Delta pilots Authorize Strike

[General Lee]

5799 eligible voters. (others on military leave or personal leaves) (furloughed pilots not allowed to vote either, unfortunately)

5590 voted. (96.4%)

5295 voted in Favor of Strike if needed. (94.72%)



Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[LearAv8r]

Interesting to see how this one goes, I haven't always agreed with your opinions General but best of luck to you and your family!

Lear-

 

[suupah]

Yo general, are these figures true or super skewed?

"Delta spokesman Bruce Hicks said that the average pilot pay at the airline was $157,000 last year. That's after the one-third pay cut they agreed to in 2004, but is not affected by the additional pay cut agreed to in December. The number is inflated by the fact that staff cuts have left Delta with no pilots with less than five years seniority. But some senior pilots at Delta made more than $300,000 in 2005, according to Hicks."

seem alittle off if you look at the payscales on airlinepilotcentral

 

[81Horse]

General, how did you get the HUGE avatar? It's so big ... it's way bigger than everybody else's.

Makes me feel kinda ... inadequate.

 

[WSurf]

They ain't gonna strike! Its way too late for that! The industry is what it is! They will take there paycuts and life will go on!

 

[Palerider957]

5799 eligible voters. (others on military leave or personal leaves) (furloughed pilots not allowed to vote either, unfortunately)

5590 voted. (96.4%)

5295 voted in Favor of Strike if needed. (94.72%)



Bye Bye--General Lee

General, assuming the worst case scenario--Delta stike, followed by liquidation of the company, what would you do next? Would you continue flying at whatever job you could get, or leave the industry entirely?

I'm curious what the buzz around the DAL pilot group is regarding next jobs in the event of DAL dissolution. One 76 driver I know is CONVINCED that DAL's days are numbered and is trying to position himself to be out of work.

 

[800Dog]

General, assuming the worst case scenario--Delta stike, followed by liquidation of the company, what would you do next? Would you continue flying at whatever job you could get, or leave the industry entirely?

I'm curious what the buzz around the DAL pilot group is regarding next jobs in the event of DAL dissolution. One 76 driver I know is CONVINCED that DAL's days are numbered and is trying to position himself to be out of work.

I am one of many but, I have no plans to look for another flying job. Graduate school at Emory, GA Tech, UGA or GA State is in my future along with a new career. I love flying but, not enough to sacrifice weekends and holidays for chump change. To each their own.

 

[General Lee]

Yo general, are these figures true or super skewed?

"Delta spokesman Bruce Hicks said that the average pilot pay at the airline was $157,000 last year. That's after the one-third pay cut they agreed to in 2004, but is not affected by the additional pay cut agreed to in December. The number is inflated by the fact that staff cuts have left Delta with no pilots with less than five years seniority. But some senior pilots at Delta made more than $300,000 in 2005, according to Hicks."

seem alittle off if you look at the payscales on airlinepilotcentral

Ofcourse they are skewed. The "Average" LAST year may have been that, but in December of last year we took another 14% pay cut on top of that. The reason the average was high was because we were retiring pilots so fast that any remaining Captains (not FOs) were being either forced to fly for the retiring guys (inverse assignments) or they picked up greenslips on their days off. So, there were some Captains that did very well, and a lot of them still retired anyway at the end of the year (after taking a lot of open time or greenslips). Most of the FOs did ok, but some Captains did really well. Thus an average that was high. Then, starting Dec 15th--we took another cut (14%) which would have really brought down the average but it didn't go into effect until the January 15th paycheck of this year, 2006. But, management doesn't include any of that in their recent press releases---especially the additional 14% pay cut in mid December.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

General, assuming the worst case scenario--Delta stike, followed by liquidation of the company, what would you do next? Would you continue flying at whatever job you could get, or leave the industry entirely?

I'm curious what the buzz around the DAL pilot group is regarding next jobs in the event of DAL dissolution. One 76 driver I know is CONVINCED that DAL's days are numbered and is trying to position himself to be out of work.

I think a lot of us have been preparing for this type of reality. I have a few things on the side, and my wife has a good job. I would probably look around first for a local corporate job, and I also have a friend who flies MD11s for EVA in Taipei, and he says they may have some openings for ANC based Expats, and they can buy you coach tickets to ANC to start and end trips, or you can hop off at ORD or ATL. (jumpseat) I voted for the strike authorization, so I have to be prepared for that possible eventuality. Although, I personally think the creditors and management will give in, since there is a lot of money to be made in new stock, and I am sure they watched the UAL emergence with great awe. It will be interesting. Alot of our current pilots have been jumping over to Emerates, but I don't think I could go to Dubai. Too hot.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

General, how did you get the HUGE avatar? It's so big ... it's way bigger than everybody else's.

Makes me feel kinda ... inadequate.

I was awarded it for having over 6000 posts.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[suupah]

Ofcourse they are skewed. The "Average" LAST year may have been that, but in December of last year we took another 14% pay cut on top of that. The reason the average was high was because we were retiring pilots so fast that any remaining Captains (not FOs) were being either forced to fly for the retiring guys (inverse assignments) or they picked up greenslips on their days off. So, there were some Captains that did very well, and a lot of them still retired anyway at the end of the year (after taking a lot of open time or greenslips). Most of the FOs did ok, but some Captains did really well. Thus an average that was high. Then, starting Dec 15th--we took another cut (14%) which would have really brought down the average but it didn't go into effect until the January 15th paycheck of this year, 2006. But, management doesn't include any of that in their recent press releases---especially the additional 14% pay cut in mid December.


Bye Bye--General Lee

That sucks. It'll be hard to get widespread public support when they think that pilots still make these salaries. I wish they could see how many ramen noodles you have to eat before you ever see above poverty wages in this F'd up industry

 

[81Horse]

I was awarded it for having over 6000 posts.

Congratulations, then. But I hope this isn't precedent-setting. My laptop's only got a 12-inch screen.

</threadjack>

 

[Prop2Jet]

So what will happen to Comair etc when a strike occurs? Will the pilots just stop flying?

 

[HoserASA]

I was awarded it for having over 6000 posts.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Great comeback GL! Love that avator too! Good luck!

Hoser

 

[FDJ2]

Yo general, are these figures true or super skewed?

On Delta pilot pay:
In Calendar year 2005, the average Delta line pilot made approximately $151,000.00. Record levels of overtime flying heavily affected the average 2005 pilot pay. 2005 pay was artificially elevated due to management decisions to under staff pilot categories. Pay was further inflated by cancellation of vacations and vacation buy-backs by management due to their self-induced understaffing problem.

While overtime flying increases pilot earnings, premium pay for overtime flying was negotiated with management as a cost savings to the corporation due to the increased pilot productivity it encourages. Now management attempts to use these figures against their own pilots as evidence that Delta pilots are overpaid. If the Delta pilots did not voluntarily fly overtime in 2005, Delta would have been unable to complete the flying schedule and operate the airline.

For Delta’s highest paid pilots in 2005, 37% of their pay was on average attributable to overtime and unused vacation time. 47% of the top earning pilot’s pay was from overtime and unused vacation.

At present pay rates, assuming Delta will properly staff the airline, we estimate the average Delta pilot will earn below $125,000.00 in 2006. This figure also includes estimates of overtime flying.

Pilots are the most highly trained, highly educated and technically qualified of Delta’s hourly employees. For Delta senior executives to point out that the top paid hourly employees at an airline are mostly pilots, is like pointing out that the top earners in a law firm are mostly lawyers.

 

[Mookie]

"37% of their pay was on average attributable to overtime"

So how many guys do you all have on furlough....and what percentage of your salary is based on overtime? I guess our little Rj's really are keeping your furloughs on the street. If this article was about SkyWest...we would, and justly so, be getting obliterated by you guys on this board.

Mookie

 

[ex j-41]

Delta senior executives to point out that the top paid hourly employees at an airline are mostly pilots,

Yet forget to mention that we are at work for up to 15 hours and only get paid for the time we are actually flying. or at the regional level we have a TAFB (Time away from Base) of 400 hrs. Thats a 100 hrs a week.

Pay: $22/hr
Hours flown 75/month
Pay = $1650.00/month

400 hrs TAFB = $4.12/hr

Yes we get paid $4.12/hr.

Still wanna be an airline pilot?

 

[fsworld]

Yet forget to mention that we are at work for up to 15 hours and only get paid for the time we are actually flying. or at the regional level we have a TAFB (Time away from Base) of 400 hrs. Thats a 100 hrs a week.

Pay: $22/hr
Hours flown 75/month
Pay = $1650.00/month

400 hrs TAFB = $4.12/hr

Yes we get paid $4.12/hr.

Still wanna be an airline pilot?

Thats not fair, I want to make $4.12 an hour!

 

[ohplease!]

Yet forget to mention that we are at work for up to 15 hours and only get paid for the time we are actually flying. or at the regional level we have a TAFB (Time away from Base) of 400 hrs. Thats a 100 hrs a week.

Pay: $22/hr
Hours flown 75/month
Pay = $1650.00/month

400 hrs TAFB = $4.12/hr

Yes we get paid $4.12/hr.

Still wanna be an airline pilot?

Pay: $65/hr.
hours flown 90/month approx. (sometimes more/less)
Pay = $5850/month
PLUS 300hrs. TAFB @ $1.50/hr =$450/month

=$21/hr. approx. (if this is how you choose to look at it)

Not gonna get rich but, 14+ days off a month....I don't wanna' do anything else.

 

[Papps]

Not gonna get rich but, 14+ days off a month....I don't wanna' do anything else.[/quote]

uke:

 

[Regul8r]

Deal with it

Sorry to break it to you General, they ain't gonna strike. United and NWA talked about it too and when it came down to crunch time they buckled.
Wish it were Mesa instead of Delta.

 

[Regul8r]

Deal with it

Sorry to break it to you General, they ain't gonna strike. United and NWA didn't. So far for the Millenium it's Management 2, Unions 0, soon to be 3-0.
Wish it were Mesa instead of Delta though.

 

[wmuflyguy]

If it comes to a strike, I fully expect Delta Management to file some kinda appeal in court and temporarily block the strike, while the opposing side argue about the legalitites of a strike.

Here is hoping for the best for Delta pilots.

 

[General Lee]

Pay: $65/hr.
hours flown 90/month approx. (sometimes more/less)
Pay = $5850/month
PLUS 300hrs. TAFB @ $1.50/hr =$450/month

=$21/hr. approx. (if this is how you choose to look at it)

Not gonna get rich but, 14+ days off a month....I don't wanna' do anything else.

If we go away, you will be working at Wendy's, and I will be your boss.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

If it comes to a strike, I fully expect Delta Management to file some kinda appeal in court and temporarily block the strike, while the opposing side argue about the legalitites of a strike.

Here is hoping for the best for Delta pilots.

They may try, but even our last BK judge---judge Prudy---told our CFO on the stand that no federal court will enjoin a strike(stop it). If they succeed in throwing out our contract, we will strike. We just got checklists on how to abandon an aircraft at the gate prior to pushback if a strike has been called while we are there.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

Sorry to break it to you General, they ain't gonna strike. United and NWA didn't. So far for the Millenium it's Management 2, Unions 0, soon to be 3-0.
Wish it were Mesa instead of Delta though.

You sound like a genius. We will strike if our contract is thrown out because it isn't worth it otherwise---no seniority list, no merger protection, no fragmentation protection, no scope. Nope, we will not work under that situation. Now, they could come up with a TA, and then we will wait and vote on it. But, even Lee Moak told Grinstein that we won't be forced into a corner. You see, we aren't like NW or United in the way that we KNOW OUR PENSION IS GONE, and that gives us leverage. We won't act like NW, since we lost our senior guys and are left with pi$$ed off Captains with 20 years and no pension. They are mad as heck, and our management now knows it.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[WSurf]

We won't act like NW, since we lost our senior guys and are left with pi$$ed off Captains with 20 years and no pension. They are mad as heck, and our management now knows it.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Sure you guys will!! Every pilot group right now is mad as Heck!! You guys won't strike.... You'll get a TA the last second.. With more Paycuts and Change in Scope!!

General Lee On The Night of the Vote for paycuts, you might feel a slight sting. That's pride Screwing with you. Screw pride! Pride only hurts . . . it never helps. You fight through that Crap 'cause a year from now, when you kickin' it in the Caribbean as captain on your 767 making less then a SouthWest 737 Captain, you gonna say to yourself, "WSurf was right."

 

[CFIT]

They may try, but even our last BK judge---judge Prudy---told our CFO on the stand that no federal court will enjoin a strike(stop it). If they succeed in throwing out our contract, we will strike. We just got checklists on how to abandon an aircraft at the gate prior to pushback if a strike has been called while we are there.


Bye Bye--General Lee

You guys need a checklist to shut down at the gate?
If you are that freakin stupid then I hope you do go BK.

 

[Mercyful Fate]

CFIT

I was just wondering if part of that checklist tells them how to avoid getting killed in the terminal by rampers/gate agents/passengers if they abandon ship...

 

[ohplease!]

If we go away, you will be working at Wendy's, and I will be your boss.

Bye Bye--General Lee

One more time.....you're not going anywhere. You'll agree to something close to whats being proposed right now. You'll take some form of scope change and probably keep most of the pay you have left.

As arrogant as I believe Delta pilots are, I know most of you are not stupid. Same thing can be said for mgmt. Neither side is gonna walk away from Delta over as little as $150mil. It'll go to the 11th hour and then your spineless MEC will hand you something to vote on and you'll pass it. Thats it..end of story.