Discount carrier says it could shut South Florida operations if union strikes

[Fly2AK]

It is easier for those not directly involved with spirit. However, we are all involved whether that is directly or indirectly. Many of us will be facing this same decision and I think it is time for all of us to hold the line and recapture our careers. There are jobs out there, albeit a lot over seas. I am overseas and make the roughly $147 an hour as a B737 FO. No airline in the states is paying nearly what is being paid abroad. I say stay strong and don't fall victim to corporate intimidation! Good luck.

 

[Crzipilot]

They make 107 mill? And Baldatitty gets his bonus, AND he's asking for 12mill cut from the pilots. Ya, come on, make 'em blink.......Stay strong and good luck

 

[MCDU]

If spirit pilot strike and then the airline folds, there should be a provision from ALPA and CAPA that the first pilots hired are does who put their job on the line. That way it would signal that you will have a job no matter what.

M

 

[Eagle757shark]

If spirit pilot strike and then the airline folds, there should be a provision from ALPA and CAPA that the first pilots hired are does who put their job on the line. That way it would signal that you will have a job no matter what.

M

The only problem with that is unions don't hire pilots, airline managements do! There is no way you can enforce something like that.

 

[A350]

Then ALPA should make it so that pilots (union pilots) hire pilots.....make it part of the contract!

Noone should have to fall on their sword for others when history proves the others will turn their back on them when they need a job after the strike!

A350

 

[fam62c]

The thing is that only the management knows if there will be a strike because they have all the infomation. Managment knows what the union is currently asking for, they know what other airlines pay, and they know what their bottom line is. They know that the union isn't going to settle for nothing and that it will cost them money to sign a deal.

The bottom line is that if Spirit (or AirTran, Allegiant, Virgin, etc.) has to pay everybody 30% less than most other carriers that operate the same equipment on comparable routes then they don't have a viable business and probably never will have. If this is the case the airline will end up out of business at some point anyway with or without a new pilot contract. When did airlines decide that they were entitled to cut-rate labor?

I say to the Spirit pilots; hang in there, don't give into the threats and you will get a decent deal with real and valuable improvements. If in the end the company takes a strike and shuts down then that was probably going to happen anyway, they just saw an opportunity to do it and put the blame on something other than a bad business plan, i.e. ALPA. I think there will be a lot of huffing and puffing from management in an effort to try to drive down expectations but when they see it's not working they will sign a deal and that will be that.

Kudos to the Spirit pilots for hanging tough and not giving in, that will help us all. Let's stop subsidizing ridiculously low ticket prices for the public with our paychecks. It cost money to operate airplanes and pay skilled professionals to staff the operation, it's time to charge the flying public for the real costs of providing the service (including paying the employees fairly and treating them decently) plus a reasonable profit margin.

 

[Eagle757shark]

Then ALPA should make it so that pilots (union pilots) hire pilots.....make it part of the contract!

Noone should have to fall on their sword for others when history proves the others will turn their back on them when they need a job after the strike!

A350

I understand what you're getting at. ALPA doesn't hire pilots, Human Resources does the hiring. You may have pilots interviewing and making inputs, but the union doesn't make the decision on who gets hired. If Spirit decides to shut its doors, it is not ALPA's fault. The management at Spirit has a choice and pilots subsidizing managements business plan should not be an option.

 

[ATLplt]

Noone should have to fall on their sword for others when history proves the others will turn their back on them when they need a job after the strike!

A350

Statement of the day. Just ask some of the old Eastern strikers about their "brothers" helping out after the strike. You'd be surprised to hear how some of the "burn the place down!" OAL ALPA supporters immediately turned their backs on those guys. Competing airlines did however pick up new aircraft and routes...just not the employees that should have gone with em.

Good luck Spirit pilots. We at the Tranny are watching closely.

 

[slaquer5]

Statement of the day. Just ask some of the old Eastern strikers about their "brothers" helping out after the strike. You'd be surprised to hear how some of the "burn the place down!" OAL ALPA supporters immediately turned their backs on those guys. Competing airlines did however pick up new aircraft and routes...just not the employees that should have gone with em.

Good luck Spirit pilots. We at the Tranny are watching closely.

How true that was. So sad, a lot of ruined life's.

 

[jonjuan]

How true that was. So sad, a lot of ruined life's.

A lot of ruined lives as well.