JetBlue posts $13 million profit

[TurboS7]

My information was inside info from one of your Director's and I will leave it at that.

 

[Jeff G]

So is mine, and I suspect that mine's bigger than yours.

 

[Boeingman]

QUOTE]Originally posted by JayDub
FlyDeltaJets,

Although you and I disagree you seem to me to be a "bu## &&it walks, money talks" kind of person. Here are the simple facts: I was hired by jetBlue on April 23, 2001. I am presently making $113.oo/hr. Are the people hired by your company (give or take a month) on April 23, 2001 making $113.00/hr? If not, I think your company is the one that is not paying professional wages. Please cite specific examples if you respond.

Respectfully,

JayDub [/QUOTE]

JayDub:

FDJ enjoyed bragging to me about his brand spanking new contract while rubbing it my face comparing our 5 year old document. What he and other DAL pilots do not like to discuss is their own continued self prostituting B scale within their own airline, DAL Express. I do not have a copy of the DAL Express pay rates, but I'd bet they are similar on a longevity basis with JB. ALPA spent years fighting to eradicate this plague yet it flourishes within a large ALPA pilot group. Go figure.

Your comment about professional wages is also true. DAL in other company positions has historically paid below industry average.
Hopefully, JB will bring it's pay in line with other carriers as you grow. And grow you will as you decimate AA out of JFK.

Although I feel for the guy being out of work, I think he learned a good lesson last month any of these dream employers will crap on their employees in tough times. Real or a management induced fantasy.

Jeff G:

I Have to agree with you and I think many who complain about JB are just jealous of your success. I also believe it is fantasy about the free airplanes.

Good luck to you both and all at JB.

 

[FlyDeltasJets]

boeing,

I don't want to rehash our entire argument, but I never rubbed your five year old deal in your face. If you remember, you were the first to bring up any discussion of pay. I didn't. All I did was suggest that you shouldn't criticize any of our pay rates, because even our previous contract had higher rates than yours. My bringing up your contract was merely a case of pointing out your glass house while you were throwing stones. No disrespect was intended, nor did I try to "brag". If you misunderstood my intent, I apologize.

For what it is worth, I couldn't agree with you more regarding our DEX rates. I think it is a sin that we did not eliminate that "b" scale on our last contract, although I think you will agree that $229.67 (737-700) and $206.79 (-200) per hour is not awful, especially when compared to other carriers. That, however, does not change the fact that it is a b scale, and should be done away with. I would suggest, however, that perhaps we would have had more luck eliminating it had LUV pilots been paid a little better. After all, DEX arose simply to compete with LUV. The DEX wages are higher than LUV's, but not as high as they should be, due to management's insistence that they would not go very far above the LUV payscales. I am looking forward to SWA's next contract, when their pilots eliminate that argument from our management's playbook. In doing so, they will raise the bar for all of us, and I wish them luck.

Also, I suggest that you recheck your facts regarding Delta's employee wages. They are always at or near the top, due to management's fear of more unions on the property.

Lastly, I take exception to your tone that I needed a furlough to teach me a lesson. I dare say I know more about this industry than most (granted, many know more than I), and I didn't need to lose my job to learn to distrust management. That happened a long time ago. This is only a "dream job" because of the gains for which we as pilots have fought for so long. I knew that before the furlough, and I know it now.

Dub and Jeff,
I wish you both the best and I am glad to hear that you are enjoying good pay as a result of your hard work and good timing. I agree that we compete on many fronts besides employee wages, and I grant you that jb is doing a wonderful job. We would be wise to learn a few lessons from you. My statement regarding pay was not specifically against jb, but a general idea that airlines with lower payrates give management just another tool to battle wage increases at other airlines. I agree, however, that you do deserve a break because of your age. I think, while it may take a while, jb is certainly on the right track, and hopefully your wages will continue to increase. I know that DN has already given you guys a raise. I commend him, and you, and wish you continued good luck.

I do hope that you will agree, however, that there are airlines out there who are not so young who continue to compete by paying their employees less. As employee costs are an airline's largest expense, this gives them a considerable advantage. My point all along has been that it benefits our profession as a whole anytime any pilot group gets a raise. I hope to see us fight for what we deserve, and not be afraid to point out factors which may negatively affect us.