RRAAMJET - as I said, by UK terms our proposed salary package isn't too bad - even more so for the guys working offshore and therefore being paid gross. In any case, I don't think we'd be employing too many Americans - we require UK/JAA licences for a start.
My interest in this is therefore largely academic: I am very concerned at the underlying pressure that will be placed on other carriers by both ALPA and the three majors that have or are considering paying their people these remarkably high salaries.
As with merchant bankers earning seven figure packages (including bonuses); and many US doctors, attorneys etc earning similarly excessive sums, I'm just wondering where it will all end? The gulf between the 'ordinary working man' and the 'upper middle classes' is widening - and from a social viewpoint, that has to be bad news.
I'm not advocating a communist system where everyone gets paid the same - but social unrest is caused, in large part, through situations such as this.