SWA Pay Raise...Congratulations!

[FlyBoeingJets]

This thread is going to irritate many. It will also fuel those who say SWA pilots are overpaid. Be careful.

SWA pay is now, relative to the other majors, at an all time high. I hope we are smart in negotiations and don't choke the golden goose. I have visions of UAL and Delta guys typing with glee in 2000 discussing their pay raises.

I hope NWA and DAL can hold on. I pray the economy makes big pay raises at Alaska, AA, UAL and others a certainty during their next negotiation.

Remember that the old farts near retirement can hose the company just as much as the next new start up with non-union employees.

 

[donger]

$52,980 to be exact. That is not to bad for starting pay. I remember AA starting pay was 2200 per month a few years back.

That is better than FDX! My first year pay amounted to roughly $41,700. It was just short of being a 60% pay cut from the job I left before working for FDX that includes the three months of $2000/month for training pay (ouch!).

Jball2, I agree that it takes a certain type of pilot to fly for SWA. For the most part the pilots I have flown with at FDX have been great but there are some certifible nut jobs running around too (a case could be made for myself, I am sure) but the folks I know very well at SWA are great guys and gal (only know one) and ALL speak very highly of their company.

All I can say is you all deserve it IMHO. I could not deal well with some of the folks you haul around in the back. To make my flights more challenging at FedEx, I make sure the HAZ folks load the corrosives on top of the explosives

All that drivel just to say congrats...I really am nuts! Speak of which I need to bust one right now- SEE YA!

 

[SWA/FO]

It might upset the sensitive types but....I was just trying to make the point for anyone out there that has not applied yet that there is decent money to be made here from day 1.

Lots of folks still think we fly 8 legs a day and its just simply not true.

 

[SWA GUY]

$80,000.00 in the first year is not difficult to do. You have to work smarter, not harder.

 

[F16TJ]

Yep...there goes SWA "lowering the bar" once again!

For the uninitiated...the above line is filled with SARCASM!

See Ya!

P.S. I'm still sitting by the phone.

 

[Phil O'Sopher]

Just to clarify one point. The 4.76% was not a "profitability" raise. The negotiated contract raise was, I believe, 3.88% plus a "profitability" factor based on an adjusted profitability margin for the better of two time periods. The Jan-Jun 05 time period proved to be a good one and the additional 0.88% increase came, I think, from that period. Even if SWA had no profit, the 3.88% increase would have been applicable.
The big raise last Sep had a fairly good "profitability" portion in it as well. It's one more way to give employees a vested interest in the success of the company (not that anyone needs more vested interest in today's environment)

 

[TexaSWA]

I could not deal well with some of the folks you haul around in the back.

Unless you are a Flight Attendant, Customer Service Supervisor or Airport Cop, you dont have to deal with them.

One exception is if they come crashing thru the cockpit door. In this case the book says to kill them (memory item) then go to the QRH.

 

[TriStar_drvr]

Yr CA FO

12 119.11 76.94
11 118.49 76.10
10 116.71 75.28
09 112.81 74.46
08 111.54 73.61
07 110.27 72.78
06 109.04 71.96
05 107.68 69.99
04 106.50 63.90
03 105.25 57.88
02 103.98 51.99
01 82.00 37.50

Take a look at those rates. They are for B737 pilots at ATA Airlines. The airline that is currently flying SWA passengers to several destinations around the country including Hawaii.

We are in negotiations with the company for a long term pilot contract. The company wants even lower rates than those above, and to eliminate what remains of our "B" fund. They refuse to compromise on their demands, and promise to take us to court again if we don't reach an agreement by August 10, or vote down any TA.

So congratulations to the pilots of SWA for their pay raises. I only hope that you are at least a little concerned that the pilots of ATA are flying your pax for substantially less money than you. I'm afraid that your management will point to our rates when it comes time for your next contact negotiations.

I don't expect you to fight our battle with management. The last concession package at ATA passed by only a couple of percentage points. Perhaps ATA pilots are finally going to take a stand, and give your management less ammunition for the future.

 

[SWA/FO]

Actually, I think the "kill them" is in the notes section of the QRH.

 

[TR4A]

Do the DH's tend to go senior or does it depend on the city?

A few years ago the company started using a pairing generator for building the lines. It reduced DH's and increased aircraft changes. It seems we have more DH's lately. If there is DH on the beginning or the end of a trip it might go senior. On Saturdays there are more DH's because of the reduced schedule.