Is the time right for a per passenger Union Fee? Would ALPA, SWALPA, and APA support it. Union members have taken it in the shorts for many many years. Not so much at SWALPA, but their time may be coming. Huge pay cuts so the average Joe can still fly from here to there for about the same as they did 20 years ago.
Fuel at an all time high. Given, but even with heavy fuel surcharges, travel demand is very high and projected to remain so. If Jet-A doubled again to $6 a gallon, cost would still not be out of sight. A320 five hour flight, average 5,000lbs/hr = 25,000lbs. So, 3731 gallons for that flight. At a 67% average load factor (below normal) that's 100 pax for just over $220 per pax - that's total, so about another $110 over what the cost is now. To fly from PHX to DCA and back you're looking at an additional cost of less than $250. If you have a business meeting or a cruise or a class reunion, I'm guessing you pay the additional cost. Maybe they would, maybe the wouldn't, we know for sure they will pay the fuel surcharges that are in place now.
Given A. Pilots have given huge portions of their salaries. B. Contrary to Managements line that no one would fly if prices went up, pax are still flying when paying surcharges.
A $5.00 Union fee per passenger for a company like US Airways. They flew just over 40 million folks last year. $1.00 of that fee goes to the company for administration costs. $.50 goes to the MEC, and the remaining $3.50 is distributed to the pilots at the end of the quarter for which passenger totals are reported. So, the company pockets $40,000,000 plus interest accrued prior on delayed payouts (about 5 to 6 months based on ticket purchased six weeks prior to travel and payout not until TRAVEL quarter complete), the Union pockets $20,000,000 towards general expenses, and each of the approx 5300 pilots gets $26,000ish per year if divided evenly between left and right seat.
Many unions are in or will be in negotiations soon, some may even be at a Transition Agreement table. The travelling public will CLEARLY pay current fees. A Union Fee initiated now, at higer fuel prices, or triggered by oil falling below a set limit, will NOT hinder a company and would infact CONTRIBUTE to the bottome line. If one group were to iniatie it, wouldn't the other groups demand the same? Wouldn't that nullify Management's likely "We have to stay competitive," arguement.
Non union carriers. Maybe a $26,000 carrot would encourage organizing.
Travelling public. Not likely to be very popular, but perhaps the price of a cheap frozen pizza is defendable.
Fuel at an all time high. Given, but even with heavy fuel surcharges, travel demand is very high and projected to remain so. If Jet-A doubled again to $6 a gallon, cost would still not be out of sight. A320 five hour flight, average 5,000lbs/hr = 25,000lbs. So, 3731 gallons for that flight. At a 67% average load factor (below normal) that's 100 pax for just over $220 per pax - that's total, so about another $110 over what the cost is now. To fly from PHX to DCA and back you're looking at an additional cost of less than $250. If you have a business meeting or a cruise or a class reunion, I'm guessing you pay the additional cost. Maybe they would, maybe the wouldn't, we know for sure they will pay the fuel surcharges that are in place now.
Given A. Pilots have given huge portions of their salaries. B. Contrary to Managements line that no one would fly if prices went up, pax are still flying when paying surcharges.
A $5.00 Union fee per passenger for a company like US Airways. They flew just over 40 million folks last year. $1.00 of that fee goes to the company for administration costs. $.50 goes to the MEC, and the remaining $3.50 is distributed to the pilots at the end of the quarter for which passenger totals are reported. So, the company pockets $40,000,000 plus interest accrued prior on delayed payouts (about 5 to 6 months based on ticket purchased six weeks prior to travel and payout not until TRAVEL quarter complete), the Union pockets $20,000,000 towards general expenses, and each of the approx 5300 pilots gets $26,000ish per year if divided evenly between left and right seat.
Many unions are in or will be in negotiations soon, some may even be at a Transition Agreement table. The travelling public will CLEARLY pay current fees. A Union Fee initiated now, at higer fuel prices, or triggered by oil falling below a set limit, will NOT hinder a company and would infact CONTRIBUTE to the bottome line. If one group were to iniatie it, wouldn't the other groups demand the same? Wouldn't that nullify Management's likely "We have to stay competitive," arguement.
Non union carriers. Maybe a $26,000 carrot would encourage organizing.
Travelling public. Not likely to be very popular, but perhaps the price of a cheap frozen pizza is defendable.
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