Two different philosophies on freighter flying.
We all know CX can afford to pay A Scale on the pax and the freighter, but they are not. Just because they can afford it, they will not do it, until they are forced. For example, the B scale Training Captains would not upgrade to STC, so the P-fund contributions went up to 20%. Now we have many STC upgrades.
Me figures if none of these 30 mainline pilots flew the freighter, well the company would have to pay the freighter pilots more, but that is not going to happen is it. If the pax pilots would stop flying it, you may see the freighter flying come back into the fold and you could get your command on mainline pay. If the freighter flying would come back to the fold, we could have B Scale for all F/O’s (pax and freighter), not on this new merged F/O freighter scale they will try to vote through. I am assuming they will introduce a merged Capt’s salary with the merged F/O salary.
You see, if they don’t have the proper amount of pilots for the freighter division, they lose a huge amount of flexibility. If they don’t have this flexibility, they could not crew all the flights (your 30 pilots). What is one to do? CX could bring it back into the fold because they need this flexibility (on better salary, RP and conditions) or CX can get 30 or so pilots to fly until CX/AOA put some clause in our contract. They are now trying to figure out how they are going to get you to fly the freighter for less and it will most likely happen whether you are a mainline pilot or not.
These plots will just prop it up long enough for CX to fix THEIR problem and WE pay for it, no reason to throw money at it, only the small amount we pay the mainline pilots.
I can see at negotiations, all pilots will fly the freighter and will receive freighter pay when doing so, but you will receive a 2% increase in mainline pay for doing so.
Just stop flying the freighter so the negotiation team can have some leverage, but everyone must look after number one, yes.
The freighter pilots are not helping their cause by any means. Record amount of disruption and many continue to go into discretion, according to NR updates. I ask myself why? They have terrible rosters and RP, paid the least, PX’ing all over the world in economy. I can’t understand why they do it.
The freighter pilots can not understand why they don’t get a pay rise or better rosters, but I guess that is why they are freighter pilots.
One thing you and I agree on is that these guys getting early commands are not helping but we all had the opportunity to take these positions and the most senior guy got it. I can only assume they had enough of HK. Win/Win for CX. Paid less on a base.
Now if we only stopped pilots coming on B-Scale……………………………………
