Jetblue pilots begin organization drive...

[J32driver]

It might be ALPA, might be an independent... but either way... its a comin' !!! Flown with 4 dudes since the roadshows, 3 of the 4 brought up the subject and preached the Union Gospel.

 

[Fins Up]

I'm usually not one to wish ill on others, but I can tell you that if you think you're going to retire after a long career with no ups and downs from Jet Blue, you're living in a world of denial. Time will tell.. I'm done with this tread.

That was just a smack at you for the very very unoriginal "go clean the cabin" remark. As I said earlier, you've got to have some better material than that.

 

[Snoopy Mendoza]

you've got to have some better material than that.

5 and 9 in the past 14 appearances in the Grand Daddy.

Out!

 

[HA25]

That was just a smack at you for the very very unoriginal "go clean the cabin" remark. As I said earlier, you've got to have some better material than that.

the remark, while cliche is meant to represent the race to the bottom mentality of the LCC pride pilot who's Blue, thru and thru.. and the subsequent degradation of our profession which said pilot's mentality is leading to.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get your guys mindset, but the good news is that the majority of you seems to have your head screwed on straight and it looks like ALPA will be coming to town to try and raise the bar for you and the rest of us.

 

[scoreboard]

the remark, while cliche is meant to represent the race to the bottom mentality of the LCC pride pilot who's Blue, thru and thru.. and the subsequent degradation of our profession which said pilot's mentality is leading to.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get your guys mindset, but the good news is that the majority of you seems to have your head screwed on straight and it looks like ALPA will be coming to town to try and raise the bar for you and the rest of us.

OK "Mr snobbish Scottsdale Muni I have all the answers" man, lets set the record straight. The LCC's did not put the industry in the crapper. Your legacy airline management did by not charging enough for the tickets they sold. Additionally, they were the ones flooding the market with unsold capacity, not the LCC's. The degradation and race to the bottom you speak of is only occurring in the legacies, not the LCC's, hence, your ALPA wonderkind are the ones who are racing to the bottom, not the other way around.

If ALPA really does come to JB, are you so nearsighted to think the same fate won't befall them?

So easy even a caveman could figure that out, or is Geico wrong?

 

[HA25]

this is where the GEICO caveman just rolls his eyes and shakes his head...

happy New Year!

Peace out!

 

[skykid]

Hey scoreboard, stand back and look at it from as an objective perspective as you can and you will see that the LCCs are willing participants in the race to the bottom.

Don't get POed when the virgin US guys or whoever is next to fly airbuses for peanuts thinks their getting over making say, 100K/year? How about 75K/year as an airbus Captain? Jetblue and the so called legacies are paying Captains what first officers should make. FIX IT!!!!!!

 

[Spectre]

Don't worry....the ALPA naysayers at JetBlue represent an ever increasing miniority of pilots...Well below 40%, and mostly include those who are sitting left seat A320, crediting 85 plus hours a month. The rest of the pilots WILL carry the majority vote and control the direction of future improvements! It seems like a slam dunk from my perspective

Strangely enough, the "40% sitting in the left seat A320" are the ones who would benefit most from ALPA not the lower seniority pilots at JB.

Obviously you've never been an ALPA member before...Your improvements in pay and benefits will come from profitable operations, not from belonging to ALPA. JB is headed in the right direction in terms of lowering costs and improving revenues for 2007. 2007 will see profits returning and with that, profit sharing. There is the raise you are asking for without the help of ALPA. Furthermore, any stock options you own will increase accordingly. It's pretty hard to justify a raise in 2006 when your company is not making money.

Since you have to give 1.95% of your salary to union dues, you have to ask for your raise plus 1.95%. How about keep ALPA off the property and keep that 1.95% in your pocket? See, you're already better off. Many JB pilots whether Capts or FOs were former ALPA members. Believe me, that alone will make sure any vote is not a "slam dunk."

If ALPA is voted on the property, you think things will get better for FOs or in your case "less senior pilots?" The fact is things will get better for A320 Captains as in the real world, the senior guys at ALPA make out. They keep the jobs during furloughs, keep the higher frozen pension rates, keep their Captain position through mergers, etc. It's all about seniority and you're already at a disadvantage with ALPA or no ALPA on the property.

However, without a union, there have been no furloughs here at JB in the same time period when legacies were furloughing thousands. Furthermore, there was a 30% pay raise in October 2001 and NO paycuts since then.

Job security is as important now as pay. In bad times, most pilots here would favor lowering our monthly block hours to make sure all pilots stay on the property. With ALPA, furloughs would begin in reverse seniority order as per the ALPA manual. I'll never forget a NWA pilot tell me, "Well son, you're not the first pilot ever to get furloughed here. Things will be OK. CYA later!"

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Spectre]

Wrong answer...even with the recent low raise-we do not make as much as the US Air 190 Captains currently make at 95 an hour and their proposed raise is to 125 an hour.

Scuze me, but a 3rd year Captain on the E190 at LCC makes about $82/hours. The $95/hour rate you quote is for a 10 year Captain at LCC on the E190. By ten years at JB, you'd be a pretty senior A320 Captain.

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/legacy/us_airways.html

How long does it take to upgrade to Captain on the E190 at LCC? Less than 2 years like JetBlue? How old is the average pilot at LCC upgrading to Captain on the E190 and how long has he/she been working for LCC?

It's pretty funny to see guys upgrading to E190 Captains at JB who've been on the property 1-2 years complain about their low pay. What would these guys be making as an FO on anything at a legacy with 1-2 years seniority? Mid $30's is all you'll get as an FO at CAL your first year and no medical your first 6 months.

 

[Patriot328]

What would these guys be making as an FO on anything at a legacy with 1-2 years seniority? Mid $30's is all you'll get as an FO at CAL your first year and no medical your first 6 months.

What about year 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.... ?