Both sides need to stop the rhetoric and let this process unfold until it has run its course. The childish banter back and forth between east/west posters has gone far beyond reasonable debate. I am a west pilot with what I guess you can call a moderate opinion. I saw the potential complications as soon NIC was announced. I won’t bore any of you with all my perceived NIC problems, but suffice to say I did see why the east was angry over being slotted next to a guy/gal with decades less time with the Company. I personally did not see how it was equitable to have a pilot with a 16-year tenure placed next to someone with 1-2 years.
After thoughtful discussion with many pilot friends in the military and airline industry, one theme kept reoccurring over and over with many not knowing much about US Airways history. Most were somewhat shocked to hear a bottom guy on the east seniority list had 16 years with the company. Indeed, we empathized with any pilot caught up in that kind of misfortune and disastrous career, but the reality all recognized was that bottom guy really had no more seniority than the bottom guy at AWA. I know, sound like the typical west post but bear with me here.
One thing that has not been given much attention is the east longevity and how that plays into the mix of things. It is true with the NIC that for the most part everyone maintains their seniority relative to the respective lists, but what about the equitable time spent with the company, surely it must amount to more if you have been with a company for 16 years versus 2? I do think an employee with more “sweat equity†deserves credit for time served so to speak. Unfortunately, the east pilots have equated seniority with sweat equity (longevity) and that has muddied the waters to the point of becoming the common rallying cry. I suggest the east has retained it’s superior longevity over the west and here is the reason. That same guy with 16 years “sweat equity†will be paid for his 16 years of service while the guy next to him with 2 years will be making a whole lot less while basically performing the same job. Thus the east has the equitable advantage in any new contract. I am afraid though the east will exploit this reality in any TA to balance the perceived unfairness with the NIC by creating lopsided salary scales that heavily favor the east longevity. Pay has and always will be determined based on longevity, not seniority, so there is a real possibility west pilots will see little to no raise in a TA.
More to come…
upe
After thoughtful discussion with many pilot friends in the military and airline industry, one theme kept reoccurring over and over with many not knowing much about US Airways history. Most were somewhat shocked to hear a bottom guy on the east seniority list had 16 years with the company. Indeed, we empathized with any pilot caught up in that kind of misfortune and disastrous career, but the reality all recognized was that bottom guy really had no more seniority than the bottom guy at AWA. I know, sound like the typical west post but bear with me here.
One thing that has not been given much attention is the east longevity and how that plays into the mix of things. It is true with the NIC that for the most part everyone maintains their seniority relative to the respective lists, but what about the equitable time spent with the company, surely it must amount to more if you have been with a company for 16 years versus 2? I do think an employee with more “sweat equity†deserves credit for time served so to speak. Unfortunately, the east pilots have equated seniority with sweat equity (longevity) and that has muddied the waters to the point of becoming the common rallying cry. I suggest the east has retained it’s superior longevity over the west and here is the reason. That same guy with 16 years “sweat equity†will be paid for his 16 years of service while the guy next to him with 2 years will be making a whole lot less while basically performing the same job. Thus the east has the equitable advantage in any new contract. I am afraid though the east will exploit this reality in any TA to balance the perceived unfairness with the NIC by creating lopsided salary scales that heavily favor the east longevity. Pay has and always will be determined based on longevity, not seniority, so there is a real possibility west pilots will see little to no raise in a TA.
More to come…
upe
