My name is Raymond Ambrosini and I have a question regarding Union
policy.
At my airline as well as or many carriers, the issue has been whether
contract concessions can achieve the permanent restructuring of labor
costs necessary to meet growing competition from nonunion carriers
which are currently hiring new employees at roughly half the pay of
their more senior colleagues at the trunk carriers. The solution has
been to introduce two-tier or "B' wage scales which provide lower pay
for new hires. Obviously, two-tier rates reduce average labor costs
only as fast as the carrier can hire new workers--expanding the work
force or at least generating turnover. Any thoughts from fellow pilots
on this issue?
