Solidarity

[Beach Bum]

Hello. This is my first post, mostly I just lurk. I'm not a pilot, but someone in my family is. I want you to know that I am on your side, and am sickened by what is happening to your profession.

What I am wondering is this: Why are you fighting the battle individually at each airline? Why don't you all elect to stage a "walk out" at the same time?

For instance, if NWA or Delta or Mesaba actually go on strike, why don't all of you go on strike with them? Wouldn't you have more power and get your point across much more effectively that way? 60,000 striking pilots would cause a major headache for all airlines and let them know you are serious.

By constantly undercutting each other, your are only hurting your own collective future. Wouldn't it be better to unite and support each other?

Thanks for the opportunity to post. I wish you all the best.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Cuz there are a bunch of people who wouldn't do it and it would be a wasted effort by those who did.

 

[FN FAL]

...your are only hurting your own collective future.

You must be thinking of helicopter pilots, airplanes don't have collectives.

 

[Axel]

You must be thinking of helicopter pilots, airplanes don't have collectives.

The Soviet Union used to, and look what happened to them.

The real problem is that as a group we are too short sighted to see how badly we've been played off against each other by management. We are being picked off piecemeal and instead of rallying in support, the rest prefer to curse the victim.

 

[GravityHater]

Somebody told me because pilots are devout individualists. The profession selects for that by its very nature, and this (inablity to band together) is one of the unfortunate results.

Also, there is the little problem that too many people really love flying...to the point that in a strike, there would be a new wave of pilots willing to take over for $8.00 per hour, instead of the current $9.00.

 

[Nindiri]

Not to mention that it's illegal.

 

[pipejockey]

Not to mention that it's illegal.

Oh come on man!! Who gives a crap? There is a law that says I MUST come to work on a given day? We are all entitled to a few sick days or "gee my car broke down, I just can't get to work today" impossible to prove otherwise. It's just a matter of growing a set, and not being the usual management suck up the likes I am all too familiar with.

 

[heph224]

Because you will always have scabs that are waiting for the opportunity to cross the picket line and advance of their careers at others expense. And you have the alter ego airlines that employ new age scabs who would work with a lower QOF, Pay, and Pride just to fly shiny new jets.

Otherwise, I think that a National Strike even though illegal could and would show the government and the public how vital aviation is to the economy and hopefully increase bargaining power. But face it, it’s never going to happen…..

 

[180ToTheMarker]

Didn't ALPA threaten a SOS during the heyday of "skyjacking" in the 70s? If they had the balls then, why doesn't DW threaten that now?

 

[JumpCaptain]

...What I am wondering is this: Why are you fighting the battle individually at each airline? Why don't you all elect to stage a "walk out" at the same time?

The problem is this: It's unfair to ask a pilot to risk putting his own company out of business because some other pilots at some other comapnies are having trouble with their management.

For example, guys at XJT and Eagle aren't about to go on strike and hurt their own companies because guys at Mesaba and Comair are getting a$$ fuc8ed.

I wish there were an answer Bum, but I just don't know what it is.