UAL hiring soon?

[HA25]

More over... the current state of the NMB, who REALLY hold the power of our negotiation in their hands (as a result of the GW presidency) is strongly of that view... what you fly matters not! what your airline earns on that flight is what rules your paycheck! thus how WN pays more than UAL etc..

 

[IronCityBlue]

Nmb/rla

More over... the current state of the NMB, who REALLY hold the power of our negotiation in their hands (as a result of the GW presidency) is strongly of that view... what you fly matters not! what your airline earns on that flight is what rules your paycheck! thus how WN pays more than UAL etc..

You're right about the NMB. Sometimes getting released (or the imminant threat of being released) to a 30 day cooling off period is the only thing that forces management to negotiate. But the NMB holds ALL the cards on that one. Many people don't realize that if you ask for what the mediator personally thinks is "too much" you will not be released. As for the GW comment, I honestly don't see that much of a difference in mediators appointed by either party. Ones appointed by dems tend to hold you in your status quo for 3-4 years, while ones appointed by reps hold you out for 3-5 years. Its the RLA itself that needs reforming, and not via some management skewed "baseball" arbitration.

It should be if you contract is up, you can strike in 30 days, period. I'd even add a law saying travel agents/company web sites, etc must inform all pax at time of ticket purchase of any and every labor group who'se contract will be expired by more than 30 days anytime during the range of the customer's reservation, notifying the customer that a strike may occur at any time, and do they still want to purchase the ticket? They would have to say or click yes to proceed.

That actually would provide better protection and travel predictability for the traveling public than the existing system that only gives customers 30 days notice of a potential strike, oftentimes after they already bought their tickets. In addition to protecting the customer, it would give management a powerful reason to want to get contracts done instead of abusing the system that's unfairly in their favor.

 

[UAL-GSO]

I spoke to a couple United pilots last week who seemed to think they'd be hiring, or at least interviewing, by the end of the summer. That coincides with what I have observed and been told by my United connections in recent months. UAL has a lot of appeal for me too, primarily because of their bases and my disdain for commuting. However I am nervous about how pro-merger the management seems to be. They don't seem to really care about the employees or the customers. Guess only time will tell.

jr

Just a hunch, but if a merger with UAL and _________ goes through, it probably won't be long before every other major tries to follow suit. I wouldn't waste too much time trying to predict the future - pick your favorite and take your shot! Management not withstanding, we have a good airline with a lot of great people. With any luck, it is only going to get better. Best of luck to you!

 

[ualdriver]

Iron, your posts just reinforce my point. You're concerned about low pilot pay at entry level airlines, but you spend 2 pages trying to convince me and anyone else reading that LCC pay had nothing to do with the hurt that was put on legacy pay, work rules, and retirement. Sorry man. You can't argue both ways. You're either concerned or you're not. I suggest that you be concerned. Very concerned.

Here's why you and I could be potentially be screwed in 5 to 10 years, cabotage aside. I fear airlines like Skybus and Virgin because they have learned lessons from the past. They're now well capitalized, they operate modern aircraft that can operate in any domestic market we fly, and they can use discount airline labor to subsidize their bottom line and amplify their staying power in any market. That's why the Western Pacifics and Vanguards of the world failed in the past at high rates, and they learned. With labor costs approximately 20% of an airline's total cost and the largest controllable cost, it will become impossible for JetBlue, for example, to compete with Skybus or Virgin (or the copycats coming) long term.

So, as these airlines grow and gain a few hundred airplanes, JetBlue is going to have to do one of two things. One, pull out of direct competition with these airlines and try to find markets where they can "hide" or compete on points other than cost (good luck). Or two, come to the employees and say, "Look, we aren't competitive with these new, nimble, LCC carriers and we have to face reality. We have to change our business, remodel our wage structure, or ultimately perish." Sound familiar? It does to me.

Good luck Iron. No ill will here as I enjoy a good debate, but I suspect longterm downward pressure on all of our wages. Again.

 

[TAWS]

SB can be stopped. Not by denying the J/S to their pilots, but by some good old fashioned, unofficial, off the books, gentelmans agreement hard core collusion. Each airline pick just a handful of their routes, eat the loss by undercutting them, hide the true cost via connections to places SB doesn't fly, and bury them. If we do not do this, and their Ryannair brand takes off, we're screwed, no matter how much they pay their pilots, but you are right, 65K/yr will definately accelerate the inevitable.

Why would UAL mngt, or anyone else do this??

SB flies to all the sh!tty, out of the way places in the country. Keeping them around gives all the mngt types out there an excuse to say "these rates are the new industry standard".

 

[ualdriver]

Why would UAL mngt, or anyone else do this??

SB flies to all the sh!tty, out of the way places in the country. Keeping them around gives all the mngt types out there an excuse to say "these rates are the new industry standard".

I agree. And with our negotiations coming in '09, I can GUARANTEE that's exactly what my mangement will be crying. We can't compete with Virgin because UAL pilot/flight attendant/maintenance pay is too high. We'd like to raise your pay, but we can't, etc., etc. And in reality that argument, in some cases, might not be far from the truth. And the downward spiral continues.

And unfortunately, the days of any airline being able to "bury" anyone I think are coming to a close. Margins are too narrow and these new up starts are too well capitalized to sustain a long term fight. Sure, if Skybus was stupid enough to hit AMR in DFW, for example, AMR could "bury" them, but they're probably not that stupid. It will be a death by a 1000 cuts as they just undermine everyone's market share (if not them, one of the inevitable copy cats), taking a few % points here, a few % points of market share there, and before you know it, we're right back in the early 2000's again.

 

[SoCentralRain]

My brain hurts. Thanks, Mr. Sparkle.

To summarize: Cool to fly airplanes. Sh1tty industry. Take one or the other.

::heavy sigh::

Good luck.

"And now...back to the thread!"

Yes, UAL will need to hire soon.

SCR

 

[BigShotXJTdrvr]

How many of you regional CA's are thinking of making the jump? By taking a quick look at airlinepilotcentral payscales, it seems like it would take quite a while to make up the pay difference, not to mention the QOL.

I had always wanted to fly for United. I think you guys have a very professional pilot group, someplace that always seemed like it would be a great place to spend a career.

However, all things considered, I doubt you will be getting the caliber of applicant you would prefer. I am 7 year XJT captain, and with top 20% seniority and $80-100K a year going in the bank and funding the 401k, it takes a lot to make one want to start over again.

I have made a spreadsheet pay comparison to estimate how many years it takes to break even if you make such a move. You lose a lot for the first few years, then (if you manage to stay continuously employed) you have to first fill in the financial hole you dug for those years and only thereafter are you in positive territory.

I figured domestic 320/737 FO for first 4 years, then just for giggles threw widebody FO pay for a few years.

I got a total of slightly North of $500K pay for the next 7 years at either job. After 7 years United would most likely be the better paying gig.

That doesn't include things like reserve, crappy rules, etc.

So, I think I am a lifer at XJT. But to each his own. I just don't think there are a ton of guys who want to go back to $30K when they're 35 years old.

Expect to see a lot of regional FO and younger captain types of app--guys who have less to give up, and more time left to make gains.

 

[contrail67]

Any word on the poolies that were hired in 2001? I am one of them and just curious if anyone knows if this will carry any weight.

 

[ualdriver]

Any word on the poolies that were hired in 2001? I am one of them and just curious if anyone knows if this will carry any weight.

I'm in the process of finding out for you. I'll drop you a note if someone else doesn't already know.