Sunvox

The age of the airline strike may also have seen it's zenith. My crystal ball is clouding with age, but right now it shows little chance of a sympathetic Labor Relations Board ever releasing the American, Delta, or United pilot group to seek self help not to mention the trend in the industry today towards keeping labor costs nearly identical across the board. I think the current thinking in the C suite tends more towards labor costs being fixed and comparable versus a whole sale desire to subvert labor as was the case in the '80s under Reagan after the PATCO strike.

BeeWatcher

The "big four" have comparable pilot costs but the Spirits and Jetblues of the world do not. Their executive suite does not want to give up their cost advantage and thus views pilot costs as a variable cost. Their current playbook of stalling is working out quite nicely for their bottom line. I don't see things changing anytime soon...

Floyd

Following SOPs, reading checklists, callouts, and conducting briefings doesn't mean you're being friendly. It's what safety demands and passengers expect. I've flown with a lot of scabs. Not once have I seen someone eat with them. I don't asked about their family, their interests, shake their hand, or sign their &$@#! retirement picture.

Your "point" is never moot. There will always be a need to educate future pilots about the consequences if one chooses to scab.

baseball

The ultimate goal isn't "spineless picketline crossers." They are hiring military guys because of the high value management puts on their vetting process. In Management's collective opinion, the military product is a "known commodity." No problems with probation, but a big trade off with guard/reserve and the effect it has on staffing (reserve).

I think Management knows the picketline in the traditional sense is gone. ALPA knows it too. It's like two armed Nuclear Nation States that both possess the launch button. Management has the lock out, and the union has the strike. Neither one wants to push the button and exercise the nuclear option.

Management's real goal is to staff the airline with competent pilots and who possess the acumen and aptitude to upgrade.

I also think that most of the military pilots value working for an airline with a strong union and a good contract. In my humble opinion, the current and former military officers we've hired have way too much honor to ever consider scabbing. I don't see an 0-6 crossing a picket line. I see him leading one.

PA Slammer

Nicely put.

baseball

None of the major US airline's want to be the one who is "leading the negotiating cycle" so to speak. However, they all know that the give-backs and concessions are over. They do want comparable labor costs. They want them for a few reasons:
1. It translates strongly to labor stability
2. It gives confidence to the stock price
3. It helps in terms of recruitment: ie, one airline isn't getting all the best applicants because of their superior pay.
4. It allows them increased flexibility to deal with their other major costs (fuel).

Continental (under Kellner) did not want to be the airline leading the pack. That's one of the reasons they proposed to take a pass and just offer "delta plus a dollar." They figured they would squeeze that dollar back out of you somewhere else (PBS for example).

Sniper66

Continental (under Kellner) did not want to be the airline leading the pack. That's one of the reasons they proposed to take a pass and just offer "delta plus a dollar." They figured they would squeeze that dollar back out of you somewhere else (PBS for example).[/QUOTE]





I can't recall when CAL paid Delta plus a dollar
Can you educate me about CAL contracts?

I remember all Captains 120 per hr
and all FOs 70 so per hour till the 95or 96 contract and an average pay during their 2000s contract ( still below their competition )

EWRflyr

That will be March 19, 2028 to be exact.

Airhoss

The last one dies or retires in 2028?

Sunvox

I thought Delta + $1 was the opener after the merger. Am I remembering wrong?