Ace243

My 2¢
If you look at it as a problem, then my issue is I always try to look at the root cause.
I think the best thing pilots can do is to convene wherever possible, (APC forums), and discuss things, get our values, standards, goals, and such together- at least discuss them, THEN we can go and stand our ground as a GROUP. When we get separated, and some of us stand our ground when it is necessary, then we get screwed for standing for what is right. Even if we didn't convene, but simply all decided to be more firm, and active in the matters of the industry I think we would all be on the same page anyway! I also think the main problem lies in the fact that in today's society money and personal gain is more important than values and honor..

Where's MacGyver when you need him?!

iarapilot

Repubs or Dems, irrelevant. They are an illusion of choice. It is part of the dialectic. I read that somewhere.

jungle

It is no accident that the highest paying jobs are in the most successful business', unions have almost no effect on the outcome. Nor do feeble political endorsements.

If you think the success of your company has nothing to do with your pay, you might want to think again.

We will all find more success in a strong economy, a successful business, low taxes, and reasonable regulation. Everything else is just wishful thinking.

MD11Fr8Dog

The FAA falls under the DOT, which is a part of the Executive Branch. The head of the Executive Bbranch lives in the WH.

MEMA300

If ALPA really feels this is a huge safety of flight issue then S.O.S.

Pragmatic1

This is a troubling precedent being set here. The FAA implemented a different safety standard for cargo airlines which can have far reaching impacts in the future. Just think how much more profitable our company would be if they could implement unmanned cargo flights, since safety is no longer an issue in the cargo world. I know that's a bit of "Glenn Beck style 1 + 1 = 100 theory", but we should take some action to pressure the FAA to make change. We obviously can't defeat the money, but we can have a tea party style/occupy the FAA movement to enlighten the public of the dangers. After all we do share the same airspace as those all important passenger carriers.

Pragmatic1

It only adds insult to injury when you see FedEx alone had a gross profit of almost $ 8 billion last qtr.... $306 million is a 10 year cost for the industry..less than $30 million a year......

Pragmatic1

Your pay is only tied to the success of the company, when the company is doing poorly. When profit is down.. Pay is down 4a2b. Strangly, the current record profits have not change my pay one bit.

On this FAA rules remember the mantra from your conservative coterie..We need to end these job killing regulations" ....ironically, implementing these new rules would result in increase hiring. The relatively small cost could easily be passed on to the customer. Sharing the ten year cost of $306 million for the industry is not going to affect the success of a $40 billion dollar annual company. Seems like reasonable regulation to me. But Big business wins again. I'm sure the company will share some of that $300 million savings with the crew force....

olly

Of course a strong economy, a successful business, low taxes, and reasonable regulation is most conducive for success, and I would agree that the success of my company is related to may pay, but not directly proportional. From my experience at UAL, a defense company and at FDX, I can assure you that our salaries are not directly proportional to the success of the company.

And in general the highest paying jobs are in successful biz, except AIG, JP Morgan, Citi, MFS, Home Depot... lotsa high rollers there- with joe the stockholder (small owner of capital) holding the bag.

"unions have almost no effect on the outcome" dont know what outcome you're referring to- the NPRM, or biz success.

If its the NPRM -we freight dogs lost out, but our pax brothers got some relief- I beleive that ALPA's participation in the ARC had a positive impact for the better aspects of the Rule.

If it's biz success - why do business lobby so hard against unions?- note the latest outcry from big biz community on the rulemaking on union organization. But you're right in the fact that in a properly managed company it should not matter (FDX!), but why is big biz so against unions? Collective bargaining may make their labor cost higher than individual renumeration. Have you ever compared your salary & benefits as a commercial airline pilot to those of a profitable non-unionized carrier?

Of course the employer has to have the ability to renumerate, no negotiator can garner whats not there, but collective bargaining enables the union to negotiate for a reaosnable part of the pie that they help create- owners of labor vs owners of capital can agree and prosper. A rising tide of economy, taxes regulation "can" float all boats, but we only get what we negotiate, and that is where the value is.

The CEO of MESA was quoted as saying he would only pay his pilot enough so that they wouldnt quit, and not a penny more!!

The Chamber of Commerce was allied to the industry that oposed the rule, and some of their comments were specious at best, as they are often quoted by legislators when there are initiatives that get in the way of profit. Nothing wrong with profit, but this is a prime example of how the well financed powerful lobby bought their way through the legal onslaught delineated in the report, at the expense of our profession, and in the face of the adminstrations' purported One level of safety that came with the origianl draft of the NPRM.

olly

I would be interested to know how much/if the WH leaned on DOT & FAA in the administration of their ruling. The pdf went into significant detail delineating compliance with executive order etc,

According to the document, the FAA makes the decision based on the processes described therein. W all that's going on in the Nation/World- tax, deficit, Korea, Iran, ... It would seem unlikely the POTUS would micromanage this single fed department rule, ----the FAA as well as all federal departments make a lot of rules, "hey Lahood, Huerta-rule for the pax carriers, but cut out the freight dogs".

Seems more likely based on the pdf that the lobby rolled hard on OMB's analysis- disputing & providing data, as they saw fit, then bringing in lawsuits vs FAA/DOT on the grounds of some of their evidence as documented in the pdf.

It'd be great to have the "inside" story, but after reading thru the pdf, it looks like the corp lobby just rolled the FAA, and created enough doubt, challenging their data, assumptions, etc, and likely the FAA didnt have the legal power to fend it off.

See it often in the military aviation basing battles, the DoJ lawyers just get crushed by a larger and well resourced legal team, where the gov just settles as they can't afford to keep up the fight, even tho' their case makes "sense" and is ethically correct.

Just goes to show how important is is to lobby- too bad that ALPA will never be able to keep up $$$ wise against the ATA, NACA, Chamber of Commerce resources.

Remeber the Golden Rule- He who has the Gold Makes the Rules!!