Southwest pilot talks proceed quietly

[atafan]

May I interrupt the "Mine is Bigger than Yours" talk?

I've been told that SCOPE is your number one item being negotiated. Is this true or even close to being true?

 

[Falcon Jet 1]

Yes, scope and codeshare are the biggest concerns.

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

May I interrupt the "Mine is Bigger than Yours" talk?

I've been told that SCOPE is your number one item being negotiated. Is this true or even close to being true?

Its the number one issue. I had an idea that we take stock options in lieu of all other compensation but no one would listen.

And I really dont think the SWA guys are saying theirs is bigger (401k/PS), just that it has worked well. Sure not having to save any of your own money is better. We could probably negotiate that, but it would cost us elsewhere.

And once again. If you guys with a "full company funded retirement" arent saving at least the amount we are required to on your own, your fool enough to lose it all somehow anyway.

 

[hoover]

You guys are just like school children on the playground. "My airline is better than your airline" "No it's not" "Yeah it is" etc etc etc.

The thing that strikes me is that, unlike every other passenger carrier out there, SWA is doing it right. They charge a reasonable fare for their services, and apparently they can make money at, all the while paying their people market competitive wages. And, unlike every other airline I have seen, SWA is actually proud of who they are and what they do. Contrast that with the United's and Americans of the world who walk around being Captain Grumpy all the time. Maybe if they tried a little positive attitude, instead of "Screw the company," things would get better for them.

I'm flying SWA at Chrismas time. $1000 bucks for two round trip tickets MDW to SEA. Now that's value.

 

[atafan]

I didn't mean to be so sarcastic about the size thing. I was emphasizing the importance of SCOPE during these crazy days.

I am confident that SWA is going to launch in the direction of multiple code share partners, at least internationally for now, and this may be something I would be focused on if I were a SWA pilot. I'm not sure if SWAPA is talking to ATA ALPA regarding this. We have our own can of worms that we are working with regarding the GAL deal.

I keep hearing that SWA will have major announcements starting on the 7th of Nov.

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

I didn't mean to be so sarcastic about the size thing. I was emphasizing the importance of SCOPE during these crazy days.

I am confident that SWA is going to launch in the direction of multiple code share partners, at least internationally for now, and this may be something I would be focused on if I were a SWA pilot. I'm not sure if SWAPA is talking to ATA ALPA regarding this. We have our own can of worms that we are working with regarding the GAL deal.

I keep hearing that SWA will have major announcements starting on the 7th of Nov.

SCOPE is SWAPAs main concern in negotiations. Since we have never had a regional feeder or, until now, codeshare, it has always been sort of an abstract "what if" sort of thing.

Now that codeshare seems to be in the plans while we are "slowing deliveries", it has everyones attention.

Reguarding the "announcement" there has been one on the horizon for the entire 4 yrs i have been here.

 

[Lipper95]

who cares about our 401k, profit sharing, or any other pay issues for swa pilots if you do not work here. besides, the social security system is so great that no one needs to save or have any company retirement to live the dream after retirement!

 

[PCL_128]

who cares about our 401k, profit sharing, or any other pay issues for swa pilots if you do not work here.

SWA does not exist in a vacuum. What you guys negotiate will affect everyone else in the industry. We're concerned about what you get in your next contract, just as you should be concerned about what we get.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

I'd like a B-plan, but I only get one vote.

 

[canyonblue]

SWA does not exist in a vacuum. What you guys negotiate will affect everyone else in the industry. We're concerned about what you get in your next contract, just as you should be concerned about what we get.

You're wrong. Part of Southwest's history in negotiations has been that we are unlike any other airline out there, so we cannot be compared to, or equated to, anyone else. Worked out for many in the good times, and worked for many in the bad times. The company has maintained this approach, so when concessions hit other airlines, they were not in any position to even remotely think of going down that path.