There's also a thread running on the
D & G forum along similar lines to this one, interestingly enough.
Perhaps as the thread starter there,
Oz Ocker, has suggested in his latest post, one major contributing factor to the reason for pilots' salaries going the way they are, is because of the "Global Village" in which we all now supposedly reside.
The work that was once the domain of only white Anglo-Saxons is now extended to just about every race world-wide.
I am not basing my thoughts on racism, but on the REALITY of the situation - so no abuse please.
As we are well aware, pilots salaries varied markedly until the last 10 or 15 years. Pilots in Western countries were paid reasonably good salaries, achieved by their united (unionised) efforts, whereas pilots in developing countries took what they were dished out - but in general enjoyed salaries higher than the average in their own countries.
Pilots from Eastern Europe made some impact on salaries in many parts of the world when they migrated - for them a BIG salary increase, but for incumbent pilots it meant a substantial drop in earnings to compete.
Technology of new aircraft means that traditionally required skills of pilots, and training time required to learn new aircraft have been lessened. And so - for example - China now has thousands of pilots flying the SAME aircraft types as are flown in Western countries for around 1/10th of the pay.
The employers are well aware of this and would replace ALL of us today if that were possible, I'm sure.
One of the biggest obstacles that stands in their way are the unions, which is why we are constantly seeing them chipped away and busted.
Labour laws in many countries have been dramatically changed over the past decade or so, facilitating the influx of cheaper foreign labour as airlines of Western countries try to compete against former Eastern European and Asian airlines operating on a far lesser labour cost base. As these airlines grow, the Western world's companies - and their employees - will come under even further pressure to trim down their costs, or alternatively go bust.
The money that non-Western airlines must be stashing away in profits for future expansion must be phenomenal, and a worry to Western world companies.
IMHO, that is the reality of the situation - the future for ALL airline employees, in the west, will be lower wages until the situation stabilises, and increasing salaries for employees of the up-and-coming airlines in the developing countries.
I've had my differences with
Carruthers before, however he also speaks a lot of truth - although we mightn't like hearing it.
