General, and all--
I try, I
really try, to stay away from these perceived food fights. In this case, I cannot simply retreat to my normal lurking and comments made to myself and the sleepy cats.
General, you attempt to state facts. Ok, I'll give you that. The EMB pay rates are out there, and they aren't great--a fact, believe it or not, that many many of us brought up to the managment when the latest contract was rolled out.
I thought your post illogical because I can't envision anyone staying on the EMB for 12 years when they could move to the 320. Is that move unreasonable? Your statement is not "non-factual,' but certainly is inflammatory. If that is your point, then you succeeded, thus the defensive remarks. If not, then I missed what you were getting at.
The answer to this pay issue? It's twofold. First, we are counting on the EMB's making money and creating a potential great RASM for the routes they are assigned. That should lead to a pay increase once the jet has proven itself. Our management has said repeatedly that the last thing they want to do is publish an unsustainable pay rate and then retract it (gee, does that actually happen?). Our management has not done anything thus far that would make me distrust them, so I'm frankly not worried about the long term. Will I keep track of what's happening with regard to pay? Absolutely. Am I on kool-aid? Well, it ain't all that bad, boys and girls. Is it sustainable? Ask me in ten years--I'm doing my part to make it happen, I can tell you that.
Second, the numbers work for a new hire going to the 190 (or an FO with less than one year on property) to earn more than an Airbus FO over the course of the first three years. At that time the 190 pilot will likely be able to move to the Airbus. That is not too difficult a concept to grasp.
Finally, General, you inadverdently made an interesting point about "raising the bar" for three years until the pay had to be rolled back under threat of BK. Is that how it is supposed to work? Raise your own pay, and that of everyone in the company, until the company is unable to sustain itself, collapsing into a heap of difficult pay and furlough decisions? If raising the bar drives your company into bankruptcy, what good did you do yourself in the long term? Does one really believe that the increase in pay for a few years until the BK takes hold makes up for the hundreds on furlough and pay cuts in the near future? (ok, I know that pay is only one factor in the overall financial health equation of an airline. But let's face facts: increasing pay to become the "industry leader" is a great cause, but isn't it possible to negotiate a deal that is detrimental to the overall health of the company during tough times?)
And let's not lay the blame on JetBlue for the downfall of man--let's face it...There were problems in the industry long before we came to the game. This is not trying to simplify the issue; I fully acknowledge that we LCCs are now an economic force that are creating an increased competitive environment. It just seems that the old "JetBlue is lowering the bar" argument is a bit tiresome and does not adequately address the true issues of why the industry is in the state we are in.
Other than that, I'm having a nice night with a glass of wine. I eagerly await the next full frontal assault on my intelligence and manhood. And by the way, my paws are increasingly hairy as well, General!
Well, the back of them, anyway...
