A Scale v. B Scale - What's the difference?

[#9]

I'm sure a bunch of you guys out there can educate me on the difference between the two types of pay scales (A v. B). Is it both income and benefits that are the difference? What do you look for as the "gotchas?"

Thanks.

 

[SiuDude]

You must be thinking of pension plans.

 

[AA717driver]

Well, a B-scale pilot is one who will go to work for crap wages and drag down the working conditions for the A-scalers.

Well... At least that's what an A-scale captain told me 10-12 years ago. TC

 

[C425Driver]

B-Scale is someone doing the same job, in the same labor group, at the same company for lower wages. I don't know of any pilot groups who have a b-scale right now, but the Comair FA's just voted in a B-scale for their new-hire FA's. The new FA wages are 20% less than the FA's who are currently working there.


C425Driver

 

[typhoonpilot]

I'm sure a bunch of you guys out there can educate me on the difference between the two types of pay scales (A v. B). Is it both income and benefits that are the difference? What do you look for as the "gotchas?"

This is a good question. The "B" scale came about in the early 80s when American Airlines, under the leadership of Bob Crandall, convinced the current AA pilots that he could grow the airline if pilot wages were cheaper. Threats and intimidation may have been involved in this, I'm not sure. The AA pilots ratified a new contract that provided a 9 year " B " scale. Under this new pay scale the newly hired pilots would be paid a rate much less than in previous contracts for the first 9 years and then would make parity with the older scale in the 10th year. Historically first year pilot wages were very low but then in the second year they jumped considerably. Under the " B " scale they were still quite low the first year but then didn't jump up, they just went up a little bit every year until reaching the old scale.

In 1984/5 United Airlines tried to implememt a similar " B " scale at the company. The pilots went on strike for 35 days in order to limit the " B " scale, among other things, to 5 years. The 5 year " B " scale then became the norm industry wide. In the late 90s contracts at USAirways and Delta made the " B " scale a more palitable 3 years.

The comment about pensions above concerns another use of the A and B terminology. An " A " plan would be a company defined pension plan, while a " B " plan is more like a 401K, except the company puts the money into it for you and it is in your name.


Hope that helps,


TP