Pool Boy,
if it was not for alpa you would be earning about half of your current salary ( just ask any former origin F/O what it was like to have individual contracts ).
Agreed. Individual contracts were some (most) of the reason why the Origin FOs got paid ****e and the Captains were paid reasonably (I say that hesitantly) for the size of the aeroplane. No collective approach/strength.
Of course, it was obviously a tactic to encourage pilots to hang around and since Origin was basically an entry-level regional carrier, it worked for the most part.
As far as NZ airlines are concerned, individual contracts are for fools. Anyone who thinks they can do better than a CEA is sadly mistaken.
Of course, ALPA does a lot of good work other than just CEA negotiations! These union/non-union arguements tend to forget that fact. That measly percentage of our pay does a lot more than just pay for negotiating strength.
Bombay