Sounds like maybe you and Hope777 should have been pilots since we make the Big bucks that you refer to. Believe me, I didn't like taking a $60,000 per year paycut and paying for years of bad management but I have a mortgae payment and a family to support. We as pilots recognize that a smaller paycheck is a whole lot better then NO paycheck. Daaaaaa!!!
As far as getting things thrown at you by your union, I believe you voted your leaders' into office so maybe you can only blame yourselves for that.
As far as shutting down the #2 engine at the gate, (I personally do)I feel we save the company enough money on a daily basis by taking airplanes out all day with 'numorous orange MEL stickers. The key word on the line is Program.
Maybe we should start refusing to accept this and cancel or delay flights until these items af fixed...want to talk about losing money!
What about what it cost the company on a daily basis when we SIT 100 feet from the gate WAITING for a parker...or a piece of equipment LEFT inside the yellow line---block time times five or more crewmwmbers.
It's great to watch 5 people walk past the tug where the wands are to park us while we WAIT for that SPECIAL person to bring us in. DON'T talk about the #2 engine.
As far as the deal about the company can't operate without mechanics, that's probably a true statement, but in realality the very few that would walk or leave for any length of time could be replaced rather rapidily especially since there are plenty of laid-off mechs out there that would be more then willing to have a job. That's the same for all the groups.
EVERYONE CAN BE REPLACED.
Put the film in the camera already and see the Big Picture
Wal-mart.com has on-line applications...don't wait!
At this time the best to all of us, we are all in this together and doing everything we can to survive. It's a much different industry now and changes have to happen to stay in business. 9-11, SW, AirTran, JetBlue are setting the standard and that is NEVER going to change!