"Why Pilots Should Make $200,000 aYear" essay thing

[ReverseSensing]

A Squared:

Honest question: Do you fly for Evert's? Is the bulk of Evert's business bypass mail? Considering your free market ideology, do you have any heartburn about how far from the free market system the whole bypass mail arrangement is.

Not flame! Coming from a guy who was always a little irritated by hauling a triple mailer of pop from Bethel to Scammon or Hooper or Platinum with a $10 postal meter strip on it, knowing my company alone was being paid about $60 bucks to deliver it.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

A Squared- Thanks for the reply.

While the scab application has some merit, I believe the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is a more powerful example.

The CBA in itself limits the supply and demand. For example, if there was a pilot that was a independently wealthy that would work for min wage, just cause he loves to fly...he could not. The CBA forces him to work at a higher rate. The rate is determined thru negotiation based on the companies revenue/profit. The rate is not determined by the number of pilots willing to work for min wage.

Therefore suppy and demand are limiting factors to a pilots wage. The CBA forms an artificial "environment". Which is good.

Your thoughts?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Rez O when your F/O gets his 1200 TT he is eligle for 135 IFR PIC, there are many jobs he could apply for that pay more that regional F/O wages, he most likely would have to move, where a pager and give up quality of life. He would start logging PIC and increase his chances of moving to a better paying job.

Can't move. He just had a baby and his wife needs her families support. Plus he needs the travel bennies to visit his family overseas...

I know, he shouldn't have had a baby. What was he thinking!!

 

[Purpledog]

"Pilots only impress 2 groups of people, small children and each other."

I think it's only kids because they certainly don't impress me. This thread is a good example why. I should have become a doctor like my brother. His job is much easier than mine, he attained his goal long before I did, has incredible job security, sees his family most nights, and makes triple my salary. Furthermore, he doesn't have idiot colleagues telling his patients he deserves less. Our own worst enemy.............

 

[pilotyip]

Should never start a family until you have the income to support it.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Should never start a family until you have the income to support it.

Let's question the gift of life! Your parents did (not)!

It is not his fifth child..... it is his first....

 

[A Squared]

A Squared- Thanks for the reply.

While the scab application has some merit, I believe the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is a more powerful example.

The CBA in itself limits the supply and demand. For example, if there was a pilot that was a independently wealthy that would work for min wage, just cause he loves to fly...he could not. The CBA forces him to work at a higher rate. The rate is determined thru negotiation based on the companies revenue/profit. The rate is not determined by the number of pilots willing to work for min wage.

Therefore suppy and demand are limiting factors to a pilots wage. The CBA forms an artificial "environment". Which is good.

Your thoughts?

Agree, the CBA is one way in which that particular labor market is shifted away from being a free market economy and toward being a planned economy.

Now, I'm generally a free market advocate, to a degree, but, I also recognize that a in a completely unfettered free market, companies will act to the detriment of society, so there needs to be some limits. Anti-trust legislation, unions, labor laws etc are all ways that some of the excesses of a completely free market are checked.

Now, I have never said that pilots *should not* make $200K, not in the slightest. If you can negotiate that, more power to you, and as long as the money to pay your salary isn't taken from me by threat of prison, (ie: taxes) I have no reason to care if you're making $200K. I've always said more power to you, if that's what you can negotiate.

However as soon as somone starts beliving that they are *owed* $200k thourough some misplaced sense of entitlement, I disagree.

I don't object to pilots making $200K, I object to pilots saying they are *owed* $200K. I think that distinction may be lost on many here.

 

[A Squared]

A Squared:

Honest question: Do you fly for Evert's? Is the bulk of Evert's business bypass mail? Considering your free market ideology, do you have any heartburn about how far from the free market system the whole bypass mail arrangement is.

Not flame! Coming from a guy who was always a little irritated by hauling a triple mailer of pop from Bethel to Scammon or Hooper or Platinum with a $10 postal meter strip on it, knowing my company alone was being paid about $60 bucks to deliver it.

Hahahah, Busted!!!!!

Fair question. Here's my thoughts. Yeah, like you, I don't think it's right that a few carriers have the exclusive enjoyment of a highly subsidized market. I thnk it's ridiculous that the Post office has to jack up postage rates in the lower 48 so that it can pay $70 bucks to ship soda pop from Anchorage to Scammon bay but only charge charge $10 bucks for the service. It leads to just that sort of ridiculous situation, shipping tons and tons of soda-pop by air mail, when with a little planning, it could be shipped by barge. You can bet that if the customer was paying the full fare, suddenly the Scammon Bay Co-op would start planning far enough in advance that the soda, bottled water, canned goods and other non-perisables would be shipped by barge.
ANyway, you asked a pointed question about me. Yes, obviously I am benefitting from this situation. I figure that as long as it's in place, someone will benefit, and it might as well be me. Some might argue that I should quit as a matter of principal. perhaps. I probably won't though. By the same token, If I were at a major Airline, I would be quite content to get the $200k (or whatever) paycheck. Remember, I don't object to pilots being paid $200k, I object to pilots believing they are *owed* $200k. Yes the bypass mail system is benefitting me, but you won't hear me defending it because I think the postal rate payers in the lower 48 *owe* me a job. If it goes away, maybe my company will be clever enough to react in a way that I still have a job, maybe not. Maybe I'll have to find another job. It might be tough, but I don't believe that a system of subsidies should be preserved merely because it provides me economic comfort.

 

[Bumpman]

I am so fortunate to be a member of a professional community that has so many members that are so richly blessed with imminent wisdom. I hope that when I grow up, I can be that smart. You guys really crack me up.

 

[ReverseSensing]

I am so fortunate to be a member of a professional community that has so many members that are so richly blessed with imminent wisdom. I hope that when I grow up, I can be that smart. You guys really crack me up.

It is certainly your prerogative to agree or disagree, and make your case or not. But sarcastically taking all your marbles and going home with one final jab at the "big dummies" who thought you wanted a debate is beneath you (I assume). Honestly, I would have expected more from someone with your extensive industry experience.