Think before you speak

[Livinthewhat]

Interesting article in the Pioneer Press today about NWA and their pride and joy, Steenland...I think there are many others just like him...

"There are — and I say this with all respect, but it is a simple reality — thousands of pilots who are waiting in line to fly Airbus A320 airplanes for JetBlue at rates that are 30, 40 percent less than what we pay Northwest pilots to fly those airplanes," he said. "There aren't thousands of people waiting to work at senior executive positions at Northwest for the compensation that is paid. It is a reality of the market." Steenland.

We all know this but some things are better left unsaid...

"It's a double standard," complains Bobby De Pace, president of the union representing the airline's baggage handlers, reservation clerks and other ground workers. "They say these management guys are so valuable. … They are not. This is typical corporate greed."

What if we did lose these guys, paid someone less who cared about the future of the company and its employees? Are these guys that valuable?
Are they trying to tell me that there is no one out there that can run an airline and get paid less than 500,000/year?

"Steenland's base pay for 2005 was slated to be $573,750, according to a regulatory filing by Northwest. Steenland's total compensation in 2004 amounted to $4.4 million, including $3.7 million in stock and other awards."

I know, I know. Oversimplification of the matter.

 

[FCPhotography]

I bet every NWA pilot is standing in line. They would love to replace him.

Give me a crack at it.

 

[P-Dawg_QX]

There aren't thousands of people waiting to work at senior executive positions at Northwest for the compensation that is paid. It is a reality of the market.

Hmmm...I could have a job making hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of dollars, and it doesn't matter whether I lead the company into profitability or drive the thing straight into the ground? Consider me an applicant!

 

[FDJ2]

"There are — and I say this with all respect, but it is a simple reality — thousands of pilots who are waiting in line to fly Airbus A320 airplanes for JetBlue at rates that are 30, 40 percent less than what we pay Northwest pilots to fly those airplanes," he said.

Hmmmm, JBLU 12 year base pay rate $139/hr (doesn't include time and a half over 70 hours, NWA $137/hr.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Mcdonalds gets thousands of applications per year. So does every other company, it's called getting a job and making a living. Steenland puts out statements like that and look where his company is, on the verge of obliteration.

 

[Palerider957]

Truth?

The truth doesn't matter. It's the public relations war that matters. Pilots have ALWAYS fallen short in this game.

The public sees pilots as overpaid, underworked, whining, playboys. Until this changes, the public won't ever stand behind pilots quest for better compensation and work rules.

When I flew for ASA and people asked me how much I made, they were dumfounded. As an FO making 19K/yr, they said "you mean 19K a month?" "Uh, no--thats per year, sir." Even with that, they just don't believe it and management knows it.

You're all overpaid anyway. Just ask J.O., he has no problem filling his new hire classes.

 

[blueridge71]

Recommendation to FOs: Carry a copy of your W-2 and whip it out (the W2) when someone talks about how airline pilots get paid too much.

 

[Rossa]

Maybe some of the guys who vote for this TA over at the mothership, will have second thoughts after reading what their leader thinks of them!

 

[XJohXJ]

deleted

 

[flyer172r]

There may not be thousands of people waiting to take over an top airline manager's job, but it also doesn't take thousands of top airline managers to make the airline run (despite what some bureaucrats may think). There are thousands of pilots waiting in line because it takes a few thousand pilots for a major airline to work. I imagine if you looked only at those with the necessary experience, a ratio of major-airline-hopeful-pilots to current NWA pilots would be similar to a ratio of top-mananger-hopefuls to current NWA managers.

 

[AviatorTx]

"There aren't thousands of people waiting to work at senior executive positions at Northwest for the compensation that is paid. It is a reality of the market." Steenland.

Would this be the same "best and the brightest" at NWA that kept refusing to raise fares last year when everyone was trying too? In other words, they ran themselves into BK by refusing to back fare hikes. They now want MORE of these idiots!!!

 

[Lucky Strike]

Hmmmm, JBLU 12 year base pay rate $139/hr (doesn't include time and a half over 70 hours, NWA $137/hr.

Steenland's quote was before we took a 39% paycut...a NW Capt's rate used to be $198/hr

 

[Carl_Spackler]

I not so sure that they didn't mean to run the airline into BK. For a while it seems like they were playing survivial of the fittest with USAir and United, hoping that one of the would go under. When they didn't, the go into BK and go on a raping rampage.