Lifestyle said:
Hey Boeingman,
Relax a little, Try and look at it another way. As a former CALEX and UAL pilot I must state some facts here. I tend to recall CAL pilots not supporting a one list staple and then as soon as 9/11 happened they gladly sent CAL pilots back to CALEX. CAL pilots have not been the most fair pilot group I've ever seen. Tripson and his gang are real fair and objective....NOT. Are they enjoying their ALPA pins? CAL has no scope clause and mainline CAL is just slowly withering away to CALEX. You want to talked about legalized B scale. Way to protect the industry standard CAL pilots. I hope you put a stop to this but I doubt it. Don't knock UAL pilots for trying to protect their airline and profession.
On another point, Can you blame UAL pilots and other labor groups to try to bring the airline industry pay up. Is that really a problem for you? It's great that a pilot can one day make 300K a year if he's lucky and has 30 plus years at United. What about all the guys who have been flying forever and still make no money! It's not United's fault to demand unreasonable pay it's the low cost carrier that is putting pressure on business. Control them and we have a decent profession to work in. It's only a matter of time before CAL feels some serious pain from low cost carriers. Have fun when your hero Gordo asks you for concessions to the point where you can't make a living pushing airplanes around. Remember, Gordo doesn't care about you, he must protect his investors. It's not fun so stop bagging UAL for trying to protect the industry for everyone. Don't receive joy from another persons misfortune. Happy Landings!
The pilots that got sent back were a part of a negotiated flow through agreement that allowed over 900 CALEX pilots to secure mainline jobs. You guys enjoyed the upswing and it's benefits but refuse to accept that there was a downside attached to a CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT.
Tripson? Waste of electrons to even talk about him.
All mainlines are withering away, not just CAL. It is the new economics of the industry. B scale? OK let’s talk to our DAL brothers about a true B scale. You're playing Symantec’s with what is going on at CAL is systemic to the industry.
Knocking UAL pilots for protecting the industry and profession? I predict that the contractual collapse of pilot pay scales that many either rightly or wrongly believe will be started over there. It is one thing to secure a decent contract, but frankly I believe the pay over there was never going to be able to be supported in this economic climate. It sure as hell was not going to be supported with UAL economics. FD's mantra about choking the golden goose is a very prophetic statement.
In retrospect we may all become very angered over ALPA pattern bargaining. Sure, great deal and we can laugh to the bank for a while but reality soon sets in. The age old tired phrase about setting new heights etc. etc .is only words. Ones that will ring hollow soon. Industry standard is a term that worked in the regulated industry. The term is meaningless in this day and age.
Don't get me wrong I want to maximize my pay and benefits to the limit. But I also want to retire with one uniform and not hit the streets again. I am pissed because you guys set the stage for an industry takedown given your economic environment in 2000. It is one thing to demand to be "paid up" It is another to demand it in a weak environment with a company already starting to falter financially due to years of blunders. It was a serious miscalculation that will cost us all in the long run.
The ripple effect of the UAL non cost effective contracts will spread to DAL, NWA and AA. You're nuts if you think all those carrier will not do anything in their power to push pilot wages lower. In light of this...can you honestly say it was prudent for UALALPA to squeeze the goose until it choked?
As far as CAL, my salary wouldn't even cover my taxes and expenses at a very successful business I own. Your threats fall on empty ears with me since I understand where this industry is headed. As long as we have pilots who will prostitute themselves to cross picket lines, work for start-ups with lousy pay the cycle will never end. I saw that in 83 when I walked and decided then and there to make my living on my own.
You think with UAL's costs you are not going to see pain? Let alone survive? 300K pilots? Sure more power to you, but there is no way the industry economics support that. You more or less said it yourself above. I know I will get flamed, go ahead. To those I say just look around at what is happening and ask how much longer you can bury your head in the sand?
Joy from another’s misfortunes? Do you remember the campaigns UAL aimed at CAL after the strike to put us out of business? How about during the strike? Even though I was on a picket line, it still pissed me off watching UAL guys do everything in their power to shut down a place that I hoped to eventually return to.
