Alaska Arbitration

[On Your Six]

Wow - those rates are a lot lower than expected... They even make Netjets pay seem pretty generous.

I can't imagine many people would even want to leave Captain-slots at regionals for that starting pay and the next 5 years of low pay (it doesn't make financial sense)... Cross another airline off my list.

 

[ClearRight]

I wonder how many will turn down the interview calls once they start going out. I'm seriously considering just staying put. 50% paycut for me to start at the bottom of an unhappy pilot group just doesn't seem worth it at this stage of the game....

 

[alaskaplt]

Another poor, disillusioned soul who thinks there is anything any pilot or any pilot group at any company can do about this "crap".

The only way to make things better for yourself is to get out now, while you still can.

The flight ca and fo combined have lost around 85 - $90 per hr. You don't think we can cost the comapany that much and more.

 

[Hobiehawker]

Was the binding arbitration in the contract? It sounds like that based on comments on here.

If so, is that unique to have in a contract?

This really blows.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Believe it or not, but there are some people who would still like to work there.

GP

 

[Jetsi]

Right now we do, but . . .

Hey, does Frontier make more???

Amazingly enough now we do. But our contract is being renegotiated right now.

And since Alaskan is one of our "comparables", who knows what will happen. With gas and the transition to the Airbus we aren't profitable now, so they might come after us.

Sorry to hear about what happened. It is a true shame. Best of luck.

Jetsi

 

[lumax]

I hope you guys at frontier don’t get hosed like we just did.

I feel that most of the blame for the mess in this industry can be put on the shoulders of the government.

What other industry gets taxed at around 50%.

Government should have lowered fuel taxes a long time ago.

Landing fees are out of control. If an airline pulls out of an airport or reduces its flying, landing go up for the rest.

Most importantly, bankruptcy laws need to be changed. It’s unfair for the airlines outside of bankruptcy to compete with and get compared to those that are under chapter 11 protection. Companies should get 1 year to reorganize. If after 1 year the company can’t get its act together, then let capitalism take its course.



1.36 cents worth (after paycut) from a 6th rated pilot!

 

[sgu]

I am so sorry to hear of your pilot groups latest kick in the jewlz. I am sure there will be a few people lined up at Darby's dog and pony show to land their "dream job" when Alaska decides to attend. I know a few Indy Air pilots sure would love to jump off their sinking ship to one that is still a float . Good luck with your fight with mgmt.

 

[SirFlyALot]

Lumax,

I think there's plenty of blame to go around. Yes, the government, like you said and for all the reasons you cited takes a portion of it. Management at most airlines also takes a good share. However, pilots also are partly responsible for the downward spiral in wages and earnings in our career field. Everyone knows that pilots, especially those with more than a couple of years at a company, have a VERY difficult time making a lateral move. The way we have structured our seniority system industry-wide absolutely gives management the upper hand. If management at Alaska, for example, had thought that a significant portion of their pilot force might walk to another airline after being hit with the level of wage cuts they just got hit with, they might have been a little more willing to negotiate. Alaska's wage cut is simply the latest example of why we need a truly national pilot's union that allows for lateral moves and puts some of the power back in our hands.

 

[Yank McCobb]

And since Alaskan is one of our "comparables"

I couldn't find "ALASKAN" anywhere among my list of US airline companies. Can you help me out with this one?

 

[Yank McCobb]

The flight ca and fo combined have lost around 85 - $90 per hr. You don't think we can cost the comapany that much and more.

Sure, you can go out with a mallet and cost 'em all you want. Net result? Is that going to make them all of a sudden see the light and raise your pay by $100/hr.? Not very likely there, pal. How about a dose of reality?

Is there any accountability with the union reps who turned down the "latest" company offer which would have hurt far less than the arbitrator's deal? Is there a plan for the next round of negotiations, or is it just a burn down the house mentality? Again, a clever plan. One of absolute futility and one that will NOT in any form or fashion yield anything but a very brief sense of revenge. Revenge don't pay the bills.

Hopefully you have a realistic plan to begin to recoup your losses instead of compounding them.

 

[BORAT]

I feel like Milton from Office Space, something about burning down the building... In other thoughts, I'm starting to think that Horizon is going to get a pay-freeze, 90-seat Rj's will appear and we'll get screwed again!

 

[alaskaplt]

Sure, you can go out with a mallet and cost 'em all you want. Net result? Is that going to make them all of a sudden see the light and raise your pay by $100/hr.? Not very likely there, pal. How about a dose of reality?

First off, I am not your pal. Second, No it is not going to make them raise the pay by $100 hr, nor did I even imply anything as ridiculous as that. But if the only thing they care about is the bottom line, it could eventually have an effect. Take a look at one of the flight schedule boards in SEA. Nearly all the flights are very late. I have personally rarely ever seen an airplane that didn't have at least one thing waiting to be written up. How long before passengers get tired of it. We have always had a bunch of wusses at this company, perhaps they have finally awakened. All I can say is FLY SAFE!!!!!

 

[AQ PILOT]

Somehow the word needs to get to management that this $hit has got to stop. I agree with you, FLY SAFE. Eventually, management will get it.

When times get tough, you don't screw your employees, you weather the storm or you go away. When was the last time management came to a pilot group in the good times and said, "Hey, we are doing really well! Here's a 25% pay increase...."

I tried recommending a FLY SAFE attitude here a few years ago right before we started all of our concessions. Our freebies were promised and never delivered. You wouldn't believe the reception I got... like I was the enemy.

If management agrees to something, they have to follow through. We as labor groups don't have the option of arbitrarily not following parts of our contract, why should they? Ok, done with my rant.... Feel really bad for you guys at Alaska....

 

[Boxboy]

sirfly,
I agree with you regarding the "lateral movement"; wouldn't that be nice!
I think a new name is inorder for ALK: JetEskimo and replace the hood with a clown's hat. Who in their right minds would want to work here making $35/hr. For a profitable airline (hiding behind their bean counters) to give a paycut of a bankrupt airline is......well, there are no words to describe this ludicrous act. I always thought the upper management at Alaska were a class above the legacy carriers, but I was wrong; they all worship Lorenzo. They are another bunch of greedy $hit heads from the old school. They are just as bad, if not worse than some of the commanders I had the pleasure of serving. Atlease those dumba$$es didn't rape their troops. I'm curious if these clowns thought about every possible scenario that this can cause before giving us the shaft. It will be interesting for the next few months.
As for the arbitrator, R.K..... who the hell paid him off, I wonder? It would behoove him to change his name and check his six.