The real REGIONAL deal...READ THIS

[Ganja60Heavy]

Dudes:

Let's keep the big picture slightly in focus:

-->Go back in time 20 years.......

"Regional" was an invention of deregulation when turboprops fed the hubs. Pilots flew for nothing for a few years to build time.

"Scope" was not intended to limit regional flying, since there was little threat that management would buy 1000 Brazilias and replace 767's.

-->Now consider the present:

"Regional" means B-scale pay to do Major-type work in planes restricted in size/number by "scope" clauses. Scope has been re-interpreted only now that regional planes are growing in size and speed, and spreading like cancer their low-wages into Major terrirory. This has had the unintended but very effective consequence of sparking fierce fighting among pilot groups. This is synonymous with severe weakening of union bargaining power.


That the regional-major dichotomy is manifest as fighting among pilot groups is the perfect diversion for management as they persue their agenda. Management does not give a rat's ass who flies their planes, only how much they pay them. The result should be clear:

Weakening of pilot unions and PERMANENT lower wages for pilots.

 

[SkyWstman]

Blame it on the passengers, they all want to fly for free.

 

[Hose]

Maybe I'm off base here...

What about a seperate union for regionals and majors. ALPA seems to have trouble figuring out which side they are on.

 

[LearLove]

Maybe I'm off base here...

What about a seperate union for regionals and majors. ALPA seems to have trouble figuring out which side they are on.

There already was one, many seem to think its time to bring it back.

 

[FurloughedAgain]

What good will that do?

Scope will continue to exist in major-airline contracts and a new union would not change that.

We have two choices. We can either:

#1. Force ALPA to do its job and provide equal representation.

or

#2. Negotiate stronger job security provisions in our own contracts to prevent the outsourcing of on-brand work.

Neither will be easy.

Obviously a lawsuit is ongoing towards the goal of #1. Nobody knows what the outcome of the suit will be or what its impact on the industrywill be. For that matter, very few people actually know what the actual goal of the litigants is -- i/e What would they consider to be "end game" and what would its impact be upon both parties?

#2 is tough because SCOPE is the most valuable language in our contracts. Its more valuable then payrates. Its more valuable than any work rules. Its more valuable than retirement.

And the company knows it.

It would take a vast amount of negotiating capital to secure the job security we require -- and since very few of us are willing to sacrifice hard-won pay and benefits to "pay" for that security, its unlikely that it will be attained.

And thats a shame. It doesnt matter whether we get paid $200/hr to fly these airplanes. Without ironclad job security the payrate is meaningless.

 

[Speedtree]

Let's remember that while many of us regional airlines are ALPA members our decisions are not dictated by ALPA. We make our own decisions. We pay to belong to ALPA and we can then draw on their resources and support, many of which are underutilized by the regionals, however ALPA does not force us to accept or reject our CBAs. When AWAC agreed to their pay concessions it was completely up to them. ALPA couldn't say they had to do one or the other. When COMAIR stood up to DAL they did that as a unified group. When MESA agreed to their new contract they did that as an individual pilot group... you get my drift.

Our MEC at AWAC is currently working toward a UALEX regional airline summit meeting in August this year. (Around the time of the annual ALPA meeting I believe). It would be nice of all the UALEX carriers worked together to achieve some common objectives. ALPA should be our tool not the other way around.

 

[Lc130driver]

Another problem with pilots, is that if I quit there will be twenty other pilots wanting my job, working for peanuts for the thrill of flying a 50 seat tin can. What Alpa should be doing is telling all the CFI and the college students, that working for PAN AM and EASTERN is never going to happen. The pipe dream of flying ten days a month across the pond and making $200,000 is gone for this generation of upcoming and current regional pilots. This career has been widle down to fast food restaunts wages. Everthing is supply and demand, restrict the supply then demand for pilot will go up, driving up wages. We are our worst enemy. Until we AS PILOTS(MAJOR AND REGIONAL and any OTHER COMMERCIAL PILOT) STANDS UP AND FIGHT AS ONE then we could change what is happening in our industry. Think what would happen if MESA could not get ANYBODY to apply, or accept a job with them. Also think about if ALL REGIONAL AIRLINE PILOT quit tomorrow, or just didn't show up for a month. If we walk out and demanded more money now,(the organizer would probally go to jail, but that is the small price to pay)

Until we fix the problem with people selling there POUR SILLY SOULS we will never get anything more then fast food style wages.

LC130Driver
FLY SAFE