Originally Posted by bigdaddie

Interesting. Tom's a bright guy but is only like 53. I wonder if this is much of a pay increase? Here's some data:

Association Executive Salaries Rise | Journal of Commerce

Originally Posted by sailingfun

Virtually every job at any company has a length of service component in their pay structure. Its the norm not the exception. At Delta since I was hired in 86 the bottom half of the seniority list has enjoy far greater gains in compensation then the top so there has been some adjustments. As a example a 767 Captain made 151 an hour in 1988. A 767 3rd year copilot made 60 dollars an hour. Today that same Captain makes 174 an hour and that same copilot makes make 119 per hour.

Today a first year new hire should be able to clear close to 50,000 his first year. The same pilot in 1988 made 21,000 for the year. Add in the fact that almost everyone spent 2 to 5 years in the SO seat before moving to a window seat and the pay difference is even better.

Other areas that are considered junior issues in the contract have also enjoyed large improvements. No one section of the contract has enjoyed more improvement since 88 then the reserve system. Its dramatically better even today after the 1113 contract. Junior pilots were capped at 6 percent of earnings for 401k contributions back then and could not contribute the first year. This is killing the so called dead zoners today because they after 5 years with the company few had more then 20,000 in their 401k. Today that restriction is gone and junior pilots can contribute to the IRS maximum of 16,500 per year.

Even the contract extension just signed had a great deal for junior pilots. The 2 percent increase to the 401k contributions is huge for a pilot with 20 to 30 years go go at Delta but means little to a deadzoner. The matrix for junior pilots was huge also in the 1113 contract and devasting for senior pilots when the retirement was killed.

I notice a trend here to bash ALPA and senior pilots for not taking care of junior pilots. If you did a honest comparison of contracts over the last 25 years you will find that not only is that not true but the opposite is actually the reality.

Originally Posted by Bluto

Well, frankly I was hoping more for a timeline (and quadrupling of the LAX base, while we're at it) but I guess beggars can't be choosers. There is no prohibition, however, on beggars being whiners.

Originally Posted by reddog25

Always vote down the first offer[/quo


I see lots of people quoting 1 Jan 2012 as the contract amendable date. Its actually 31 Dec 2012. Big difference!

If we open like we did for the 777 way back when then we wont see a contract for at least 5 years. I would not plan on anything until 2018 for so. If we open for some reasonable gains we might get a contract on or near the amendable date and be working on the next contract in 2016. That is the approach I hope the union takes. I believe it will put the most money and give me a better quality of life over time then the APA approach.

Originally Posted by Sawdog

Heard a rumor today that those flying the DC-9 will get frozen while they are phased out. The pay will increase to what you can hold, any truth to it?

Originally Posted by Sawdog

Heard a rumor today that those flying the DC-9 will get frozen while they are phased out. The pay will increase to what you can hold, any truth to it?