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Airline Pilots May Be Next in the Corporate War on Unions
U.S. commercial pilots are one of the few remaining strongholds of America’s diminished labor movement, but Flexjet LLC is trying to upend that conventional wisdom. Anti-union advocates are watching as a battle between the Teamsters and the jet-leasing company plays out, with one non-profit group representing Flexjet employees who are pushing to get the union out. (www.bloomberg.com) Ещё...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Yes, Ken Young. There is a fine line between safety and profit. I have been involved as Air Safety Chair for ALPA t my airline. My union---ALPA stood behind me everytime.
The Captain has COMPLETE AUTHORITY over the conduct of the flight. Sometimes the company just will not acknowledge this.
However, the Captain needs to know what ground he/she is standing on. You can't refuse an aircraft that has been inspected and found airworthy according to company standards. You can't refuse to fly as long as weather en route and destination are within approved limits even if you feel uncomfortable. Here is where you talk to dispatch and work out a plan. It works if pilots and company work together. Look who signs your paycheck.
The Captain has COMPLETE AUTHORITY over the conduct of the flight. Sometimes the company just will not acknowledge this.
However, the Captain needs to know what ground he/she is standing on. You can't refuse an aircraft that has been inspected and found airworthy according to company standards. You can't refuse to fly as long as weather en route and destination are within approved limits even if you feel uncomfortable. Here is where you talk to dispatch and work out a plan. It works if pilots and company work together. Look who signs your paycheck.
It should be the Pilots choice. Not Government mandated. If the majority want it fine. If not that is fine too. If everything is completely organized no one would ever get a job unless they play union politics. If everything is completely company, you would still have sweatshops. A lot of the time big union and big company sit in the same pew together. What we have now is a good balance.
One downside to unions particularly in the airline industry is that it locks people into jobs via the all important seniority number. If a pilot with 30 years experience wants to leave airline A for airline B, the union requires them to start at the bottom of the payscale again with all the "privileges" of having a low seniority number. A 747 captain at airline A cannot laterally move to 747 captain at airline B (in the US) because he finds that the working conditions at airline B are better.
Actually that’s not entirely true. It’s the co,panty that decides seniority when there is no union. I have worked both ways at non union airlines, some respect date of hire seniority, others hire directly into whichever seat they choose. The other aspect of the discussion that I haven’t seen yet is with a non union airline, even one that does not hire into the left seat, politics (who you know) can play a pivotal roll in when an upgrade is offered, that is to say out of seniority order. Of course the opposite argument can be made that the more skilled pilot gets the upgrade opportunity first, but that’s not the real world in my experience...
Very true Stefan Sobol. This is one area I will have to agree. The seniority number is more important than anything unless you are already very senior. In this case, you don't want another pilot to come in above you. It works both ways. Seniority works at the domicile level as well as the company level. You could easily have a senior pilot bid your domicile and bump you down. Company wide, seniority decides how fast you can upgrade. Bids open and the most senior pilot gets first choice and on down the line. At the majors, there are so many other choices and even a junior pilot might get what he/she wants.
Generally unions are in disfavor. Unpopular. That is a view held not only by business, but by the general public as well.
Now, commercial pilots are under the stresses of tight time schedules. Maintenance crews as well.
In my world the PIC should have absolute authority over their Craft. Such is not the case. Carriers often interfere with the authority the PIC should have. Carriers are in the business of turning a profit for the investors. Passenger comfort and customer service are secondary.
That's where representation by a labor collective can be useful.
The problem with unions is there is no balance. No balance between the interests of the business and the employees. And left out, is the consumer.
Unions would be looked at in a brighter light if union management would stop the "us vs them" mentality