Dear Wayyyoutthere,
I think you’re talking to the wrong pensioner here. I have been to every !!!! hole imaginable on this earth. But have never paid to fly, paid for my training, backstabbed my fellow pilots or taken unnecessary crap from management.
Many years ago an unscrupulous employer decided to unilaterally cut our pay by 50% for no apparent reason. The company was doing fine at the time he was just a greedy sloth, and thought because he had tons of applications he could dictate terms and replace those that left “Trouble Makers” Well I voted with my feet and left. Heavily in debt and with a family to support. I flipped burgers, mowed lawns and did what ever it took to feed the family and pay the bills. I was fighting a loosing battle. I cursed my Father who had instilled in me from a young age the values of honesty, integrity and mate ship. I actually wished I had kissed ass and licked balls. How stupid could I be!
Well one day my father visited and I related the mess I was in. He as usual blabbed his usual pearls of wisdom. “Well son when one door closes another one opens, stick by your guns and you will end up with like minded people with like minded values” He also gave me 1,000 bucks which was a lot for him as he was not a rich man.
Not long after this event I was recognized at an interview as one of the panel members had also voted with his feet and was hired with below minimum requirements solely because of the action I had taken at the previous company. This event took me over the years to the left seat of the 747 where I shall retire shortly.
In my career I have dedicated myself to helping the younger generation and will always go the extra mile to assist a struggling FO. (Payback for the goodness bestowed to me) I have seen all types come stay or go. I have seen the wingers and the gold diggers the backstabbers and I have also seen personalities with honesty, integrity and fortitude.
But overall the crews that really stuck together and trusted each other always made for an atmosphere of honesty and integrity with relation to the management. We didn’t ask for much. Just that which was promised to us in good faith within the contracts we signed. Nothing more nothing less! And management knew we would stick together and hence we have always received our daily dues plus some incremental improvements that actually saved the company money.
Wooblah.