They are between a rock and a hard place. They need these people but can't take back the requirement because then they won't get next month's bailout. They might tank if the strike stays strong.
Slightly specific to pilots though, it's not a job they can even think can just be hired in green. It's 1500 hours minimum that person has to have spent butt in seat flying a plane to be qualified to fly for airlines. Barring of course regulatory changes to make it take less time, which we all know wouldn't be off the table for political reasons. So I think they'd have a bit more power if they tried it.
Most jobs though, yeah. I'd tell you for damn sure I'm irreplaceable at work just because I can do twice as much in less time then most of my counterparts. Just by virtue of having 10 years of experience when most of them have no more than 3. I also know when it comes down to it in a big corporation I'm a line on a spreadsheet.
Part of the issue as I see it is that pilots want to be pilots. It’s similar to the game dev world where people who go into it are so passionate about it that employers know they can pay developers less than they would get for working in web dev despite the skill required.
It wasn’t that long ago that there were pilots paying to fly passengers for airlines in Europe in order to gain experience until that was made illegal.
Even if the pilot shortage changes things, it will take time for the corporate culture at these airlines to unlearn those attitudes.
some pilots are especially concerned about potential side effects, since high altitude makes them more relevant. There have already been pilots that were forced to take the shot to remain employed, only to be permanently banned from flying because they had side effects.
THIS. There are so many companies that are just treated like glorified high school cliques by the owners/managers, and they're perfectly happy to run the business into the ground if it means sticking it to someone outside the cool kids' club. They'll burn the whole thing down out of spite before they'll let the pecking order get undermined.
I got lucky and have competent management. I've actually warned new employees who've never had other jobs, "No, look, you don't understand how lucky of a break you got here. Our manager knows what he's doing and is particularly competent at... management. That's fucking unheard of. Don't get used to this and think something like this will happen at your next job when you leave. He's a fucking unicorn. Take advantage of this and get your skills and experience up, then leave if that's what you're doing."
I've been in companies where they let certain highly skilled employees quit over trivial things, and afterwards that department shattered into pieces and became a shell of its former self. Management just chalked up the loss to uNKnOwN vArIaBleS and moved onto their next pet project.
Yep, I witnessed the EXACT same thing happening. Management just trucked ahead like losing an entire division was normal.
I've noticed this a bit myself. I'd say my management is actually pretty good (ikr), and they've basically been beating the owners over the head about wages.
"PEOPLE ARE QUITTING BECAUSE THE WAGES ARE TOO LOW. HERE IS ALL THE EXIT INTERVIEWS THAT SAY THIS. HERE ARE THE FORMAL REVIEWS WHERE PAY WAS BROUGHT UP. INFLATION EXISTS. WAGES ARE RISING. BITE THE FUCKING BULLET."
It's taken months and, oh, 5 people quitting, including an executive.
They are making progress.
Meanwhile, Spectrum is announcing that their entry tech support staff are going to be at $20 /hr. A friend of mine got a job there and he types with two fingers.
"PEOPLE ARE QUITTING BECAUSE THE WAGES ARE TOO LOW."
That has started happening at my job as well. We also have the corpo bean counters at HQ dictating policy and saying that, due to Covid risk, everyone in the warehouse has to wear mask, answer a morning survey to make sure you are "not a risk", and get the OK from corporate to travel to anything (spoiler: most people just dont and pretend they did). It has resulted in not really getting any new people in and low morale among the people who are here, mostly because the pay is lower and we are one of the only places in the region that still gives a fuck about mask.
Its honestly gotten to the point that I am also looking into taking up a warehouse/manufacturing job for a local heavy equipment plant (Caterpillar), which has better pay, laxer rules, and in a lower cost of living county. The only reason I am putting it off and only thinking for the moment is that I dont want to be "that asshole" who quits during busy season. Especially since there are only 2 of us in Returns to do the work.
Hate to be like that, but this is sometimes the only way the business understands. If they really understood the problem, they'd pay you more. They'd find a way. They'd negotiate with you.
As with the rest of inflation, your wages will raise. The Perennial Gale of Creative Destruction can not be denied.
For what it’s worth, my current job is doing a work bonus scheme right now that seems to be a trial run for a wage hike. If you get your minimum hours worked, you get an extra $2/hour on top of normal pay (I am sure it is a coincidence that such a hike would put us back on par with other jobs in the area).
And like I said, the only thing holding me back right now is my own personal ethics and morals. I know this, and know that any negatives to that are my cross to bear. But if we make it through busy season and the situation hasn’t improved, then I am going to start seeing if I can negotiate or if I am going to find greener pastures.
Citizen Free Press has just put up some reports about Amtrak and American Airlines heading into a wave of sickouts. I know the Washington State ferries have been shorthanded and cancelling sailings galore because reasons. Without dependable ferry service a lot of Puget Sound people are fooked.
We need to support these walkout workers any way we can. Shut.It.Down
They are between a rock and a hard place. They need these people but can't take back the requirement because then they won't get next month's bailout. They might tank if the strike stays strong.
I told you all, like, 2 years ago:
Short sell the enemy's stocks. It's the only way to get something out of them.
When the market collapses, I'm going to see if I can do that to BoA, Mastercard, and/or JP Morgan Chase.
Here are all the cancellations in the US today: https://archive.is/dj7i1
Some WN pilots are fighting the mandate: https://archive.is/TTMqe
Their reasoning reeks of bullshit.
Yeah they lose. They should strike. There was a pilot shortage before Covid. They can't be easily replaced either.
Slightly specific to pilots though, it's not a job they can even think can just be hired in green. It's 1500 hours minimum that person has to have spent butt in seat flying a plane to be qualified to fly for airlines. Barring of course regulatory changes to make it take less time, which we all know wouldn't be off the table for political reasons. So I think they'd have a bit more power if they tried it.
Most jobs though, yeah. I'd tell you for damn sure I'm irreplaceable at work just because I can do twice as much in less time then most of my counterparts. Just by virtue of having 10 years of experience when most of them have no more than 3. I also know when it comes down to it in a big corporation I'm a line on a spreadsheet.
Part of the issue as I see it is that pilots want to be pilots. It’s similar to the game dev world where people who go into it are so passionate about it that employers know they can pay developers less than they would get for working in web dev despite the skill required.
It wasn’t that long ago that there were pilots paying to fly passengers for airlines in Europe in order to gain experience until that was made illegal.
Even if the pilot shortage changes things, it will take time for the corporate culture at these airlines to unlearn those attitudes.
some pilots are especially concerned about potential side effects, since high altitude makes them more relevant. There have already been pilots that were forced to take the shot to remain employed, only to be permanently banned from flying because they had side effects.
THIS. There are so many companies that are just treated like glorified high school cliques by the owners/managers, and they're perfectly happy to run the business into the ground if it means sticking it to someone outside the cool kids' club. They'll burn the whole thing down out of spite before they'll let the pecking order get undermined.
I got lucky and have competent management. I've actually warned new employees who've never had other jobs, "No, look, you don't understand how lucky of a break you got here. Our manager knows what he's doing and is particularly competent at... management. That's fucking unheard of. Don't get used to this and think something like this will happen at your next job when you leave. He's a fucking unicorn. Take advantage of this and get your skills and experience up, then leave if that's what you're doing."
Yep, I witnessed the EXACT same thing happening. Management just trucked ahead like losing an entire division was normal.
Surprise:
If highly skilled employees quit over it...
... it wasn't trivial.
I've noticed this a bit myself. I'd say my management is actually pretty good (ikr), and they've basically been beating the owners over the head about wages.
"PEOPLE ARE QUITTING BECAUSE THE WAGES ARE TOO LOW. HERE IS ALL THE EXIT INTERVIEWS THAT SAY THIS. HERE ARE THE FORMAL REVIEWS WHERE PAY WAS BROUGHT UP. INFLATION EXISTS. WAGES ARE RISING. BITE THE FUCKING BULLET."
It's taken months and, oh, 5 people quitting, including an executive.
They are making progress.
Meanwhile, Spectrum is announcing that their entry tech support staff are going to be at $20 /hr. A friend of mine got a job there and he types with two fingers.
That has started happening at my job as well. We also have the corpo bean counters at HQ dictating policy and saying that, due to Covid risk, everyone in the warehouse has to wear mask, answer a morning survey to make sure you are "not a risk", and get the OK from corporate to travel to anything (spoiler: most people just dont and pretend they did). It has resulted in not really getting any new people in and low morale among the people who are here, mostly because the pay is lower and we are one of the only places in the region that still gives a fuck about mask.
Its honestly gotten to the point that I am also looking into taking up a warehouse/manufacturing job for a local heavy equipment plant (Caterpillar), which has better pay, laxer rules, and in a lower cost of living county. The only reason I am putting it off and only thinking for the moment is that I dont want to be "that asshole" who quits during busy season. Especially since there are only 2 of us in Returns to do the work.
How will they know if you don't quit?
Hate to be like that, but this is sometimes the only way the business understands. If they really understood the problem, they'd pay you more. They'd find a way. They'd negotiate with you.
As with the rest of inflation, your wages will raise. The Perennial Gale of Creative Destruction can not be denied.
For what it’s worth, my current job is doing a work bonus scheme right now that seems to be a trial run for a wage hike. If you get your minimum hours worked, you get an extra $2/hour on top of normal pay (I am sure it is a coincidence that such a hike would put us back on par with other jobs in the area).
And like I said, the only thing holding me back right now is my own personal ethics and morals. I know this, and know that any negatives to that are my cross to bear. But if we make it through busy season and the situation hasn’t improved, then I am going to start seeing if I can negotiate or if I am going to find greener pastures.
Citizen Free Press has just put up some reports about Amtrak and American Airlines heading into a wave of sickouts. I know the Washington State ferries have been shorthanded and cancelling sailings galore because reasons. Without dependable ferry service a lot of Puget Sound people are fooked.
We need to support these walkout workers any way we can. Shut.It.Down
According to what I've heard it's pilots striking by using all of their vacation days before they will get fired.