Delta TA Passes

[PCL_128]

Honestly, I don't think Delta style scope is all that valuable to SWA. RJs only work when they're part of a hub-and-spoke network that is primarily structured around feeding wide-body international flying. With a predominantly point-to-point route structure, a bunch of RJs would do SWA virtually no good. There's a reason that SWA management has never pushed really hard for it, and it's not just because they're such nice guys.

 

[Dan Roman]

How much do you think their scope Is worth? I bet GK would give up an industry leading retirement for the ability to outsource/code share. Or did you forget about that part of their contract?

Just curious and not flaming here. But how can GK give up an "Industry leading retirement" when SWA doesn't have one??? PCL brings up a solid perspective here, why don't you guys admit it and pull together to try and make retirement gains instead of burying your head in the sand on the issue.
As far as scope goes, you guys bash DAL using RJ's to feed mainline, yet your Intl expansion was to be Volaris and some Canadian airline doing it for you with 737's of their own. You are allright with that? That's the equivalent of DAL saying we are going to do their Europe flying with all foreign carriers and let them do it with 767's and 777's.
The whole scope/codesharing issue is something we all have to be vigilant about with our respective airlines. Feed and codesharing can create jobs and it can kill them, but we all live in glass houses on the issue. The SWA folks bashing DAL on this really are not seeing the big picture and are coming across us very hypocritical.

 

[SWA Bubba]

Not sure where to start exactly, so I'll take some of your points in order.

It only exceeds it because you're paying it. These numbers are really simple as far as what each company contributes to the pilot's retirement:

Delta: 15%
SWA: 9.3%

In other words, take the new Delta rates and add an additional 5.7% to them. That's what they get that you don't get. And after you add that, you'll find that your pay rates on the 737 are exceeded by Delta's new rates. No matter what you want to believe, SWA pilots no longer have an "industry leading" 737 contract.

You're counting some of that money twice. You can't say their pay + 5.7% = more than Southwest, since 9.3% of a greater Southwest salary is more than the first 9.3% of their B-fund. Plus, you're using pay rates at the end of their contract, not now. Time value of money and all. Plus, you're overlooking the fact that Southwest pilots work more productively for the days they show up (if they work the minimum, that is). More total money. Plus, you're overlooking the fact that Southwest pilots can pretty much work unlimited amounts of overtime for much more total money (and more of that 9.3% free money), something not available to ALPA pilots in general. To make a fair comparison, you have to look at average W-2s, not just payscales. That's seems pretty short-sighted for a sharp union guy like you. In that comparison, Southwest still wins by far.



We don't need to. Delta pilots make more than SWA pilots now. Time to make that argument and insist upon a real retirement plan. The company should be funding a major airline pilot's retirement. The company's contribution should be enough to provide a pilot with 60% of his final annual earnings in retirement after a 25 year career. At 9.3%, it's not even close. The number needs to be something closer to 13.5% to get there. We shouldn't need to subsidize our own retirement as major airline pilots. All of this talk of "personal responsibility" is just the company convincing you that they don't need to pay the appropriate amount. Don't fall for it.

Thanks for your concern, but actually, all my ideas of "personal responsibility" were NOT just propagandized into me by the company. They were instilled into me by my parents when I was young, something your parents obviously neglected to do. Since you're apparently of the entitlement generation, and feel your company "owes" you some arbitrary amount that you've quoted above, it appears my point was lost on you. And anyway, if you were a Southwest guy actually working hard for those 25 years, you could have much more than that Delta amount put away for retirement. I know I will.


I'd rather have the Delta pay rates along with their retirement. That should be your benchmark, since it's now the industry leading contract for passenger carriers.

Yeah, that wasn't one of the choices in my question, now was it? I believe it was Southwest or Airtran. So, why aren't you working for Delta? GL swears they'll be hiring like gangbusters soon. Plus, while Delta may have the "industry leading contract" soon by your sole metric (do the absolute minimum amount of work, ignore cyclic furloughs and the traditional legacy ups and downs, etc), it still does not have the industry leading 737 contract by the metrics that Southwest pilots think are important (job security, total compensation, ability to earn much more money, etc). However, I DO hope you do well over there, since that clearly seems to be your preference.

Bubba

 

[PCL_128]

Your argument is basically "we can make more money because we work more."

Sorry, but I don't consider that a victory.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Honestly, I don't think Delta style scope is all that valuable to SWA. RJs only work when they're part of a hub-and-spoke network that is primarily structured around feeding wide-body international flying. With a predominantly point-to-point route structure, a bunch of RJs would do SWA virtually no good. There's a reason that SWA management has never pushed really hard for it, and it's not just because they're such nice guys.

So SWAPA is basically just a rubber stamp that does exactly what GK wants? Didn't they fight pretty hard to restrict code share? You are saying GK would not love the opportunity to code share with other carriers? He would not sign up regionals to open up new markets if he had the chance? He is already starting to try to outsource more stuff. Maybe you are right. You should push for an ALpA drive at SWA to stop SWA from pushing around the pilot group.

 

[SWA Bubba]

Just curious and not flaming here. But how can GK give up an "Industry leading retirement" when SWA doesn't have one??? PCL brings up a solid perspective here, why don't you guys admit it and pull together to try and make retirement gains instead of burying your head in the sand on the issue.
As far as scope goes, you guys bash DAL using RJ's to feed mainline, yet your Intl expansion was to be Volaris and some Canadian airline doing it for you with 737's of their own. You are allright with that? That's the equivalent of DAL saying we are going to do their Europe flying with all foreign carriers and let them do it with 767's and 777's.
The whole scope/codesharing issue is something we all have to be vigilant about with our respective airlines. Feed and codesharing can create jobs and it can kill them, but we all live in glass houses on the issue. The SWA folks bashing DAL on this really are not seeing the big picture and are coming across us very hypocritical.

Dan, I think he meant GK would give US an "industry-leading" retirement in exchange for allowing codesharing. It's possible you took that wrong.

Plus, as I was trying to point out to PCL above, 9.3% (plus profit sharing percentage) of a bunch more total money, usually is more than 15% of a lesser total W-2 earnings. You know? Personally, I feel pretty good about my retirement, and I don't work nearly as hard, or make nearly as much as some of our captains. They get a crapload more in retirement from the company.

Bubba

 

[SWA Bubba]

Your argument is basically "we can make more money because we work more."

Sorry, but I don't consider that a victory.

Got it. You want the most amount of money for doing as little as possible. Somebody owes you, I suppose. Your line of thinking explains why you're currently in the position you are in. Hey, good luck with that.

Bubba

 

[redflyer65]

Got it. You want the most amount of money for doing as little as possible. Somebody owes you, I suppose. Your line of thinking explains why you're currently in the position you are in. Hey, good luck with that.

Bubba

Exactly Bubba. It's the same legacy mentality that have brought down just about ever Major. We don't want to work too hard, but get paid the most. Similar to the UAW 'Job Banks'. I'd rather have the Southwest package. Great payrates. Work min. (or less) if you want. Crank it out for big, big money if you want. The flexiblity is off the charts here. It's awesome.

PCL,

SWAPA will probably be looking to add a B-fund down the road, IN ADDITION to what we have know. The majority of pilots here completely max out the tax deferred accounts listed under the IRS rules. That's why we have an Excess fund you can contribute to as well. It all adds up to some pretty big retirement numbers. Which is a very good thing.

I imagine SWAPA will look for an opening down the road when the economy is better. We tend to work with the company instead of against them. Time will tell.

Dan,

Just to bring up to speed on codeshare. It's not Expansion...it's Contraction. We just limited ANY codeshare to just one company...Volaris and then decreased the amount with them. It's now limited to less than 2% total ASM.

To recap..

No RJ codeshare what so ever.
One international partner...Volaris (and they are severally restricted)
No other partners. No other feed.

 

[Scoot 11]

Don't forget, "no retirement."
And no type, no need apply....AKA "pay for training."

 

[PCL_128]

SWAPA will probably be looking to add a B-fund down the road, IN ADDITION to what we have know.

Hey, if they get an industry-standard B-Fund, then I'll cheer SWAPA along. I don't care what the union is called, as long as that union is engaged in pattern bargaining to improve the profession. I just haven't seen any evidence that SWAPA is even thinking about a B-Fund. From reading your Reporting Points newsletter, it doesn't even seem to be considered.