Lighten Up Francis

[LiveFreeorDie]

I am an 8 year FO at SWA. Got hired pre 9/11, but got stop-lossed and couldn't get on property until 2004.

When the age 60 debate was raging nothing made a trip more unpleasant than some rich, stock optioned, 3 year upgrade, wonder Captain proselytizing about how unfair and immoral mandatory age 60 retirement was. I seriously had guys compare it to concentration camp executions! And to top it all off they didn't just want to rant, they demanded agreement!

I didn't begrudge them their opinion, just didn't like them telling me (a 30 year old F.O. at the time) how immoral and short-sighted I was for NOT thinking like them. Nobody could just agree to disagree, they wanted to show me what a fool I was for, "not wanting 5 more years of Captains pay!" (Time value of money anyone?)

Did any ones mind get changed? No, just made for an unpleasant trip.

I SEE THE SAME THING HAPPENING ON HERE...

I don't begrudge you your beliefs, and I expect the same level of respect. quid pro quo

Of course the AAI guys think differently than the WN guys. They have different perspectives and different agendas. We would feel the same way if we swapped positions with them. People on both sides thought SL9 blew but for different reasons....

SO MY FELLOW SWA PILOTS. LETS PLEASE STOP TRYING to convince the AAI guys WHAT TO THINK. LET THEM THINK AND ACT HOWEVER they feel works best for them and their family.

Be informative, but enough with the "GARY IS GONNA CAN YOUR ASS". I really don't see that happening. And if it does it will be a sad thing...as sad as it was for all the Frontier FO's who got shafted by their Capts.

I am not implying ANYTHING ABOUT the SLI...we have a great NC, a great union, and so far a great CEO taking care of that for us. If you want to do some campaigning...write to them. Sniping with these guys will just make things worse if and when we have to all work together.

ITS PRETTY POINTLESS TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

WHAT AAI PILOTS THINK IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL. They don't trust most of our opinions or what we say anyway...so why bother?

ARBITRATION IS BEYOND OUR CONTROL...no body really knows for sure what will happen...sure there is history and advice from the lawyers...but no one REALLY knows.

HOW ALPA VOTES is BEYOND OUR CONTROL...

So enough of the proselytizing...no one is suddenly going to do a 180 because of something said on FI.

So enough of the snipping. It seems worse than counter productive to me.

Seriously,
Eric Pierce
Southwest FO stationed at BWI

PS even if some arbitrator rules some guy "jr" to me on the master seniority list in the sky gets to be a capt ahead of me....SO WHAT....we are still better of than 99.5% of the WHOLE FRIGGING WORLD....just thank your ancestors for coming here....seriously. I'd rather be unemployed and poor here than have to live anywhere else. Get some prespective...jump seat to a third world country and then come back and show some GRATITUDE.


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...A&ved=0CBUQvwUoAQ&q=proselytizing+def&spell=1

 

[DougCorp-9]

10000000% AGREE!!!


Great post Eric

 

[On Your Six]

Better attitude than most SWA pilots on here.

OYS

 

[Dan Roman]

Good post Eric

 

[say again]

C'mon OYS, that was an excellent post!! It's great to hear someone that is not bashing the other side, calling them names, etc, etc. I think the 99.5% was meant as this country being the greatest, not SWA.

 

[Hamburger]

Live Free,
You are correct. I agree wholeheartedly.

I freely admit that 90% of the reason I spend time here on occasion is in a 'pressure relief valve' capacity.
I have no delusions that I will change anyone's mind here or anywhere else.
I can come here, purge the airplane dork and rage so that I don't get sucked into spending four days pontificating and bitching about airplanes, the company, or the union, or politics, etc............

I don't want to hear about the Tea Party at work and the Tea Party guy next to me doesn't want to hear about sanity. (zing!)

It wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out that YIP or Belchfire and I have actually worked together and had a blast on an overnight.

 

[SWA717]

Eric,

Thank you for this great post. I look forward to buying you a beer.

 

[Tweaker]

Great attitude, sir! Good post.

" I'd rather be unemployed and poor here than have to live anywhere else."

Interdasting tidbit - The "poor" in America:
- Own their own home -43%
- Central A/C -80% (Something I did not have while furloughed for two years)
- own a car -75% two cars-31%
- color TV -97% two or more TVs - 51%
- cable or satelite - 62%
- cell phone and land line -33%

Poverty: How does it work?

http://www.heritage.org/research/re...or-examining-the-plague-of-poverty-in-america

Have a great day and enjoy your life!

 

[Caveman]

Well said Eric.

 

[get2flyin]

Great post. Should be made into a leaflet that can be handed to the USAir/AWA guys.