Originally Posted by
43Inches
Seriously if you think ditching seniority will somehow fix airline wages I think granitus may be between the ears. As said above already people are undercutting the system at the bottom. HR is not going to pay higher for experience, they'll just take anyone who fills the seat. And anybody that complains gets pushed out.
Nope. Seniority is a system pushed by rubbish pilots as a means to protect their careers. It completely removes your ability as a pilot to market your labor. If a Lawyer finds a better offer at another firm, they move to that firm. This places upwards pressure on wages across the board. This is the way executive pay is driven. Employers need to compete in the labor market for talent.
Pilots meanwhile, genius that they are, have literally blocked that capability so the airline no longer has to compete for squat. What did Salter tell us at the meeting years ago when it was pointed out tiger crew were paid more to do far, far less? "If tiger is so great, go work for them".
Except you can't, because seniority means that regardless of how good the deal is somewhere else, you start at the bottom on **** money. What leverage do you have to pressure wages up when the company knows that you're never going to leave? Zero. The only lever we have in our tool bag is to generate cost to the company through PIA in the hope that this cost exceeds the wage demand. But Qantas IR have shown that to them, the precedent is more valuable than the cost so haven't moved an inch.
Other professions laugh in my face when I explain to them how we've boxed ourselves in.
Still, at least old mate boost program gets a guaranteed shot at command right?
As said above already people are undercutting the system at the bottom
Blaming new hires is misdirected. You cannot expect people on a GA wage to just surrender their future to help your negotiating position. Are you going to share your income with them if they do? I suspect not.
I support pushing for better pay, don't misunderstand me. The way we've gone about it as a group is a disaster.