Depends on how you measure "average". Should we in include AA if we are measuring ourselves against everyone else? Probably not, because we are measuring where we are against everyone else, including us distorts the comparasion. Should we include USAIRWAYS? Probably not because they are working under a contract that became amendable several years ago and may get retro. Should we include UPS? Probably yes because their is no difference in qualifications, both simply look for heavy turbine experience and there really is not much difference between working a freighter or passenger aircraft. When UPS negotiates with their mechanics they include AA in the comparator group and historically the wages were around the same. In 2002 we made more than UPS. The business has not changed much and UPS mechanics have not made materiel gains over the last ten years, they simply kept pace with inflation.
The union has been too gracious in simply allowing the company to pick and choose who is in the comparator group. When I first started in this process they would include WN in areas where it helped the company arguement such as mechanics per airplane but then exclude them where it helped ours such as pay and benifits. After several rounds of debate they started including them in pay and benifits as well. Prior to 2003, when we made more than them, the company always included WN.
So, in really the average wage paid to other mechanics in this industry is much higher than $36/hr. Include UPS and eliminate AA and USAIR because both are working under deals that became amendable years ago and the average goes well past $40/hr.