Colgan forgot to pay it's employees today.

[WayBack]

I never worked paycheck-to-paycheck as a first year regional FO; put 10% into the 401k, paid extra principal on my student loans and banked a couple grand too. Not bad on $25k gross...and not too difficult if you're not supporting a family or crushing debt.

It must be nice to be a trust fund baby, living in your parents basement.
There is NO WAY $25k a year can support a family.
I hope you're never negotiating a contract or pay, just on the fact that you think it's ok to make $25k a year.

 

[BoilerUP]

It must be nice to be a trust fund baby, living in your parents basement.

How many trust fund kids do you know who teethed on a tire valve stem as a baby?

There is NO WAY $25k a year can support a family.

I know $25k can't support a family...which is why I said: "...not too difficult if you're not supporting a family or crushing debt."

I now understand why the only thing you care about in a contract is pay rates - your reading comprehension isn't very good.

If you aren't supporting a family and/or servicing a crushing amount of debt, YES you can live on $25k per year. In fact, strict adherence to a budget and a fiscally responsible lifestyle can allow one to not just survive but thrive on even that level of income - all it requires is financial discipline.

I hope you're never negotiating a contract or pay, just on the fact that you think it's ok to make $25k a year.

Saying it isn't hard to live on $25k (and qualifying such a statement) isn't remotely the same as saying that level of income is acceptable for a professional pilot; how you came to that conclusion is beyond logical.

The thing about negotiation is that, in the eyes of folks who have never actually done it, its really easy to do. The reality of negotiation, however - especially for a working situation - isn't quite as clear-cut.

I hope you don't have to suffer under anything I've negotiated either...

 

[AV1ATRX]

There is NO WAY $25k a year can support a family.

Nor should you. If you have a family to support BEFORE you get into the regional game, it's not the place for you if you are the sole provider or have no other source of income. It doesn't make any sense to take a job that doesn't pay your bills when you have the awesome responsibility of providing for your family.

And on that note, it is also not prudent to *start* a family on regional FO pay, either, if at all possible. But if you do, don't blame the company for your lack of pay. As a regional FO, I agreed to work for the pay they advertised. Do I wish they paid more? Of course! But can I blame THEM for the pay they outright told me I'd make if I worked there? NO.

That being said, I in no way condone any company dragging out contract negotiations in order to extend a lower payscale. That is unethical, and immoral. But blaming the company for your low wages when you willingly accepted their offer of employment doesn't make any sense.

OK, I'm stepping down off the soapbox now.

(And this was not directed at any one person, just the general mentality.)

 

[turbinej]

happen at Express Airlines I/Pinnacle back in 03-05. They paid all late fees and overdraft, plus whatever other expenses occurred.

 

[redflyer65]

Just got a phone call from Phil T. at corporate...

"WE FIXED IT"