "Mail Bag" Section... Seems like I'm not the only one who thinks like this.


"We need to educate the next generation on the importance of protecting the profession. Why pilots shouldn't fly transport category airplanes for less than the standard union wage, for example. How doing that might make a pilot's prospects of flying for a legitimate ALPA airline doubtful and how by selling himself out, a pilot is actually selling out his pilot colleagues. How time is built on night freight or in an F16 and not in the cockpit of an A320 at $45,000 per year!
-Capt Rissel D. Roberts (Northwest)

(taken from the May 2007 ALPA Airline Pilot)

I like this new more militant ALPA..

comments?

 

[Lake Alice]

And what about all the guys who paid for $10,500 for training in order to fly a BE-1900 for a commuter did they get a job? ALPA is more and more becoming a laughing stock. If you are a union carrier making low wages its ok but if you are non-union you are somehow ruining the profession. Save me the diatribe.

 

[temcgrew]

A BE-1900 is not an Airbus.

 

[Ty Webb]

OK, Guys, once again-

What we really need is a Guild . . . . . one that says "From this day forward, no Pilot will operate a B___ aircraft for less than $___. per hour.

Your existing union is still your union, but they cannot negotiate any pay rates below the rate set by the national Guild.

This way, the issue of pilot pay is "off the table". It cannot be used as a competitive advantage any longer.


.

 

[jonjuan]

And what about the CAL first year F/Os who gross $30K and have to pay for health care the first 6 months? The new more militant, hypocritical ALPA. Oops, I missed the "standard union wage" part. LOL

 

[hyperboy]

Skybus

My buddy did an interview last week with one of the guys from Skybus. He said one of his questions he got asked was " How do you feel about making much less than the industry standard wages that skybus pays?

Classic!

 

[The Victors]

And what about all the guys who paid for $10,500 for training in order to fly a BE-1900 for a commuter did they get a job? ALPA is more and more becoming a laughing stock. If you are a union carrier making low wages its ok but if you are non-union you are somehow ruining the profession. Save me the diatribe.

ALPA may suck, but it's all you got. Believe me it's better than nothing.

 

[N1atEcon]

In 2000 a friend of mine asked me if I wanted a Job at National. He was friends with the Chief pilot and said he could get me on unless I did something really dumb in the interview. I politely declined the offer and said there was no way I could wake up in the morning and look myself in the mirror as a 757 cpt. making 60,000 a year. We all know that paying substandred wages doesn't guarantee an airlines success.

 

[FLYLOW22]

Heard them on the radio for the 1st time yesterday. Controller kept calling them SkyLab.

Pilot got perturbed and corrected him 3 times.

Finally, the controller said "whatever". I don't think that Indy Center is deveotin too many brain cells to remembering another call sign. Especially one that is destined for such "great" things.

 

[Max Powers]

You forget the thousands of stock options a year they get. If the options are structured well and the company takes off (no pun intended)then those pilot may just be millionaires in the future.

 

[AutoBus]

Heard them on the radio for the 1st time yesterday. Controller kept calling them SkyLab.

.

Did they also fall out of the sky?

 

[HA25]

OK, Guys, once again-

What we really need is a Guild . . . . . one that says "From this day forward, no Pilot will operate a B___ aircraft for less than $___. per hour.

Your existing union is still your union, but they cannot negotiate any pay rates below the rate set by the national Guild.

This way, the issue of pilot pay is "off the table". It cannot be used as a competitive advantage any longer.


.

We've had our share of disagreements in the past, and that's fine.. but this is one place that I agree with you 100%.. I've been plugging this idea for a while now. I even though about setting up a non-for profit to start it up, and get members slowly to join and over time have it turn into a force to reckon with.

It's too bad we don't some very wealthy guy out there interested in this cause to help capitalize it. These "Corporate" ALPA, Teamsters, and independent unions aren't cutting it..

 

[HA25]

You forget the thousands of stock options a year they get. If the options are structured well and the company takes off (no pun intended)then those pilot may just be millionaires in the future.

Just like the JB pilots that got their options?

Sure, I agree sweetening it with stock options helps, but what about the subsequent pilots hired after this goes away.. it's not like a) they're going to do that for ever, and b) the stock will IPO for every new hire.

In the end, this company, like Ryan Air is trying to define "Airline Pilot" down.. first it was the LCC's and now some of them are starting to mature into real airlines, and now we're getting the likes of Virgin and Skybus! What's next? Really.. Bring in pilots from Malaysia and have them crew a 777 for a month then fly home for a week off for $1500/mo?

 

[jumppilot]

Bring in pilots from Malaysia and have them crew a 777 for a month then fly home for a week off for $1500/mo?

That won't be too far off! Except it will be in the form of open skies and cabotage!

It's a real threat you speak of.

 

[Max Powers]

Well then I recommend we all vote Democrat so we don't have more judges, mediators, and civil servants nominated by the likes of incoming Republican George Bush union bashing wannabes.

W has almost effectively stymied any power the unions have.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

OK, Guys, once again-

What we really need is a Guild . . . . . one that says "From this day forward, no Pilot will operate a B___ aircraft for less than $___. per hour.

Your existing union is still your union, but they cannot negotiate any pay rates below the rate set by the national Guild.

This way, the issue of pilot pay is "off the table". It cannot be used as a competitive advantage any longer.


.

A guild? Dude, you gotta stop playing the Dungeons & Dragons!

 

[1st Overnite]

You forget the thousands of stock options a year they get. If the options are structured well and the company takes off (no pun intended)then those pilot may just be millionaires in the future.

Stock options are the carrot for many new airlines. Very few, SWA is actually the only one I can think of, actually make you a wealthy person.

I worked for a start-up commuter who offered stock options. I am willing to part with them now and sell them to the highest bidder. The bid starts at $.25 for all 200 options.

 

[T-Bags]

We've had our share of disagreements in the past, and that's fine.. but this is one place that I agree with you 100%.. I've been plugging this idea for a while now. I even though about setting up a non-for profit to start it up, and get members slowly to join and over time have it turn into a force to reckon with.

It's too bad we don't some very wealthy guy out there interested in this cause to help capitalize it. These "Corporate" ALPA, Teamsters, and independent unions aren't cutting it..

DITTO!!

BC, pull your cranium out of your arse and look the term up. A "guild" may have prevented you from being such a stand up guy at Blu

 

[buckeyes95]

W has stymied everything that a president can, except his oil income.

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

Well then I recommend we all vote Democrat so we don't have more judges, mediators, and civil servants nominated by the likes of incoming Republican George Bush union bashing wannabes.

W has almost effectively stymied any power the unions have.

Give me a break, I don't think politics has anything to do with the fact that ALPA couldn't and wouldn't do their job-- protecting their union members from paycuts, furloughs, pension dissolution and capitulating to every whim. If a work group had some cahunas and stood up against their respective airlines from doing what they did, maybe y'all wouldn't be in this mess...