By BOB GRIFFIN
On April 1, some of my fellow Alaska Airlines pilots will be picketing to protest of our ongoing contract negotiations. I will not be joining them.
Currently, the average Alaska Airlines captain makes about $90,000 a year more than the average surgeon, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – and averages 15 days off every month, along with a month of vacation every year.
While recovering from two years of pandemic disruptions, Alaska Airline’s opening proposal to Alaska pilots contract negotiations includes more than 30 improvements to work rules. Additionally, the company has proposed pay increases that includes the highest pay rate in the industry for new-hire copilots and matches the current average pay rate of captains flying narrow-body aircraft at Southwest, Delta, United and American (the four US Airlines bigger than Alaska).
In addition to that, the company is offering an adjustment in pay rates after one year, if the pay pattern for other carriers increases during that year. Reasonable.
We’ve always been well compensated at Alaska but rarely at the top pay in the industry because we don’t have wide-body aircraft that bigger carriers use to supplement the higher cost per seat of their narrow-body fleets. Everyone who has ever interviewed to work for Alaska Airlines is aware of that.
My union bosses, who are encouraging a group think decision making process, are demanding a pay rate $34/hour abovethe highest paid narrow-body pilots at major passenger airlines with wide-body fleets. Unreasonable. They will say the pay demand is based on member polling data. They’re operating on bad data. I’ve taken the union polls. They’re not anything close to being scientific or at all balanced.
If you polled most Alaska Airlines pilots and asked if they want wages 15%-20% above the highest pay the industry, with no other context — most would probably say yes. Who wouldn’t? Everyone would like more money. If you informed pilots that wages at that level would make the airline significantly less competitive, drive-up ticket prices, and hamper the company’s ability to grow — there would be few who would be in favor.
If Alaska Airlines somehow granted 3,000 pilots a sudden 20% pay increase, it would be very difficult to do less for the other 20,000 non-pilot employees at the airline. We have chosen to work in a very competitive industry, where the balance between growth and stagnation are determined in very small margins. We must keep our costs competitive — to keep our ticket prices competitive — to attract more guests and grow.
When I joined Alaska in 2000, we were the 11th largest airline in the US with around 1,200 pilots. Today, Alaska is 5th largest airline in the US with 3,000 pilots, 238 aircraft and 145 new Boeing 737’s on order through 2026. Because of that growth, I’m in the top 20% of most senior pilots at Alaska. If we had not grown, I would still be around the middle of our pilot seniority list after 21 years.
Alaska Airlines was recently recognized as one of the Top 100 Best Employers in the US by Forbes and the Airline of the Year by Aviation Week’s Air Transport World. Alaska Airlines has a great culture, and a fantastic group of coworkers who collectively focus on giving our guests the award-winning service they deserve, at a fair price. There are plenty of airline industry jobs that will sometimes pay a little more. We all knew that, before we signed up to be a part of this great company.
Bob Griffin is a pilot with Alaska Airlines and lives in Anchorage.
Wow. What does it say about the current state of our culture that a rational dissenting argument against Union-mandated picketing feels like such a refreshing breath of common sense? Why isn’t it enough for that Union that the corporation already takes good care of its top earning professionals?
Thank you, Bob Griffin. In your hands, I have some confidence flying with Alaska Airlines over the competitors.
Union mandated picketing? How is it mandated? I’m no union goon myself and have avoided union work as much as possible in my aviation career-but nowhere is this mandated.
Why avoid union? You must have forgotten, ALPA was created to the serious lack of safety and pilots getting injured are killed with no recourse. Even though you may be anti union, I assure you enjoy many safety benefits ALPA has provided for you. Do yourself a favor and read “flying the line”
Unions have nothing to do with improved safety. Just like OSHA has nothing to do with workplace safety. They both have followed the improvements not led them.
Ignutz,
That’s the most uneducated ridiculous statement I’ve read in a long time. I suggest maybe doing a little research before shooting from the hip. You can start by reading “Flying the Line.”
Thanks
The informational picket was NOT mandated
Thank you! Over 1500 pilots and other company employees system wide there because the WANTED to stand in solidarity with their brothers and sisters. EVERY single on there on a legal day OFF, an earned vacation day or had already flown that morning (many on overnight redeyes and stayed up or took a short nap to then join their union), or many still were scheduled and did fly trips that afternoon or evening after voluntarily joining the lines. That should tell you something about this one pilot who feels the need to defy the efforts publicly of his fellow pilots while he reaps every single benefit of that contract we are busting our butts to achieve.
Really, and what about the thousands of stranded passengers who you obviously can care less about?
They were on their day off or off duty after already flown. They didn’t strand anyone.
All of the pilots on the picket line were on their day off. The cancellations were due to what they are trying to fix. Alaska can not attract new pilots or keep those already hired do to the contract these pilots work under.
Not too sharp are ya, Chuck. Reading comprehension is important.
Bob – admirable for you to stand in a manner not in line with your union. It’s rare. I wish more members in the NEA, IBEW, etc would do the same regarding how they’re told to vote. Many do but not enough. Regarding the AK Airline “award winning service”, I am old enough to remember the Scripture cards the former CEO approved that were handed out on flights. A far cry from the “woke” culture that has infiltrated AK Air and nearly every Fortune 500 company. Thx again for being counter cultural.
There is nothing admirable about back stabbing 3,000 of your fellow pilots.
You would think his years in the Air Force would have taught him something about comaderie
Embarassing
Can’t wait for Art Chance to chime-in on this one.
Alaska Airlines is headquartered in the Seattle Oblast of the Peoples’ Republic of Washington. These are the people who talked of banning Alaska Trade oil tankers from Puget Sound and were recently entertaining legislation imposing a 6% tax on gasoline and other refined products, mostly refined from Alaska oil, exported from WA to Alaska. I live for the day that you can get people and things to and from Alaska without darkening Washington soil.
I was at a labor relations conference in Seattle in the mid-’00s. One of the speakers was the Political Director for a Machinists’ Local there in Seattle. The IAM represents a lot of AS employees as well as a lot of Boeing employees. Listening to the IAM’s political commisar was like listening to Radio Moscow during the Cold War. Guess who the leadership of the pilots’ union hangs out with.
The reality is that AS management is at the mercy of a Biden Administration National Labor Relations Board and the Ninth Soviet, excuse me, Circuit. The Pilots’ union will likely get what it asks for or the whole alphabet soup of federal regulatory agencies will descend on AS and the pilots will have enough union adherents to mount a “work to rule” campaign and make flying AS a perfect misery. Getting a contract is going to be like “The Ransom of Red Chief,” even though I’m confident that the majority of the pilots share Captain Griffin’s views.
Seeing that over 1/3 of the entire pilot group was at the picket just in SEA… ide reconsider that last sentence.
Considering that the majority of ASA Pilots live in or near Seattle, they had a pretty small showing…..
It was over 1/2 of the pilot group the the other 1/2 that didn’t show up were working. It was the highest turnout in ALPA history. Hardly a “small showing.”
Over 800 I’m Seattle, the base has about 1600 pilots but many of those pilots are commuters to other bases and were on the lines in other cities because AGAIN they were already working that day or they were sitting reserve.
Waiting for the “April Fool”
I believe he wrote the article.
Too many Catholics not enough Christians.
What do you mean?
Where are any of us Jews in all this?
Sounds just like a company press release.
Why, because it differs in opinion from you?
Airline labor unions are a holdover from the days when interstate airline travel was regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB). Intrastate airlines were regulated by the governments of the states in which they operated. Regardless of the regulator it made no difference because the regulator protected the airlines from competition. They were treated like public utilities and guaranteed a reasonable rate of return. Essentially the same situation existed with international carriers whereby the carrier of the country was awarded monopoly status and government subsidies. The point is that without earnest competition the overhead of labor unions did not matter, just plow the added expense of featherbedding into the rate of return formula. It is analogous to how AT&T operated prior divestiture in 19884.
The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 changed all that. The CAB was phased out. Airlines were allowed to compete. Suddenly efficiency (ie, operating expense) became paramount. The airlines became adept at finding more efficient ways of doing things. Fares plummeted and ridership sky rocketed. All but one thing changed and that was the labor unions representing airline employees. Labor unions are not responsive to efficiency. They do nothing to enhance profitability. By definition labor unions are an added cost of doing business. They are sand in the transmission. Examples of airlines brought to their knees by intransigent labor unions: Eastern, TWA, Peoples Express and Continental.
The only thing labor unions can do to remain relevant with their members is demand more money and less work. That is what the Air Line Pilots Association is doing with Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airline pilots are not exactly a destitute cohort. Their union is essentially demanding insulation from the vicissitudes of competition in their industry. For that to happen Alaska Airlines must agree to their contract demand and pass that cost onto customers. If Alaska Airlines does not prevail we will pay more to travel.
During most of my career (over 30 yrs) there has been more supply than demand when it comes to pilots. I’ve worked in nearly all sectors of the biz from private corporate jets, to charter to intl freight and pax airlines. During all those years “Hey, if you don’t like it… we got 5000 resumes of people that’ll do it.” was the norm. And now that table is inverted. Now, they NEED us. But, to be clear, airline pilots after inflation are paid about 83% of what they were in the 60’s… which is pretty great compared to the absolute flatlining of wages since the late 70’s…. While both executive pay and efficiency has skyrocketed.
What’s amazing is when capitalists (of which I consider myself) act as though bargaining as a group is somehow “socialist” or “immoral”. CEO’s and college football coaches can negotiate a five year contract with Golden parachutes and buyout clauses that insure that even if their work is an abject failure they are still multimillionaires, and no one bats an eye…. No complaints about the private jet, second home in Aspen, etc…. No complaints about a $12 beer at the stadium…. Nope… ya just pay it. But, how dare wage earners negotiate a contract. Nevermind that I’m the event management runs the company in the ground Union contracts are gutted while management contracts are honored.
When Alaska buys jet fuel, they pay market rate. Supply and demand right. It’s what the market will bear…. but pilots negotiating for what the market will bear? “Just a bunch of pinko commies.”
As for TWA and Eastern…. You might can lay some blame with the pilots for not having a paradigm shift post deregulation, but if you speak of those airline’s demise and don’t mention Ichan or Lorenzo, you’re either ignorant or disingenuous.
You MIGHT end up paying more. But you’ll live, or… try walking… or the bus. What we are negotiating for is the market rate for a 737 pilot. Turns out supply and demand capitalism works BOTH ways.
Unions kill companies. Ask Eastern Airlines how that worked out.
Wait, you can’t. Eastern’s insane demands and a weak management drove it out of business.
Please help me understand, what were the insane demands made by Eastern Airlines?
Outrageous wages.
Facts are not correct.
The ones that drove it out of business and killed the jobs of the people making the demands.
Sir, unless you worked at Eastern Airlines or had a family member who did you make about as much sense as President Biden at the podium. Frank Lorenzo, please take the time to research that name and you can add Carl Icon to the list also. I can give you the names of dozens of home wreckers in the airline industry that destroy lives of all employees.
Ddd727, Are you suggesting that Lorenzo and Ican should have ignored operating expense? Deregulation was a difficult time for airline employees. Suddenly operating expense became important. By far the largest share of operating expense is employees. But to suggest that steps taken by executives to improve efficiency made them homewreckers is simply wrong. The same thing happens when any regulated industry deregulates or new technology brings sweeping changes to jobs.
Mr. Smith, if you take a broad look at the industry I have worked my entire adult life in from deregulation to today you will observe a sweeping changes in the business model. There used to be Juan Trippe’s, Herb Kelleher’s and Robert Crandle’s as CEO’s of airlines. Gone is the era of CEO’s who wanted to build and grow company, people who would often walked through the terminals and operations at airports to talk and gather ideas from front line employees. They cared about corporate efficiency and spending money wisely for a positive return on investment. Many times union leadership walked by their side affecting positive changes in safety, operational efficiency and the corporate bottom dollar. Just like Boeing, airlines took corporate leadership in the direction of the dollar in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. Today airline CEO’s are bean counters, they answer only to Wall Street, they don’t want to hear from customer base, employees or even the FAA. A few years ago American Airlines CEO Doug Parker said “ American Airlines will never loose money again” (2018) He said nothing about American will be the the safest, being number 1 in on time arrivals or lost bags or any other statistical category that is tracked. Funny thing is he made this comment after giving his pilots an 8% pay raise mid contract. Why? He had to. He knew the pilot shortage was just around the corner and to grow and be competitive he had to make employment at AA attractive to future employees. During the Covid down turn, did you see any CEO’s or senior management personnel take a pay cut or loose their jobs ( without a golden parachute )?
As far as Carl Icon, he was and is a corporate raider, he bought TWA to cannibalize the assets and did not give a hoot about the employees or TWA’s customer base. He tried to milk every ounce of profitability from the airline with the Caribu agreement after he sold it. You are right that labor and fuel are an airlines largest cost, but you should focus on the people making 15-30 million a year in bonuses and stock options before the individual working on Christmas so your family can get home safely.
Please explain all successful airlines, then.
They all have Unions, genuis.
When Eastern, Braniff, TWA, Peoples Express and TWA went tits-up leverage during union negotiations went to management. Unions have nothing of offer except more expense. It is not complicated.
Unions CAN kill companies.
Executives ALSO kill companies the financial crisis, too big to fail, etc. which Union was it that caused that?
I’ll wait.
Bob, why do you believe that you should work with less scheduling flexibility and NONE of the job security that ALL other major airline pilots enjoy? Not to mention pay parity. Bob you do not speak for this pilot and I believe the majority of the others as well.
He’s got his! He’s senior, gets a great schedule (probably), and lives in domicile. Why does he care about the rest of the pilot group?
He also obviously doesn’t understand supply and demand. There are too few pilots to go around. If alaska wants to hire them (or retain them), they have to pay the market rate.
No he does not. He should be removed from ALPA as far as I’m concerned.
He already is NOT a member and his blog should reflect that – he references “his union bosses” encouraging group think which is NOT how this union operates not at AK and not at any other ALPA carrier (there are unions that do and have operated this way so don’t get me wrong.). It’s a bottom up organization. Regardless – the union does not represent him and he has no voting rights.
Krista, Thanks for joining the dialogue.
I am a member. And over $100,000 in union dues that I’ve paid ($64,730 in just the last 10 years) gives me the privilege to be critical of how my dues are allocated.
We are not a sympathetic labor group to most in the public. The main point of observations. This is my 5th contract here. I think we’re not far off from a settlement. When have we ever had pay rates $40/hour above the narrow-body average for the larger carriers?
The work rules are much better now than they ever have been, and the company is offering more improvements during this cycle, including scope protection for the first time. Though it seems like union leadership is bent on beating the drums of war for another year and a half toward self-help at a lower wages and no scope protection.
Do I think the company’s opening offer will be the one we will ratify? Unlikely. But the opening offer seems more reasonable start and rational based on the economics of the situation and objectives we started with. Are there a lot of people who disagree with me? Certainly. But there many who have similar views who given me much private support but are intimidated to stand up to the Group Think publicly.
Ultimately this settlement will be driven by pattern bargaining and market demand.
I trust my source so we will leave it at that. It doesn’t take a genius to know just like you are referring to about the company’s proposal that ALPA’s terms also are a starting point just like the companies and not what will likely not end in a tentative agreement. And the company’s one line 76-passenger scope clause is laughable after saying they would never exceed industry standard Scope clauses and turning right around and purchasing (not on accident), 89,000 lb Max takeoff weight E175s and proceeded to use them at that weight and still is. The work rules now are better than they ever have been – how do you figure, they haven’t changed in 9 years? Not sure what decade you are in…
He’s clearly placed his own personal worth at (at least) $20/hr less than his peers. Fair enough.
Does he have the Courage of Conviction to refuse the new pay rates when a Contract eventually gets signed?
What say you Bob? Will you put your money where your mouth is?
Thanks for joining the dialogue.
The company is of course offering 76 seat scope protection in the opening proposal. And of course our best scope protection is that the company makes more money when customer interest is thick enough to support a 737 on a route.
We’ve always been well compensated but we’ve rarely made more than the airlines that have wide-body equipment to supplement their narrow-body operations. We all knew that when we interviewed.
Trying to change that is like getting married to someone thinking you’ll change them into a person you like more. That never works.
Bob,
1/3 of the pilot group was aquired. They didn’t choose Alaska. And your widebody argument holds no water. You make 30% less than Southwest on their current contract. You also make less then a Spirit or JetBlue Captain.
You didn’t answer the question:
Do you have the Courage of Conviction to refuse the new pay rates when a Contract is signed? Yes or No?
You didn’t answer.
Will you have the Courage of Conviction to refuse the new pay rates when a Contract is signed? Yes or No?
Truman,
Bob is the guy who picks up trips while his colleagues are on the street.
His Courage of Conviction is well documented.
I’d love to hear the answer to your question from Bob, but, then again, we all know the answer already. Bob should just put in his application for management and be done with it
Bob,
Explain to me how Southwest pays its pilots better and provides superior working conditions without widebodies
Did your time in the Air Force teach you anything about camaraderie because your best skill seems to be backstabbing your fellow coworkers.
Ps the term “co-pilot” has no place in a modern CRM cockpit. Embarrassing
Ditto! Thanks Pat. So many inaccurate data points spewed as fact in this “opinion” piece. The average AK pilot makes $90K more than your surgeon – absolutely laughable. I want my surgeons paid well but they have 1 life in their hands at a time (perhaps a few a day) – your pilots have your entire families lives in their hands x 300 people maybe more in a day if they fly 3-4 flights a day which frequently we do (oh throw some snow and ice in there and some thunderstorms too while you’re at it!). A pilot contract (as such in this case with the Alaska pilots) is not even so much about pay, but parity with our peer airlines on job security and scheduling and fatigue rules, and provisions to ensure a work/life balance since we are away from our homes/families so much.) Airline Pilots don’t make lateral moves between airlines – like Captain seat to Captain Seat – if you make the difficult decision to leave your current airline, you start are over at the bottom, lowest seniority number as a First Officer on 1st year pay at that new airline and work your way back up the seniority and pay ladder. Alaska pilots are leaving in large numbers like never before for other carriers even at 4/5/6 years with the company – that is an excruciating decision in our industry. Seniority is everything and the Alaska attrition right now speaks for itself. We need to attract and retain the very best pilots to stay and build experience here.
The first question which enters my (somewhat cynical) mind is:
1) what would compel someone who holds views which are contrary to the work group to which he belongs, to not only *refuse to participate in an informational picket, but to actively seek publicity and attention for his views?
In the very best case this is just a truly principled man who wants the world to know that he is much more virtuous than his peers. (If you believe that…)
In a more cynical world, one could assume that there is a personal gain at stake. Especially if the man in question was “known” for his contrarian antics.
To be clear, I am not implying any nefarious motive, just asking the obvious question.
9 times out of 10 people like this are getting paid by the company to take this position. Money says he’s got a very lucrative management position lined up for when this ends, so that he, and only he will take in a windfall at the expense of all of his peers.
I’m expressing my deeply help principles but I don’t consider myself more virtuous than any of my coworkers. Some of have different perspectives.
I’ve followed the union arguments closely and don’t find the union current position to be data-driven or credible compared to the company opening position.
Complaining about our jobs is truly the national pastime. Everyone thinks they’re under appreciated and wants more. When that sentiment gets emotional, it can erupt into High Conflict and rapidly become counterproductive to the interests of all parties.
This recent action is pretty tone-deaf strategically. The traveling public is not likely to have any sympathy for my bargaining unit if they think it will lead to travel disruptions and higher ticket prices.
You’re out of touch Bob. If you have any friends at WN or DL why don’t you see what their QOL and compensation package look like.
I’m guessing you’re rosey blinders are going to come off with ANC is given wholy to Skywest and your commuting on a 175 to Seattle. Enjoy it. You deserve it.
If your principles are sooo deeply held, then surely you will have the Courage of Conviction to refuse the new rates when the Contract is signed.
Correct?
You’re not going to have your hand out to reap the benefits of the hard work your fellows have put in while you’ve worked to undermine them, are you?
Bob….. newsflash:
We’re not looking for public sympathy or their endorsement of our negotiating position. The informative part of “informational picketing” is educating company management on whether we are in agreement with what our negotiators and leadership are communicating to them.
The traveling public doesn’t care any more about my pay and benefits than they do about our CEO’s or the price of a gallon of jet fuel. We… are not negotiating with “the public”.
Thank you Bob, for looking at this with a great deal of common sense. I believe that the unions hurt themselves by constantly demanding more and more money that is not always the answer. I believe that if a union stop protecting the deadweight in their ranks they could promote themselves as the best of the best but they do not see the common sense and that logic.
Money is not the top priority in this contract. ALK is currently outsourcing our flying to other airlines. ALK wants to maintain their ability to do so. How is this OK?
Our scheduling system is antiquated and does not offer the flexibility that our peer airlines have. We spend more time away from our families while making less money than our peers. We mostly want our new contract (which is 2 years overdue) to match our industry peers with regards to job security and quality of life.
Deadweight in the cockpit…? Aside from guys like Bob who pick up premium pay while his colleagues are furloughed, I haven’t seen it.
Bob, my hat’s of to you. I had a 40 year run with the airlines as a flight engineer, my first and last years non- union. In the middle, fifteen years at Reeve, represented by ALPHA. Of course we all know what happened to them. Pilots or anybody else will hire on at a set pay and be thrilled to get it, but soon think their services are worth so much more. I too, seldom voted with this group and was constantly intimidated because of it. They even told me once that I could quit the union because it was supposed to be voluntary. The MEC then told me that if I did, the pilot group would make sure that I would lose my job. Guess we all did in the end, but we sure made first rate wages for awhile. And the union did very little to help us after the airline went away after seventy five years. Stand tall, but watch your back, the unions play dirty. My last fifteen years was nonunion and was the best and they always paid me more than I thought I was worth and left me a great pension when my health failed.
Hello Trig. Glad to see your comment and know you are still around. I remember when you began working at Reeve. I shared your comment with my dad – we want you to know we appreciated your time with Reeve Aleutian Airways and that we were thinking of you. We are glad to hear you had a successful career and hope life is treating you well in retirement.
Best wishes.
Mike Reeve
Bob- When we get a new contract I fully expect you to donate the extra money you receive to a charity because, simply put, you have enough. We all know who you are. You’re a back stabber and premium pick-up chump. While myself and 105 other “brothers and sisters” were on furlough in 2010, you had no problem helping out and making extra money. Don’t remember? I’ll remind you:
“Bob Griffin (Premium Pickup, Open flying with credit at 95, Open Flying request for July 5,6 with 84.01 credit )”
Believe me when I say this. There are 3000 pilots looking forward to the party on your retirement date, unfortunately we’ll be celebrating for other reasons and you won’t be invited.
Everyone, case in point. Welcome to the unions. This is where unions get their power. They believe in mob rule not personal accountability and personal gain from your labors. Nunya Biznez is what is wrong with this country. You don’t believe in capitalism, you believe in armed mob thug socialism. Destroy those who oppose you. Nunya Biznez, if you don’t like your job, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. It was a free country at one point. If United or American, or Jet Blue is so amazing, get your resume in there as fast as you can. It’s your choice. But holding the gun the the head of Alaska Airlines and all its fare paying passengers and trying to destroy all those who oppose you is no different than the Mexican Drug Cartels. I don’t work for Alaska Air, nor would I because of the Seattle Woke culture they have become, but I support their right to run their business how they like and your right to vote with your feet and get a different job. Head over to that grass is greener side and quit trying to destroy others to get what you want.
In most occupations, one can take a position at a new company along with a raise and increase in responsibility. That is not the case in the airlines. Leaving after 5 years would entail an approx 50% pay cut and put a pilot at the bottom rung of a new airline. After the next 9/11 or Zombie virus 2.0, the new pilot is especially vulnerable to furlough.
We are simply asking for a contract that is on par with industry standards and we want the company to limit the amount of outsourcing that they can do. Check this link to see what “industry standard” looks like. ‘https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scope_clause
When Nunya was furloughed, all airlines were hurting and no one was hiring. “Go somewhere else” is not the go-to solution in this industry. It stands to reason that if no one picks up extra flying, the company would have to bring our furloughed brothers and sisters back sooner rather than later. Gee, wouldn’t that be nice? Enter Bob. Bob only cares about Bob. Bob would rather see Nunya driving a forklift at Home Depot before Bob relinquishes any part of his $250,000+. (Don’t be a Bob).
You support ALK’s right to run their business as they see fit. Good. The pilots with less than 2 years ARE voting with their feet and they are leaving in record numbers for other airlines. ALK flights are being canceled due to a self-induced pilot shortage. That speaks volumes about management’s treatment of the pilot group.
I understand and appreciate your comment and rational though. I would like to point out that the crazy pay schedule is a direct result of the unions. It is designed that way by the unions in order to keep pilots from changing to other airlines. Your pay has nothing to do with skill or experience, but only to do with time alive while employed at the airline. It doesn’t encourage safety, striving to do better, or capitalism and open market. Don’t complain about the airline when the union did that to you. The union wants it that way because it keeps you there and keeps you willing to follow the union and pay them to fight the “evil airlines” because leaving hurts you. Still think the unions are working for you? They aren’t.
You have a market where a 1st year copilot qualifies for food stamps working as much as they can and at the same time a 20 year captain hardly works, yet makes 450K year. How stupid is that? You can give a big old thanks to your local union for that. Imagine that you are not happy at your job at Alaska because of money/time off/internal issues/ and Delta is able to hire you at your current pay because they value your experience and work ethic. What a crazy concept. Oh wait, that is how the rest of the rational world works. You didn’t like Bob taking extra work…. wait, that is a union game pilots have to play. You have to work the system to get more money. I know how it works. Knowing when to drop flights, pick up flights, take one vacation day in the middle of a trip so you get paid for the whole trip but get it all off. Oh look, I can take a reserve day here because they can’t call me in….. Lots of union games to get the most pay. Instead of an honest days work for an honest days pay, it is now the games pilots play. That is installed by union contracts. Bob was just playing the game. (FYI, I don’t know Bob)
My point is industry standards should be driven by market forces and not by Union bosses holding legal armed robbery. In that case I agree with INDUSTRY standards (not union standards) but that is accomplished by people moving. When pilots leave, Alaska changes or goes out of business. That’s how my job works. My company pays market wages because if they don’t, they don’t have employees. As far as Nunya being furloughed, that happens in all sectors. Welcome to the real world. Nunya needs to plan accordingly. I’m sorry he couldn’t get a job. Neither could the working single mom down the street when the local eatery went out of business.
Yes, I support Alaska Airlines right to run their business as they see fit. I 100% disagree with them in so many areas and would never work there, but that is freedom. I do support pilots holding up signs on their time off in protest. That is their right. I support them being able to leave and as you said, some are. Alaska will have to adjust or go out of business. That required adjustment is the reason capitalism works. That is why unions are so bad for America/capitalism. It destroys free market and puts a gun to someone’s head to pay or die. That is wrong and distorts markets. The reason the airline industry is such a mess is 90% the fault of the unions.
Years ago, I knew someone who cleaned planes part time at United. In the same conversation she said how much she loved working at United because if the plane was late and she had to be there more than 15 min past her shift, she got paid a guaranteed 4 hours pay at double time…. for working 15 minutes. She thought that was a great thing but in the next sentence she cursed the auto industry because she just bought a $60k car. She literally said, “It doesn’t cost that much to make, they are ripping me off”! She got rather pissed when I pointed out she was actually just paying the “left fender bolt installer” 4 hours of double time because he had to work an extra 15 minutes…..
Wonder if you feel the same when management and college football coaches renegotiate THEIR contracts. They a bunch of selfish commies as well? ?
As for “voting with their feet”…. Yessir…. As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what’s happening here at Alaska. More so than any other time in Alaska’s history.
Don’t worry hoss, in time maybe we can outsource ALL the jobs to China and robots. Bezos and Gates along with the World Economic forum and the worlds 1% will own everything and life will be grand.
But not today.
As a retired Alaska Airlines Captain of 35 years I think that Captain Griffen has forgotten how he managed to get the pay and benefits that he has. Does he think that Alaska management was magnanimous enough to give him what he has now with pay and benefits? If so he should be drug tested. Does he not remember when management through arbitration took 33% of wages from their pilots back in 2005 and then offered some of it back if we sold out benefits? Interesting to note that the arbitrator was hired through the same law firm that paid for the Russian collusion report and the arbitrator retired after the unprecedented results. Captain Griffen mentioned the pay that “an average surgeon” makes. Does he not see how the medical industry has destroyed the livelihood of doctors. Alaska Airlines actually has had and still do have doctors that abandoned the medical field to become a pilot. Maybe Captain Griffin fails to remember that a surgeon can only kill one person at a time if he makes a mistake not to mention gets to go home where as we pilots have a lot more skin in the game…our own.
I’m glad that he is happy with his job, I loved doing what I did for Alaska for 35 years but I earned every penny I made because it’s a hard life. He might only be working 15 days flying the slope and one or two time zones being based in ANC but he seems to be forgetting about the rest of the group that spends over half their month in hotels away from their families eating in airports, swapping aircraft, dealing with maintenance and weather issues, understaffing, short callouts for the reserve pilots (oh yeah….he doesn’t have to worry about that, he’s in the top 20% so he doesn’t care about his fellow pilot that does).
I’m not a fan of unions either but Alaska has historically made them a necessary evil and Captain Griffen should be looking a gift horse in the mouth so as to make him look like the other end of that horse.
Bingo. Bob got his though…
Very well said.
Well I won’t be flying with Nob anytime soon. Clearly probing for a management position.
so true
I bet you’re a real peach to fly with. Anyone in ANC not have you on their No Fly list? If you bet that’s going to change.
As for comparing pilot pay to surgeons is totally incorrect. Unless of course you’re looking as veterinary surgeons. But it’s really irrelevant. A Delta Captain flying high time makes almost $200k more a year than an Alaska pilot. So maybe do some due diligence before shooting off your mouth.
Would be pretty funny watching you get booted of you’re next DHD flight. ?
I don’t even work for your company but I know you are completely off base and out of line. And you clearly have no concept of unionism, unity, nor support for your fellow pilots. Enjoy your management position, and even better for Alaska pilots, your retirement.
#DeltaStandsWithAlaska
Thank you, George. This guy can’t retire fast enough.
Who gives a damn whether Bob pickets or not?
.
Bob, you’ll cash in on everything your union gets out of company “negotiators” who, let’s face it, don’t give too much of a damn ‘cause shareholders and customers’ll get stuck with the tab anyway.
..
Yeah, the same customers stuck with outrageous ticket prices, corporate Black Lives Matter -crap!- and best of all, babbling Wokester Darlings much, much more concerned with mask-wearing than with customer service or customer safety!
.
So Peoples Pilot Griffin, may one suggest, not unkindly, the possibility that paying customers are cynically indifferent, possibly even hostile, to your heartfelt corporate concerns
.
… just stick to what you know how to do… get customers where they paid to go, more or less in one piece, leave them in peace to endure the sh… (oops!) your corporate/union Wokester Darlings force on them.
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… and we’ll all go home, if not happy, at least in one piece, no?
The union shrills are out in force today. Funny how quick they go personal.
Makes one think he’s on topic.
First off…. The word you were looking for is “shill”…. not “shrill”.
Second, if “Bob is right, so if you disagree don’t respond.” is your take, why then you’re no different than the cancel culture on the left.
Bob, it’s your business not to support your union. Just make sure you refuse any benefits they get in negotiations.
Looks like Bob is trying to run for a Chief Pilot position. Only way through to management is to be a company man. This is NOT the sentiment of his peers. The pilots at Alaska are not asking for anything that is not already enjoyed for decades at their competitors. It’s the cost of running an airline and if this business model is to be run at a dramatic discount than it’s not a business model to succeed. The pilot shortage is real and it’s here now.
So should we assume you will be turning down any pay increase your union might negotiate?
Are we to assume you’ll be forfeiting any pay increase your union might negotiate?
Bob, after working for seven airlines both union and non union I have seen the good and bad this career can offer from furloughs to shut downs. After each one employees got to see “The Golden Parachutes” of management personnel in the tens of millions as they walked away leaving the employees with no immediate future. These senior management people don’t care about the personal hardship, bankruptcy’s, divorces or suicides that take place after their poor decisions and personal greed. After reading your post I am disgusted and saddened by your ignorance and how little you care about the line pilots at Alaska Airlines you fly with. You failed to mention that almost every major airline in America is negotiating their pilot labor contracts currently, and recently some have signed. Each will try to piggy back and one up the competition for many reasons, but a big one is pilot recruitment. With large numbers of mandatory pilot retirements companies can’t fill new hire classes, to obtain the growth you speak of. Please pull your head out of the sand, take a look around and educate yourself. Don’t sell your self short, the surgeon is only responsible for one person on a table at a time, maybe a couple a day. As a Boeing 737 Captain, how many people are you responsible for daily? 350? 500? I will bet you a million dollars if your aircraft is on fire or one engine is shut down and you have bad weather your passengers will think your worth more than Russel Wilson makes in a year. Your a professional please act like one and leave half truths and petty politics out of it your worth every penny and more.
Well said.
Most excellent response.
Disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself. If you don’t want to picket fine, but to publicly throw your entire pilot group down because of your misguided beliefs then you should be removed from the pilot group. I seriously question your ability to have situational awareness and work cohesively with a fellow pilot after reading your diatribe.
#UnitedStandsWithAlaska
As a retired Alaska Airlines Captain of 35 years I think that Captain Griffin has forgotten how he managed to get the pay and benefits that he has. Does he think that Alaska management was magnanimous enough to give him what he has now with pay and benefits? If so he should be drug tested. Does he not remember when management through arbitration took 33% of wages from their pilots back in 2005 and then offered some of it back if we sold out benefits? Interesting to note that the arbitrator was hired through the same law firm that paid for the Russian collusion report and the arbitrator retired after the unprecedented results. Captain Griffin mentioned the pay that “an average surgeon” makes. Does he not see how the medical industry has destroyed the livelihood of doctors. Alaska Airlines actually has had and still has doctors that abandoned the medical field to become a pilot. Maybe Captain Griffin fails to remember that a surgeon can only kill one person at a time if he makes a mistake not to mention he gets to go home where as we pilots are the first one at the scene of the accident thus have a lot more skin in the game…our own.
I’m glad that he is happy with his job, I loved doing what I did for Alaska for 35 years but I earned every penny I made because it’s a hard life. He might only be working 15 days flying the slope and one or two time zones being based in ANC but he seems to be forgetting about the rest of the group that spends over half their month in hotels away from their families eating in airports, swapping aircraft, dealing with maintenance and weather issues, understaffing, short callouts for the reserve pilots (oh yeah….he doesn’t have to worry about that, he’s in the top 20% so he doesn’t care about his fellow pilot that does).
I’m not a fan of unions either but Alaska has historically made them a necessary evil and Captain Griffin shouldn’t be looking a gift horse in the mouth so as to not look like the other end of that horse.
Bob,
Alaska Airlines is actively outsourcing our jobs in Anchorage and the rest of the network.
Suppose a SkyWest type lessor could provide 737’s to the air group. Would you be OK with that?
Sack,
It’s Jethro!
Hi Jethro,
I hope all is well with you and your family. :]
You’re at Delta, right?
The airline said it offers competitive salaries for its pilots. For example, an Alaska Airlines captain’s average salary is $341,000 per year, the airline said.
$341K average? That seems like a lot.
>$341k average? Seems like a lot.
Not when every other airline is paying $400.
Alaska’s top hourly pay is $266/hour, $20 less than the big four’s B737 top pay. To figure a pilot’s annual pay, multiply the hourly pay by 1,000. If a pilot wants to make extra money beyond flying a full schedule, they can take time away from their families and make more money.
Pilots have a choice to make when it comes to negotiating a new contract. They can support their fellow pilots who are striving to encourage the company to finalize a respectable contract, or they can focus on picking up lots of premium pay trips at 150% pay, as Capt. Bob appears to like to do. Capt. Bob is not the only pilot who is taking advantage of a situation where many pilots feel zero inclination to go above and beyond their full schedule of work. It is easy to find 150% pay trips when one is solely focused on padding their own wallet instead of fighting for the common good of the pilot group. Capt. Bob is in the extreme minority. It is completely contractual for a pilot to pick up 150% pay trips. Is it easy for that pilot to walk a gauntlet of fellow pilots staring at them as they walk to the aircraft to make that extra money? It is illegal to suggest that pilots like Bob do not fly 150% trips. Even so, these pilots usually sneak around and do not advertise what they are doing, because the majority of pilots who are foregoing doing 150% premium pay trips are doing so while living a financial hardship for months or years-on-end, because they are doing what most pilots accept as a necessary hardship to achieve victory in contract negotiations within a system built with rules that overwhelmingly favor the company. Pilots like Bob prolong the hardships that the majority of the rest of us have to endure. I am simply explaining the realities and dynamics of airline pilot contract negotiations – including taboo subjects that we are not supposed to talk about.
There is a severe pilot shortage right now. Pilots will migrate towards the companies that offer the best pay and benefits. Alaska will never offer the higher pay that widebody airlines pay. What they can do is match the narrowbody pay and other benefits. If a company chooses to play hardball, and delay approving a good contract, they will start hemoraging pilots. What is in the pilot group’s best interest – helping the company maintain an unacceptable status quo by helping them indefinitely maintain an understaffed airline? Or is it better to do just what we were hired to do and no more, thereby encouraging management to fix the real problem, which is an inferior contract.
Average annual pilot pay of $341,000 would be for a senior pilot who does a lot of overtime, equivalent to three extra months of regular-time work.
Bob mentions how these pay rates would make Alaska not competitive with other airlines. However, that’s not true because if Alaska gave their pilots a 20% raise, the other majors would be forced to match that.
And then Alaska pilots would be whining they make less and the cycle starts all over again? That sounds like a good business plan….
JJ, that’s standard.
Doesn’t matter if you are Chevy, Ford, Chrysler etc…. When a contract, which is typically good for 5 years, is up for negotiation, workgroups look at the “industry standard” and want it to be matched or a little better. Or should we just roll over like Bob and smile as the company makes record profits while we have a third-rate contract…?
And then we the consumer would be facing high ticket prices……
Bob is the typical kool-aide drinking management hacks that has gotten his but screws every one else. Your retirement can’t come quick enough.
Alaska Airlines pilots have worked without a Contract for over 3 years. I believe very little from the pilots or Alaska Airlines. In labor battles the truth is usuually in the middle somewhere.
Are they somehow ‘owed’ a contract? I’ve been in the workforce since 1979 an have never once ‘had a contract’…
Then clearly you’re an owner or a wage earner, cause guaranteed every senior manager at a major corporation has a contract.
I don’t know any surgeons who make less than 400k a year and I know a lot of surgeons. Just that one bad piece of information caught me. How much other BS is in his report? What a lame attention-seeker.
Just retired from a 35 year career as an aviation maintenance tech. Mostly in rural Ak. No union jobs. Always got a competitive wage and benefits without union goons threatening the employer. Sometimes you took what you could get as A&Ps were a dime a dozen. Others, mechanics were scarce and pay increased as employers competed for scarce qualified people.
Unions don’t exist to help members. They exist to pad their, union employees, pockets. Unions give money to dishonest politicians, like grampa Joe, to get laws passed that favour unions.
You union supporters might take notice that while you got furloughed, or maybe even lost your job, during the pandemic, your union goons…………er representative, never missed a paycheck and mostly “worked from home”!
Valuable employees don’t need a union. Their performance determines their pay, benefits. Those that need the union are the poor performers and the union protects them because they, poor performers, can’t exist without the union!
Art Chance speaks the truth!
Bob is a well known malcontent and many of his comments are misleading and factually incorrect. We had around 1500 informational picketers yesterday while only having 3000 or so members, and many were working. So 1500-1 should be a red flag as to maybe there is more to the story than Bob let’s on to. I have no interest in getting into a debate with Mr. G. He can have his say but please remember, don’t believe everything (maybe anything) you read on the internet.
Well said, Bob. When people get too greedy things start to fall apart as you pointed out. Alaska Airlines has been my “go to” airlines for years. They top notch compared to anyone else in the sky.
As a pilot who has been in this industry more than 20 years, I do know a paid-for opinion when I see one. It’s one thing to interject common sense (ie, no one likes to see pax suffer for labor relations), it’s another thing entirely to dig yourself up mgmt’s nether regions so far for personal gain. You need to retire or make your jump to mgmt now, sir.
Bob, you’re a hypocrite. The benefits of your job were not given to you by the good graces of Alaska Airlines, they were negotiated by YOUR union, supported by the collective efforts of YOUR colleagues. You’re talking out of both sides of your mouth, disparaging the efforts of your fellow union members knowing full well that when a new contract is signed you’ll enjoy the fruit of their efforts. You knew when you got hired at Alaska that it was a union shop, yet you chose to be employed there. There are plenty of non-union flying jobs available in Alaska, although granted none of them will compensate you anywhere near as well as your current one. However, the only honorable way to live up to your ideals is to quit Alaska and go elsewhere.
This is the most well thought out response to Bob’s letter.
If the union is soo unethical and you are the only sane person – do the honorable thing and resign from the company and find work at a non-union carrier. Stop benefiting from the sacrifices of others if you are unwilling to look outside yourself.
Pilots – knock it off and get back in the air
Management – knock it off and get back to the negotiating table
Signed,
The 1000 res agents doing mandatory overtime to help stranded customers while you two are twiddling your thumbs
Sorry, tell management to hire more pilots. Until that happens nothing is going to change. 100 cancellations yesterday, almost 80 today, probably 100 tomorrow. The issue is that we can’t retain pilots. FO’s are leaving for other airlines daily plus only 30% of the new hires we hire make it to the line. They all either don’t show up to class or quite before they are online.
The only thing Alaska Airlines can offer perspective pilots is quality of life. And right now they do not offer the quality of life that other airlines are. It’s not rocket science. But management needs to move away from their “everyone is dying to work here” attitude.
This reads like what someone on the “list” would say. Oh wait…
Bob…. That a pretty crappy thing coming out like you did and blasting all of your fellow pilots. I cant find a single, not one pilot other than yourself, that agrees with your comments. In my opinion you are screwing new pilots that want a better quality of life, that want to be home more with their families instead of having to spend 8-10 hrs on their own time to get home…and for not month but years because of contract. Think before you start jabbering away…
Perhaps this senior Captain is close to mandatory retirement, comfortable, complacent, set in his ways, and fears change even if it benefits his work group and others.
How are Alaska going to retain pilots when the majors offer higher pay, a path for career advancement to wide body aircraft and wide body pay, and job security through SCOPE.
Without pilots there is no airline.
Workers’ rights are human rights.
Bob, I’m sure your colleagues really appreciate your solidarity. I would go so far as to say you are the reason Alaska Airlines pilot group is so poorly compensated compared to their counterparts at other legacy airlines;why their schedules are so inefficient and scope is non-existent. In what world do you live in where you can stand on the backs of your colleagues and reap all their benefits while you speak against the union that will protect your job when management decides you are the enemy? You sir are a disgrace to the uniform.
LOL, the typical socialist argument. If you’re not with us you’re against us. How dare you not agree! We are the UNION! You have no choice. But one question, how does disagreeing with the union disgrace the uniform of his employer? Should he not have loyalty to his employer and would that not in fact bring honor?
So those who disagree with the election results must be socialists. Makes more sense now.
Employees are free to unionize. Employees are free to disband an existing union. Employees are free to work elsewhere if they disagree with the union’s positions, or if they just disagree with the idea of unions.
Union membership is never forced on anyone. The formation and continuation of a union is a democratic process. If you chose to work in a unionized job it is the expectation that you will support your union, including presenting views critical of its performance. “Group think” is a great soundbite, but definitely NOT the way the Airline Pilots Association operates. That said, critical opinions should be directed to the union membership and leadership, not aired in public, especially when, by Bob’s own admission, he has benefitted from union membership.
Unions are the very definition of the ideals of freedom and democracy. A group of employees banding together for their common benefit is no more socialist than the owner or CEO of a company requiring those same employees to work for the good of the company. And, believe it or not, unions and business can coexist in mutually beneficial ways.
Bob’s employer is fighting over their desire to continue outsourcing Bob’s job. Bob is OK with that. Don’t be Bob.
I have trouble sympathizing with a union that cries foul because they are being so poorly paid. Especially when they seem to want my support and are making 10 times my income working 1/2 the hours with triple the benefits.
The cry is not, “we’re starving, we can’t make ends meet, my kids need dentures”. No the cries are, the guys over there make more than me and that’s not fair. I should be making more than them.
Then to force me to agree with them, they strike and make my life miserable while my flights are canceled and I am stranded looking for alternatives. Which inevitably are with their competitors. One thing I discovered is, that Delta is a nice airline.
In fact, they have great service, competitive fairs, and better snacks. I won’t have a problem flying with them.
But I won’t be finding sympathy for the striking pilots. If you are not paid well enough then apply at delta and get the big bucks you so richly deserve.
You should be a pilot. Hiring is at record levels. Maybe you would see things differently if you did this jobs for years on end.
Thanks for proving that unions and pilot compensation aren’t the issue when it to airline travel. You just praised Delta where the pilots make 30-40% more than the pilots at Alaska.
Ever think it’s a better experience because the employees are treated better?
Also are you not a President of a company? I highly doubt you make 1/10th of any pilot at Alaska. That would be less than minimum wage.
The Railway Labor Act does not allow airline pilots to strike.
If it’s so easy, underworked and overpaid, why don’t you take the path to a front window seat?
I don’t know what you do for a living and I respect all people’s choices in choosing and pursuing a professional career. I don’t know what you do, But I don’t think you would bash a dentist or a doctor or an attorney or the CEO of a fortune 500 company like Alaska Airlines for getting to where they are at and making what they make and earning it? Have you paid $200K for school and intense training to earn highly regulated and intense professional ratings to get to the level of experience a major airline pilot is at? Are you responsible for the lives of up to 500 people a day, each precious to you or someone, while crossing time zones multiple times in a week all while awake at the controls of a jet in all types of weather and environmental and air traffic conditions and then try to sleep during the day in a hotel over 100 nights a year after flying a redeye and getting up 6 hours later after crappy sleep and do it all over again? Yeah I didn’t think so
Thanks. We’re not negotiating with you. Just sayin.
About what I’d expect of a SCAB.
Bob is the definition of a SCAB.
He knows nothing of how we all have worked & sacrificed to get to this level.
Obviously, Bob is on the No Fly list @ Alaska.
What a FO’s nightmare to work with.
Being a 25 yr pilot @ UPS, he’d never fit in with our unity @ the IPA.
Interesting. Somehow those facts don’t seem to jive with any paycheck I have ever received as TOS Captain at Alaska – not even close and quite a bit less. Check your facts. The informational pickets were optional and done on pilots days off. The cancellations were due to existing staffing issues that have been ongoing. Growing attrition (more to date than all of 2021) due to poor work rules that allow zero scheduling flexibility and a constant state of fatigue. Pilots leaving for better opportunities elsewhere. I will never be top 20% even having been here for 15 years. We fly for a very different airline despite it having the same name. Hope you enjoy your no fly list in ANC that I am sure it rapidly developing.
Well Bob, you know the difference between pilots and surgeons? Pilots don’t get the luxury of practicing flying like surgeons practice medicine. Pilots can be gone at work for anywhere between 375 to 415 hrs per month and yet they are only paid 75 hrs. Could be you’re fat and happy at the top…
Ha, I have seen guys like this for almost 30 years in the airline business. He lives in domicile (Anchorage), is probably very high up on the seniority list (triple digit seniority number at least) bids reserve and doesn’t want the rest of the group to “mess up” his good deal, because he probably only works 10 days a month and gets a full pay check. Its easy to write an article like this when your life style is great compared to your colleagues! But while he is sitting home the majority of the month, the rest of your colleagues are doing the heavy lifting and flying 3 weeks out of the month 4 legs a day!!!
As for you non-airline, anti-union folks, if it were not for the unions at these airlines, the guys up front flying YOU from Anchorage to Seattle, or where ever, would be pushed to the FAA limits by companies like Alaska Airlines and more than likely we would have a lot more smoking holes in the ground (that means crashed airplanes and dead passengers) due to fatigue!
If Alaska Airlines had it their way, your pilots would fly 8 hours of flight time per day, go to the hotel for 8 hours (which is not really 8 hours behind a hotel door, but more like 6 hours when you factor in travel time, checking in, etc….) and by the end of the week the pilot flying you would be so fatigued he would have the reaction time of a guy who was out all night hitting the local bars!!
You idiots have no idea how much the unions do to make flying safe for the traveling public! I could tell you stories that would make you never fly again!! So take your opinions and stuff it until you are more educated about how things REALLY work in the airline business!
P.S. I am not a pilot for Alaska Airlines, but I have been a pilot in the airline industry for almost 30 years!
Wow. I’m a flight attendant and this is the kind of captain who would leave a 10% tip and gripe about the exchange rate in another country. Good thing this lord of douchebaggery can’t get any PVR on his line…he’d be too worried counting his money to get out and eat a proper taco. Go to bat for your workgroup, grandpa, Or retire and hang up your lame constitution American flag tie.
Well said.
Also wondering why all the senior executives have a contract with the company that lays out pay and benefits.
This is what happens when there isn’t a union, even in Alaska. I hope all of the anti-union folks think about this the next time they fly Ravn. Make sure to say “G’day” to the pilots.
Dash 8 Pilot Jobs with Ravn Alaska – E3 Visa Program
We are accepting applications from Australian citizens to fly with Ravn Alaska. Rishworth Aviation will provide support throughout the visa process as well as communication with the airline.
Type Rated and Non-Type Rated applications are considered.
As the US market is leading the aviation world in recovery and Pilot shortages, this is an excellent opportunity for ambitious and adventurous Pilots to make a positive career move.
‘https://rishworthaviation.com/pilot-jobs/airline/ravn-alaska-pilot-jobs?source=bing.com
He kinda missed the whole idea of April Fool’s…
Completely incorrect.
The IPA ( union for UPS pilots ) have pushed for safety, as ALPA has for other carriers.
Obviously, you’ve never volunteered or worked as an EB member.
Without a strong union, corporate America would squash safety.
Remember, safety costs money.
Sorry, but you are misinformed.
ALPA has been instrumental in precision approaches, TCAS, carrying hazardous cargo, fatigue, security and much more that I can’t even remember. Because they have pressured the FAA to go along with these safety regulations, even non-union carriers are safer than ever.
You may have paid “dues” as you put it, but you’re a non-member and cannot vote. That money you paid is so you can enjoy the contract that is in place without any union representation. You need to be fully transparent in your dialog.
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