This is a repost of mine from last summer. I think most pilots intuitively know that we need a national seniority list. The question is when pilots will finally had enough and demand one. The question is how do we start. We keep getting bogged down with the nay-sayers.
We can do this. The companies really don’t care if we all get paid at $50,000 or $500,000 just as long as we’re close to the competition.
AA767AV8TOR
OK, how about we do it this way for a national seniority number – say we give a reasonable time period of 3-4 years for all of us to get through this current negotiation cycle. Then on 01/01/2011 or 2012, we rank all pilots in the industry based on their W-2 incomes from airline services and assign an industry wide seniority number. After that, it’s based on date and time of hire at your particular airline. It could done on an individual basis or be done by airline and position such as – All FedEx Captains, followed by UPS Captains followed by LUV Captains and so on.
For this to work, we need every major union on board.
Next we come out with national pay scales for each and every plane and position – industry wide. No more undercutting each other. It’s a national pay scale for our services for flying a plane from A to B. We also would have to develop common monthly hours and duty rigs. Pay and work rules would be adjusted annually by a national committee comprised of members from each union.
At this point, I realize UPS, FedEx, and the LUV pilots would be our top dogs. But, guess what – they deserve it. Next, it would motivate the rest of us to improve our contracts this next time around. Think of how easy any merger would be with a national seniority number. Instead of spending millions on attorneys and all the infighting amongst pilots, the money could be kept in house for us.
Furloughs would go in a common pool and picked up by the next company hiring based on their national seniority number and a minimum “agreed to” level of experience to occupy a particular aircraft and seat or else it goes to the next pilot in line.
So for the initial rank, we agree on a particular date and then rank from the top based on W-2 airline compensation, after which the seniority date would be on date and time of hire at one’s first airline (Part 121). The proposal would actually give all airline pilots an excuse to go after the big airline contract and max out their compensation during this next cycle. No excuses for bad negotiating or working for a crappy company. At the end of time period, it is what it is.
It’s simple and it’s doable. For the first time in a generation, it would put us – the U.S. pilots in the driver’s seat. We would be in direct control of our destiny, instead of the other way around. If we have to fight, our anger and focus would be directed at our companies for a better contract instead of each other. Any takers??
Or we could continue to do it the old way and maintain this profession on its downward death spiral.
AA767AV8TOR
P.S. I think most of us know what needs to be done. The question is when we determine we’ve had enough and to just go for it.
Last edited by AA767AV8TOR : 07-30-2008 at 13:41.
