To my best recollection, Coex Contract 1997 was $1.10/hr per diem (nothing for day trips), 24 hour reserve availability, veeery liberal scheduling/duty time limits (FAR in most cases) and Senior jet captains were making about $30,000 per year. Then the new jets started taking routes that CAL used to fly -some before, but mostly
after the CAL pilots signed contract 1998.
So you're saying that I am a "whore" for working under this contract, but you are not - even though
you left a better paying job and came to work at the same company just 11 months after contract 1998 was signed, knowing what the pay used to be and knowing that the jets were replacing CAL flights (as well as adding new service)?
I am curious to know where you draw the line between "whore" and "non-whore" in this industry and also how do you define redemption? I volunteered (albeit, not much) for a year and a half of the contract 2004 effort so am I not a "whore" now? Can I be a "whore", then a "non-whore" and then be a "whore" again just because of who I work for?
With that said again... are your XJT brethren who are moving on to CAL "whores"? I would guess (it's only a guess as I am a financial failure)that CAL's new contract is allowing them to undercut other airlines' flying all over the world.. or is that different? I am confused.
I am indifferent on the whole subject of who to call a "whore" so I mostly just say hi to people in the uniform as I walk by instead of sitting around and wondering if they are a "whore" or not.
I guess maybe that you should be careful who you label a "whore", especially 1. if you're not going to define the lines clearly of what the term really means and 2. represent the IAH F/O's as their elected ALPA rep.
It's not all black and white. Sorry for the rant. I'm still confused, but smiling politely...
Sincerely,
B. Franklin