Would you go on strike?

[michael707767]

Regional pilots have never been paid fairly commensurate with their reponsibility. Their responsibility is at least that of pilots at the majors. Sure, I would strike.

A regional pilots responsibility is not the same as a major pilots responsibility. Just as a 737 pilot does not have the responsibility as a 777 pilot. And just like a 70 seat pilot has more responsibility than a 50 seat pilot. Why? It all comes down to liability. If an RJ goes down, you are only facing 50 potential lawsuits (or 70 as the case may be). A 737 goes down, then anywhere from 120-150 lawsuits, and for a 777, upwards of 300. Add to that the cost of the aircraft themselves go up with size.

This is not a statement about pilot ability or what you should be paid. But the fact is a pilot flying a larger airplane has more responsibility.

 

[ifly4food]

Im just curious who would go on strike tomorrow for better wages or a better contract.
Without a doubt, I would for wages. Although Im pretty happy with my contract.

BTW, I wanted to make this a Poll but coudnt figure out how. If anyone does, let me know

YES!!!

ASA negotiations are NOT going well. Time to make financial preparations, ASA pilots.

 

[TopGun-MAV]

how do you go about getting a union set up? tab really needs some better working conditions. i get sick of working for peanuts. i have a loan payment due soon.

 

[Publishers]

reserves

Flying the line was then and this is now. Big Differnence!

In the old days, the airlines had considerable " hidden reserves". Hidden reserves are the difference between book value and the actual value of the assets of the company.

During a strike or other slowdown, they could sell or convert these reserves to cash to help them weather the strike or work action. They gave this up when the fashion became to lease everything, thus not having the reserves to deal with setbacks in the market, labor actions, or changes in the governement regulations.

The climate has changed since "Flying the line" and much of it is no longer germaine to todays market.

 

[bobbysamd]

Pilot responsibility

A regional pilots responsibility is not the same as a major pilots responsibility. Just as a 737 pilot does not have the responsibility as a 777 pilot. And just like a 70 seat pilot has more responsibility than a 50 seat pilot. Why? It all comes down to liability. If an RJ goes down, you are only facing 50 potential lawsuits (or 70 as the case may be). A 737 goes down, then anywhere from 120-150 lawsuits, and for a 777, upwards of 300. Add to that the cost of the aircraft themselves go up with size.

This is not a statement about pilot ability or what you should be paid. But the fact is a pilot flying a larger airplane has more responsibility.

All pilots have the same responsibility in terms of safety, whether it be a 172 or a 777. Safety is the number one responsibility for all pilots. Not only do pilots have a responsibility to their passengers, they have responsibilities to their companies, to other aircraft, and to people and property on the ground. It does not matter if you have 50 or 70 people dead or 300+ dead, they're all just as dead as the others. Are the fifty or seventy who died in the RJ less valuable than those who died in the 777?

New regional FOs, who are paid $12K, have the same degree of responsibility as their majors counterparts who might start at $33K. You cannot tell me that the $12K regional FO is being paid commensurate with his/her responsbility as set forth above.

 

[paid4training]

With the announcement today of 60 plus layoffs at XJT and fa's getting offered half schedules next month looks as if something big is going to happen. I heard it is a prep. for Us air going under and mesa (or whoever flies reg. for them) is undercuting xjt by 35% to get CALs regional market. This will effect negotiations severly. But good luck this week on talks...

 

[Publishers]

Bobby

I agree with Bobby. The fact is that pay has little relationship to responsibility or aircraft difficulty. It is more a function of industry disfunction where seniority is king over productivity or talent. It is an entry level mentality where a job requirement should be the focus.

When I had a corporate flight department with Aztecs to Citations, everyone was required to fly everything. The emphasis was that all our customers deserved the same level of competency and equipment level. The Aztec's had radar and fd's.