A Northwest ALPA pilot was called on Brand Scope (BS) and now who's getting testy. By the way, the work of the BSIC was ALPA's highest priority (or so they said) and it does become our issue when you help management create more alter egos and undercut regional payrates.
"
testy"?
You got that right! My airline went bankrupt despite our best efforts to avoid it, and we got hammered. A lot of our goals, and dare I say it, "
expectations", got put on HOLD. One of our goals was Brand Scope. We recognized that it would reduce pressure at the smaller-jet end of our contract. We also recognize, as you should, that achieving Brand Scope would have a very high cost...meaning it has to be prioritized with all the other goals we set for our contract(s). The priorities are set using a good ol' fashioned Cost-Benefit analysis. "
How much does it cost for the amount of benefit we would get from it?"
From your perspective, the "benefit" side of that equation is obvious. It makes your career progression simpler. But I hope you understand that the "cost" side is 100% ours.
You have
no risk, other than the possible erosion of the job at the top end...the place you aspire to be.
It's our union too or do you hold to the plantation mentality? Consider this: The Northwest "brothers" got $15 million in bargaining credits for driving growth airplanes away from Pinnacle and Mesaba and ALPA let 'em do it.
Spare me the "
plantation mentality" hooey! The career path for legacy airline pilots hasn't changed in 70-years...except now one of the entry-level jobs features a Shiny Jet. The vulnerability of a "
normal career progression" to forces that seek to keep us underpaid and overworked hasn't changed either. ALPA does what it can to counter those forces...to the extent we're not wasting money on RJDC lawsuits or wrasslin' with each other over issues like Age 60.
Nobody flying for a Legacy carrier was born there. Each of us paid our dues. In some cases it was with multiple Airlinks and
multiple Legacies. Please keep that in mind when you start to type about how much your regional job sucks.
You want to make Brand Scope a higher priority for Legacy pilots?
1. Stop whining about how much your job sucks. We
know it sucks...
from first-hand experience! No Legacy pilot will argue with you about it sucking. So you should consider whining a waste of energy.
2. Focus on the
Benefit part of the equation. Point out that the size of the "threat" at the smaller-jet end of the spectrum is getting larger...in every sense of the word. Mention terms like "
adjacent categories". The smarter one's will figure it out, and they're your target aurdience. (The stupid one's will
NEVER figure it out)
3. Recognize the
Cost, and do some balancing yourself. You want my job, but you would like it to stay as cool as it currently is.
Let me repeat: I want Brand Scope. I'm willing for hop in my canoe and paddle across the stormy water to fight for it, but I gotta wait until ice-out.
But free speech is a wonderful thing so preach on Occam.:beer:
