BluDevAv8r
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 985
P38JLightning said:this is very different, because we already have a very good contract and all that is being asked for is a pay table freeze, and in exchange we get some pretty good contract language. at the end of the freeze we will still be higher than anyone else (except XJET if at that time they are still paying out their 7% profit sharing, which is possible but highly unlikely) and it will validate our current pay scales with Delta management. that would give you guys immeasurable leverage in front of the NMB that a "Comair contract" is indeed reasonable. without that leverage, you will likely be threatened by the NMB to be "parked" for years under your current book without negotiations, after which time negotiations would resume, and still take 2 more years.
P38,
I agree. You guys have an excellent contract, with or without this TA. I also agree with your last statement about the NMB, etc.
The real reason for my reply, however, is to reference your comment that I bolded/underlined above. I'm not sure if you are analyzing your TA rates versus our new contract rates accurately. Let's forget profit sharing for the purpose of this post and discussion. If we take a 5th year Captain at XJT today and compare him to a 5th year CMR Captain today, the CMR Captain enjoys a higher hourly pay rate without question (64.47 versus 68.13). Now if we stream both of those pilots' rates out 24 months into the future, the XJT pilot will be paid several dollars more per hour (71.15 at XJT in 2006 prior to our 2007 2.5% bump versus 68.13 at CMR in 2006 prior to their 2007 2% bump).
Also, this does not count the fact that XJT's contract has a more significant retirement program as well as a better vacation system (and more days off guaranteed per year as well). With that said, this isn't a competition but I also wanted to point out that this stuff isn't all about the hourly pay rate and furthermore, ratification of your TA would put Comair pilots hired in the same year as an XJT pilot behind that XJT pilot in hourly rate due to the longevity freeze.
Good luck with your ratification process, whichever way you and your peers believe it should go. I wish the Comair pilots the best and support their collective decision.
-Neal