Here is the link for this post so you have the full context:
http://www.ainonline.com/issues/08_01/08_01_comairstrikepg60.html
Here is the quote from Duane Woerth:
"Despite far reaching improvements in pay and work rules, the Airline Pilots Association failed to achieve its ultimate goal in the minds of the pilots and union officials alike. Billed by ALPA President Duane Woerth as "a crusade to recognize regional pilots as "real airline pilots" rather than de-facto trainees for major airlines, the Comair negotiations were to become a watershed event in reshaping how people think about and compensate pilots," according to Woerth.
If, he reasoned, the costs associated with flying regional airplane proportionately equaled those of mainline equipment, major carriers would stop transferring routes flown by DC-9s and 737s to affiliates flying regional jets. " (emphasis added)
If we take this at face value, the intent of ALPA National in pushing regional units to pattern-bargain and consistently raise the bar is soley to make regional flying so expensive to the major carriers that
they will take back regional flying!
If that is your goal Mr. Woerth, what about the career regional ALPA members in good standing, paying out dues every year to have their careers protected and enhanced? What will become of their jobs? - The years of seniority they have invested in their companies? Do they not deserve EQUAL representation and protection?
Well Mr. Woerth, you have in some respects already reached that goal in many areas . In a presentation by George Hamlin of Global Aviation Associates at the 2002 US Regional Airline Conference, he points out that when measured on a per seat basis, regional pilot pay is twice that of the majors on some platforms This is significant as most all airlines measure their operating costs not on an hourly basis but on a cost per available seat mile. Here are some of the comparisions:
Type Flight crew annual salary per seat
MD-88 $1312
737-800 $1307
757 $1147
757-400er $ 833
DL 777 $ 906
CRJ 70 $ 1070
CRJ 50 $ 1424
Here is the link for the above analysis: http://www.intervistas.com/4/presentations/ScopeClausesIsEndInSight.pdf
As we can see on a per seat basis regional airline pilot pay is just as expensive or more expensive on approximately half of the aircraft currently flying. And remember, these are 2002 figures before the majors gained significant pay reductions in bankruptcy. Thus the gap is even smaller today - is it any wonder that Delta negotiated 90 seat rates with their pilots? Of course not, with the reductions in wages, it makes more economic sense today to have that flying at mainline rather than the regionals. Great job Mr. Woerth, one down and many to go.
"ALPA failed in reaching its ultimate goal in the minds of the pilots and union officials alike"
Really? How many of you rank and file pilots had a chance to debate this goal and submit your opinion in a systematic way to ALPA National that the goal of raising regional pilot compensation to the point where the majors would take back your jobs was in fact in your best interest and should be the goal of every regional MEC?
"a crusade to recognize regional airline pilots as 'real pilots'.
How about representing regional airline pilots as real pilots Mr. Woerth instead of bargaining chips to further mainline pilots careers? How about stopping your attempts at overtly influencing / pressuring the local MECs and selling them your agenda and simply let them represent the local interests of THEIR constituents rather than the interests of ALPA National or "raising the bar for other ALPA units?"
When is ALPA nationally and locally going to become a representative service to the pilots rather than a national business catering to the aims of a few?
