Pilots on Food Stamps: Sez Michael Moore

[Rez O. Lewshun]

I am sure you workeed to protect the profession over the years....

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I am sure you workeed to protect the profession over the years....

Well I did put it all on the line to walk the picket line. I have my Battle Star ALPA pin, what's it worth?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Well I did put it all on the line to walk the picket line. I have my Battle Star ALPA pin, what's it worth?

quite a bit....

 

[414Flyer]

The problem can be reduced by doing things the old way. Voting weighted toward Captains. Then fight for Captains pay.... Stay focused on one objective: Pay! That's easy to understand. Hit the Easy Button.....

But that is part of the problem, those "Captains" have so often been willing to sell out the younger ones, in exchange for a few more bucks. Maybe if those Captains had not been so willing to let Mainline start feeder alter ego operations, in exchange for whatever gift Management offered, think of how much different it would be. There has been this whole underpaid underclass of pilots created now by those decisions, who are on this neverending carousels of feeder contracts between different mainlines.

Look at how many Captains would rather furlough the junior, rather than have less hours but that keeps more pilots employed. Or how many of them have no problem picking up open time, with younger furloughees out there. If some 58 year old pilot cant lose a few hours a month to help a junior pilot pay rent and eat food, that senior pilot is a real POS.

Pilots are partly to blame for this mess too unfortunately. There is a lot of "ME ME ME" going on, and brotherhood is fine until a group of pilots see a dollar laying in the street, then its UFC time.

And how many pilots have just told new commercial pilots to just take any job for experience and not care about the pay. That sets a horrible example to follow and instills a mindset to place work and getting new experience, over quality of life in the present. Other fields do not have people that put up with such crap, in order to have ones "Dream".

And the next time someone says "Oh but I have to be a pilot, its my dream and there is not anything else in the world that I can do". Well, then you are pretty stupid and have no business flying an airplane then anyways. And its those same "dreamy" types that think that they will not care what they make as a pilot, that it will just be so awesome and dreamy, until they have a 5am preflight in Fargo in December. But hey, they have already taken the job then. Management has its cost unit seat filler for barista pay.

I do agree with Michael Moore that the state of the airlines and pay is reprehensible, its why I have never gone to the airlines. I was making more this summer per month flying a C90 than most RJ Captains do, so those good paying jobs are out there to be found. But if pay is going to change for up and coming pilots, attitudes will have to change in pilots too.

 

[pilotyip]

In the end everyone looks out for their own best interests, it is human nature.

 

[OurMoney1]

Post 9/11 ALPA gave away the farm. They watched as Management raided contracts and retirements. They should have pulled out the big guns but instead they sent experts to testify in front of judges. National did not watch the big picture and Duane Worth's inaction did more damage in 2 years than a commuter accident in BUF or a laptop incident over MSP; we will spend years trying to make up what was lost.

 

[414Flyer]

Post 9/11 ALPA gave away the farm. They watched as Management raided contracts and retirements. They should have pulled out the big guns but instead they sent experts to testify in front of judges. National did not watch the big picture and Duane Worth's inaction did more damage in 2 years than a commuter accident in BUF or a laptop incident over MSP; we will spend years trying to make up what was lost.

I think the real damage had already been done earlier, 9/11 and afterwards just brought it all to the surface for the ugly mess that it was

pilotyip

In the end everyone looks out for their own best interests, it is human nature.

Okay, but that "self interest" only served to harm ones own interests in the end. What good does that do, when selfishness harms the industry. There are many times where thinking about the bigger picture, results in the best outcome. Looking at just ones own life and "Sure Management can make an alter ego and give it those little barbie jets, as long as they give us something" or "I dont care about the pay, I just need to get in now and get my seniority, the pay will work itself out later" (made up quotes but representing thoughts that have existed often)

Think about it this way in terms of cooperative game theory as espoused by John Nash. When each person looks at them and only them, its easy for each person to lose. But when everyone works together for the best outcome and in a non-selfish way, it can result in much better outcomes than the ME ME ME approach so common in aviation.