Training Contracts!!!

[Skeptic]

Has anyone ever heard of training contracts actually being enforced (ie. if you leave before the contract is up) or is this just another scare tactic? Any thoughts??

 

[Tooslow]

I had friend, Colgan, left after 5 months. Got a letter 8 months latter saying they will go to court to get the money. He moved and a year later no word. They don't know the new address either.........not losing sleep over it.

 

[I Hate Freight]

I told my previous company to shove it because they were making my life miserable. They called me twice an sent me a certified letter demanding $4500. I ignored them and never heard from them again. It's been almost three years now.

It cost a LOT of dough to drag you to court. Filing fees, attorney's fees, court costs and in the end they would probably lose. If you are in another state an entire new set of rules may apply and even more expenses. That's why most companies don't bother. I paid a contact attorney $75 to look at my contract and he told me it would hold up as well as toilet paper in a hurricane.

IHF

 

[Way2Broke]

Regions Air took some pilot's to court and won. If you do break a contract, make sure you are breaking it to go somewhere that you plan on staying at.

 

[OI812]

man up

Be a man you signed a contract, and by know you know that regionals suck. If you can't be held to your word or even a contract you have no business calling yourself a man. i swear everyone here is looking for the easy way out. In truth you will never succeed unless you are willing to commit to hard work, and honor all commitments. If something you agreed to do sucks go cry to mommy.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Be a man you signed a contract, and by know you know that regionals suck. If you can't be held to your word or even a contract you have no business calling yourself a man. i swear everyone here is looking for the easy way out. In truth you will never succeed unless you are willing to commit to hard work, and honor all commitments. If something you agreed to do sucks go cry to mommy.

Gee, I thought a man was a man because of the "equipment" he was born with.

By your reasoning, what kind of men are the airline managers that sign a labor contract with a labor group, then turn around, blatantly violate the agreement, and order the pilot to fly the trip saying "fly now, grieve later"? They do seem to be pretty successful, wouldn't you say? Shall they go whine to their mommies?

 

[andym037]

It would seem to me that any company which must resort to this pitiful form of indenture [training contract] clearly is a terrible company to work for and has such a problem with employee turnover that they are forced to intimidate employees into sticking around with threats of legal action, and b.s. about how "it costs so much money to train pilots". Notice that any decent company in this industry or any other doesn't resort to such absurd measures.

 

[XJohXJ]

The only question you need to ask yourself when making airline career decisions is "which option is best for me and my family."

This is the only question any management track employees ever ask themselves. Managers will not ever hesitate to sacrifice an employee if it will lead to bigger bonuses and other payouts for themselves.

All you need to do is write a short letter: "Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation, effective .......". Do not go out of your way to stick it to them or be insulting. That would be a pointless risk.

 

[VABB]

Gee, I thought a man was a man because of the "equipment" he was born with.

By your reasoning, what kind of men are the airline managers that sign a labor contract with a labor group, then turn around, blatantly violate the agreement, and order the pilot to fly the trip saying "fly now, grieve later"? They do seem to be pretty successful, wouldn't you say? Shall they go whine to their mommies?

So by your reasoning, pilots who break a training contract are cut from the same mold as airline managers.

I'm with the other guy on this one. If you sign a training contract, be prepared to pay up if you leave early. If you're apprehensive about signing one, then don't do it.

 

[immelman79]

yes they hold up, i had to pay. If you leave its more of a matter if they come after you. screw these people telling you your not a man of your word. You do what ever it takes to keep food on the table. You don't have to be happy with the industry, but you should be at least at company your happy with. If your not happy with either, what the hell are you doing then. Move on to something better.

 

[PilotSkydiver]

You Signed a Contract. Honor your contract.. It's as easy as that. Or Don't sign the contract. Did you ever think WHY they made you sign a contract. Should have been you're first clue that maybe you shouldn't go work there, or that conditions at the company were "less than favorable". Just because managements don't honor their commitments dosent mean you should abandon yours. You found a better job. GREAT! Pay up and move on.

:Rant Over

 

[VABB]

yes they hold up, i had to pay. If you leave its more of a matter if they come after you. screw these people telling you your not a man of your word. You do what ever it takes to keep food on the table. You don't have to be happy with the industry, but you should be at least at company your happy with. If your not happy with either, what the hell are you doing then. Move on to something better.

The fact that a company makes you sign a training contract should tell you something about the company in the first place. If it were such a great place to work, people probably would not be leaving at such a rate that the training expenses would be very high, thus requiring a contract.

If someone signs one, they should honor it. Not honoring it says a lot about one's character. Leaving early and paying what you owe speaks tons about one's integrity.

 

[immelman79]

well i work at chq now, signed a 2 year at 15k. And its the best place i worked at. i worked at other carriers and they don't come close. Also nobody is leaving, only for the few majors we know that are hiring. So to say that being required to sign a contract should tell you something about the company is wrong. There just trying to save money using a scare tatic which is normal business. Screw you people who are all about stepping up and being a man of your word on what you signed. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do.

 

[Flybet3]

well i work at chq now, signed a 2 year at 15k. And its the best place i worked at. i worked at other carriers and they don't come close. Also nobody is leaving, only for the few majors we know that are hiring. So to say that being required to sign a contract should tell you something about the company is wrong. There just trying to save money using a scare tatic which is normal business. Screw you people who are all about stepping up and being a man of your word on what you signed. Sometimes you got to do what you got to do.

I agree, so for you guys who say pilots need to have integrety. Well let me ask you this. So you're telling me that if you signed a two year training contract and 6 months down the line a company comes and offers you 60K to start, home 16 days out of the month, good equipment, job security and better benefits then you would say "thanks, but no thanks. I have a contract and I wont break it." Is that what you are telling me? Ok three things, either you are management, a 300 hour a$$ kissing pilot, or you're full of shi*. Make it four things, you are also an idiot!

 

[I Hate Freight]

Everybody please keep in mind that signing a training contract DOES NOT mean you cannot leave the company. It simply means that if you do leave before a certain amount of time, you must pay a training fee. Leaving and paying is NOT breaking the contract, it is fulfilling the contract.

 

[Terrain Terrain]

i think contracts are total crap, oh yea, im right and you are wrong. If you are in a contract right now, need not respond because you are fked. ahahhaha

 

[OI812]

I agree, so for you guys who say pilots need to have integrety. Well let me ask you this. So you're telling me that if you signed a two year training contract and 6 months down the line a company comes and offers you 60K to start, home 16 days out of the month, good equipment, job security and better benefits then you would say "thanks, but no thanks. I have a contract and I wont break it." Is that what you are telling me? Ok three things, either you are management, a 300 hour a$$ kissing pilot, or you're full of shi*. Make it four things, you are also an idiot!

Leaving is an option of your contract, but if you choose to leave during that contract you must pay what you agreed to by signing that contract. This is an industry where honor and integrity are all we have, someone has to be the bigger man. Hell you might as well put false entries in your logbook to get a better job. Don' put yourself in the same category as those who cant live up to thier word.

 

[Minimaniac]

Be a man you signed a contract, and by know you know that regionals suck. If you can't be held to your word or even a contract you have no business calling yourself a man. i swear everyone here is looking for the easy way out. In truth you will never succeed unless you are willing to commit to hard work, and honor all commitments. If something you agreed to do sucks go cry to mommy.

When the contract was signed, I had no idea how ********************ty maintenace was at the company, and how I was expected to fly unairworthy aircraft with regularity. I am man enough to say I better serve my family alive than as a smoking hole in the ground.

 

[Mr Wu]

Don't mistake not having the balls to stand up for yourself with being forced to do something you don't want to do.

 

[Rollo Tomasi]

Leaving is an option of your contract, but if you choose to leave during that contract you must pay what you agreed to by signing that contract. This is an industry where honor and integrity are all we have, someone has to be the bigger man. Hell you might as well put false entries in your logbook to get a better job. Don' put yourself in the same category as those who cant live up to thier word.

You don't know what the flock you're talking about! These contracts are there because the companies that want them signed don't want to have to compete in the open market. In other words they know they're such crappy places to work that someone can find better with the experience they'll get within a period shorter than the contract specifies. Honor and integrity, please...... are you still flight instructing? This industry is no different than any other, do your job and take care of yourself(including family). Pilots don't owe management anything.

 

[rickair7777]

Leaving is an option of your contract, but if you choose to leave during that contract you must pay what you agreed to by signing that contract. This is an industry where honor and integrity are all we have, someone has to be the bigger man. Hell you might as well put false entries in your logbook to get a better job. Don' put yourself in the same category as those who cant live up to thier word.

You will have different understanding after a year or two at a regional.

 

[OI812]

You will have different understanding after a year or two at a regional.

It's not about where you work. It's about commitment plain and simple.

As far as s****ty maintenance well you didnt do your research before signing. If you dont know what you are signing before ya sign it well then suffer, but you signed so own up to it. I am sick of hearing how it is everyone elses fault. Well know made you sign you thought i get to fly for an airline where do I sign with out knowing what you signed YOUR FAULT KNOW ONE ELSES. I just signed a contract with a very big company here in Minnesota, 3-something and i had a lawyer look at that contract. research is all im saying

 

[Minimaniac]

It's not about where you work. It's about commitment plain and simple.

As far as s****ty maintenance well you didnt do your research before signing. If you dont know what you are signing before ya sign it well then suffer, but you signed so own up to it. I am sick of hearing how it is everyone elses fault. Well know made you sign you thought i get to fly for an airline where do I sign with out knowing what you signed YOUR FAULT KNOW ONE ELSES. I just signed a contract with a very big company here in Minnesota, 3-something and i had a lawyer look at that contract. research is all im saying

Gee, I must have been out of my mind not to demand that I be given the opportunity to preflight the entire fleet before I signed the contract. Shame on me. I knew that what I signed was a poorly written document , written in even poorer english that you use, and that it was too vague to be legally binding. I accepted the terms of the contract under the assumption that the company would live up to its claims and promises. It did not, and that my friend is fraud.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Do what you have to do in order to CYA. Plenty of people have bailed on their contracts and not ended up paying a dime. The company is not looking out for your best interests.

 

[VABB]

I agree, so for you guys who say pilots need to have integrety. Well let me ask you this. So you're telling me that if you signed a two year training contract and 6 months down the line a company comes and offers you 60K to start, home 16 days out of the month, good equipment, job security and better benefits then you would say "thanks, but no thanks. I have a contract and I wont break it." Is that what you are telling me? Ok three things, either you are management, a 300 hour a$$ kissing pilot, or you're full of shi*. Make it four things, you are also an idiot!

If you sign a contract and someone calls you before the contract is up, you obviously have a decision to make. If and when your former employer sues you for the money, you have nobody to blame but yourself.

A training contract is a legal document. If you sign it and break it, don't cry when a judge holds you legally responsible to fulfill the financial obligation of that contract.

A person is not stupid for signing one. A person is a complete idiot for signing one, breaking it and then crying about the consequences of breaking the contract.

 

[Pigpilot]

You guys want to talk about integrity? How about this for integrity: There are too many of you so called pilots out there who have no pride for the hard work and qualifications you have and are willing to do this job for free! That's the kind of integrity that makes the pay what it is today for all of us.

 

[MJPilot]

Which Regionals do NOT have a training contract?

I heard that Comair does not have one. Any more??