Palmtree Pilot

AGREED! If I came off snarky at all, it was not intentional. Just there, the other guy was a little surprised at my disgust over the place the next morning… I’ve seen this at two other particular places I’ve worked where pilots that have been beat down over 15-20 years at not so great places; Serious Stockholm syndrome over the condition of hotels they get to stay at while away from home on the companies dime.

The scarier thing about it was, the Stockholm syndrome bled over to other aspects of QOL and benefits in the work place. Hotel costs are minor and the price of doing business in the aviation industry. So if we can’t have a high standard of lodging while away from our own homes, it’s not going to fare well for the rest of the contract.

Lewbronski

I sure hope so too.

But…

The signs that have so far come out of Empire Central this contract cycle are not promising.

The two most prominent being:

1. A failure to file for mediation until late in the game.
2. An almost complete lack of real RLA education that could be said, and IMO is, a necessary prerequisite for an overwhelming SAV. How many within our pilot group can answer basic questions like:

• What is the point of a SAV vote anyway? What does it mean about actually going on strike?
• What are the chances we actually end up going on strike if we vote in favor of a SAV?
• What leverage does the RLA directly give us access to vice other sources of leverage like the supposed pilot shortage, “a good economy,” or pilot group “unity”?
• What is the difference between mediation and arbitration?
• How long can we expect to be in mediation?
• Can’t the mediator just force us to accept an agreement?
• Wont the mediator just put us on ice “forever” if we ask for too much?
• Why use the RLA when “the President can just shut us down”?
• Why use the RLA when “Congress can just shut us down”?
• Why use the RLA when “it’s stacked against us”?
• Why not just wrap up negotiations sooner when “the economy is good” and before we lose any more value to inflation versus trying to use the RLA when they can just drag it out for years?
• How much can we really expect to gain anyway by using the RLA when “the law requires us to give something to get something”?
• How is the RLA more leverage than everyone wearing SWAPA lanyards?

Until SWAPA educates the pilot group on the “why” behind a SAV, we are unlikely to see much enthusiasm for a SAV. Since the “S” in “SAV” stands for “strike”, and the RLA is the law that creates the landscape that must be navigated in order to pose the credible threat of a legal strike, then until our pilot group has a thorough understanding of the RLA and “why” it’s a more powerful source of leverage than other potential forms of leverage, it’s not difficult to imagine that we will have trouble generating enthusiasm for a SAV. SWAPA has barely lifted a finger in that regard.

Am I pointing this out because I’m a malcontent? You might think so but I don’t. I’m pointing this out to, hopefully, motivate at least one person to learn more about the RLA, educate their fellow pilots, and maybe most importantly, contact SWAPA to push for real RLA education so that we can begin to wield our most powerful form of leverage. Note that even the most basic piece of RLA education published thus far by SWAPA, the RLA flowchart, is inaccurate.

Rseat

Preach brother!!

To avoid becoming a revolving door, we need to be competitive with the highest paying equipment of our competitors.

bull

Just curious…what is your justification for the same pay for a 350/777 carrying 300+ people around the World vs a 737 carrying 180 people around the US? Traditionally, more expensive aircraft, generating more revenue, carrying more people, operating in more challenging environments (language, rules, etc), tend to pay more. I’m genuinely interested and not trying to start anything…full disclosure I don’t work for SWA and would love to see you all get $400/hour. I’m just trying to figure how that is in the ZOR with Delta’s latest AIP

Grumpyaviator

thanks! Great to be back.

Grumpyaviator

I just saw a thing floating around. I think it’s a reasonable expectation.

Tankerhead

Just curious, what’s your justification for bothering to click on a SWA thread? Don’t you have some guard to monitor or some wind to check?

Cyio

The idea is that we don’t have any other option to advance to higher paying jets due to how this company is built which in turn saves the company a metric ton of cash having a single fleet. If we can’t advance and the company profits off that we should as well.

I honestly don’t think there is a significant skill gap that someone flying a 737 vs a 777 that couldn’t be overcome with some training and line experience. It’s not like we are somehow not mentally capable of learning the additional skills.

hoover

I'd add that sw guys fly more block hrs and more takeoff and landings than anyone else. More risk=more pay.
by flying more block hrs sw pilots generate more revenue than a pilot somewhere else. That also equals more pay.
So if you're make your company more money and at the same time protecting them from massive liability you should get paid more.
I believe that's how companies justify paying their executives millions a yr.

ak68W

ha! What about the roachway inn…. I mean Wyndham ELP.