i know this will prompt many debates...
during a few brainstorming sessions, i have heard the idea of bringing a UPS style pay structure (CA pay fleetwide; FO pay fleetwide) to a merged carrier in an effort to "mitigate" some of the sharp edges of a SLI that all of us debate each day. just imagine the calculus of integrating a single list without the variables of specific seat pay for each separate category.
as our career expectations are changing each day with mergers, oil prices, no FAE retirement plans, furloughs, liquidations, inflation, etc, maybe the day will come when some pilots will not have to "bid" for the buck, but bid for "lifestyle." many pilots already do this, but imagine an airline 3-4 years down the road after this type of pay structure has been implemented. there would be far less training events once everyone settled into the "type" of flying they wanted. yes, the companies would love it since they would not have to staff the airline with as many pilots...BUT, I am sure there are PWA negotiators who could come up with a $$ amount that the company would save...and include a healthy percentage into our PWA. SWA realizes this huge savings "virtually" by having only a 1 fleet pay structure. not many of them complaining these days!
the 747/777 pilots will definitely not like this type of arrangement since they will not seem to benefit once pay rates come up to their levels fleetwide; but since they are senior, they will have the most flexibility to bid off the aircraft and maximize their "lifestyle" bid. most senior CA's at British Airways fly narrowbody turns instead of the heavies across the pond.
anyway, many pros and cons to think about...but it may be an alternative that would help soften the blow of a forced, or arbitrated SLI between two companies. especially in our current airline industry environment where mergers are almost certain to happen with our without pilot blessings.
during a few brainstorming sessions, i have heard the idea of bringing a UPS style pay structure (CA pay fleetwide; FO pay fleetwide) to a merged carrier in an effort to "mitigate" some of the sharp edges of a SLI that all of us debate each day. just imagine the calculus of integrating a single list without the variables of specific seat pay for each separate category.
as our career expectations are changing each day with mergers, oil prices, no FAE retirement plans, furloughs, liquidations, inflation, etc, maybe the day will come when some pilots will not have to "bid" for the buck, but bid for "lifestyle." many pilots already do this, but imagine an airline 3-4 years down the road after this type of pay structure has been implemented. there would be far less training events once everyone settled into the "type" of flying they wanted. yes, the companies would love it since they would not have to staff the airline with as many pilots...BUT, I am sure there are PWA negotiators who could come up with a $$ amount that the company would save...and include a healthy percentage into our PWA. SWA realizes this huge savings "virtually" by having only a 1 fleet pay structure. not many of them complaining these days!
the 747/777 pilots will definitely not like this type of arrangement since they will not seem to benefit once pay rates come up to their levels fleetwide; but since they are senior, they will have the most flexibility to bid off the aircraft and maximize their "lifestyle" bid. most senior CA's at British Airways fly narrowbody turns instead of the heavies across the pond.
anyway, many pros and cons to think about...but it may be an alternative that would help soften the blow of a forced, or arbitrated SLI between two companies. especially in our current airline industry environment where mergers are almost certain to happen with our without pilot blessings.
