You have been here longer then most and seen plenty of ups and downs - what do yo think would be a reasonable ask?

Scoop

All of our positions are very reasonable.

The usual suspects hate that they lost control and are now trying to paint our leaders in a negative light to deliver the Delta pilots for less to management for a pat on the head.

Same stuff, different day.

Our leaders are doing a perfect job.

This is by far the best negotiating environment in our history and we have outstanding negotiators.

The beat way to succeed is to support them 100%. Don’t let a vocal handful destroy your future. Scope is everything for our new pilots. We couldn’t have a better scope chairman.

I’d like to see something new in line employee compensation. I think we should structure at least some aspect of our pay in the same way management/executives get payed.

A set salary/pay rates, which is our current pay, that is the base pay. Then I’d like to see either stock options or stock performance pay, that way as management monkeys with the stock price we can play too.

Profit sharing should stay the same as well, since that is the stick management beats us with on every cost saving measure they come up with (as a side note it’s becoming a bit hollow how often they say that in every announcement).

I think that there should be clause that links executives benefits to ours, that will probably fix our health insurance pretty quick.

But the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” culture is hard to break, see the arguments about MGW vs PAX vs Speed argument for pay rates I’ve seen.

Looks like our current pilot costs are around 4 billion a year. Somewhere around 1 billion would make me very happy at signing with small step increases each year.

We have had stock options in the past. I will take cash and those who want stock can purchase it!

I like how you go all cynical and then do the exact thing you bash the others for.

All I ask for is pilots taking the side of pilots. That includes looking at this from every angle. If you go accusing every pilot who disagrees with your brand of cheerleading a management goon you're gonna find yourself pretty alone under that tent.

I embrace this opportunity to agree with Sailing.

I also don't see a need to tie my compensation to management's. They care about short term performance and ensuring they can leap into a golden parachute or cozy retirement in 1-5 years. My family and I need this place to stay in good shape for decades.

Why? Everyone should be likely maxing out the legal limit as it is after about 3 years on property. Increasing the percentage is basically just a raise in the check. Negotiate that on rates, unless the entire goal of increasing retirement is just boosting W2. I suspect a large issue for many going into retirement isn't so much the money available or coming in, it's the health care money going out. For civilian guys, a commitment to max the HSA and pay premiums to age 67 might be nice. Military guys have other options, but also many have mil pensions to supplement too. Though I'll admit to being fairly ignorant as to how those work, and with Tricare etc.

The only thing that's certain here is that time is not on our side. If the economy is trending downward, while those who would most likely sell something else for pension type restoration move rapidly toward non voting position in retirement, being replaced by young guys whose 401k's would (in theory) be well loaded after 30 years of compounding interest.....seems all the company has to do is drag their feet and wait us out. For that reason, I wonder if a short term deal would be a better way to go. Just get something for guys on the way out, with an annual rate increase at the amendable date, and put either a contractual block on green slip flying after the amendable date, or a blank every pick up is premium pay after the amendable date. Easier said than done, but allows the company to kick it down the road while touting harmony, protects more of the guys retiring...and sets us up for massive gains when retirements peak.

Like I mentioned, I acknowledge I know little in the large scale workings of a lot of this.

Better yet, just make the amendable date July 1 instead of January. Then put a pill in the contract that prevents the company from issuing premium pay after the amendable date. Some gonna gripe they can't make it rain all summer, but what percentage of legs operated on the summer are done on premium pay? It would take 48 hours to have one helluva deal.

*slow clap*

Good way to make leverage. For a lot of pilots this will be their last contract, let's make it good.