Bafanguy,
Gotta say I find your take on this issue interesting, considering your long history with this business. I respect your experience and usually find your posts on-target, but your stance on this surprises me. I gather that you've gotten a raw deal from one of the majors, and I can understand your genuine need to find another job, preferably in your chosen field where you have experience to offer. But lets turn this around, and take it back to the days when you were a moderately experienced pilot, maybe with a growing family to support, looking for that "real career" type job with the airlines. Suppose that, in your interview process, it came down to a choice between you and someone else. Suppose the other guy just happened to come from a modestly wealthy family and, in a moment of overwhelming desire to fly airliners, offered to split his training costs with the company. Suppose you got your rejection letter a few days later, and then found out what happened. How would you have felt about that then? How would you have felt, knowing that your family would continue to do without while you continued to work your time-building job, because someone else had the means to buy this opportunity out from under you?
I understand that a bad retirement, or none at all, is a difficult place to be. My dad's got 35 years as a UAL mech... still three years from full retirement. Think it'll be there? He doesn't. I understand that being out of work is humbling, and bills simply have to get paid. I also understand that offering to share training costs to "jump in line" is perfectly legal, capitalism at it's best (or worst), and there's no way to judge whether or not it's "fair". But, given the scenario above (the same scenario this thread deals with), can you really argue that it's ethical? If so, how? I'm not attacking your views, I'm just honestly curious. 'Cause, see, I'm that guy in the previous paragraph - the young, moderately experienced guy looking for a career job to support a growing family. (Ok, before someone else points it out, my present position does a fine job of paying the bills... and I see my family 2-3 days a week. Some things are more important, or at least just as important, as money.) It's a tough enough market out there right now, but I have no problems at all waiting in line behind the more experienced. That's how it's supposed to work. What I DO mind is waiting in line behind someone just because they have a spare 15 grand in the bank.
Joe
