A House Divided

A very wise man once said: "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

I've been reading some hot-tempered forum threads about TSA pilots "crossing the hall" to go work for GoJet. For anyone reading this that does not know what's going on over there, here's the basic scoop. Trans States Holdings owns and operates Trans States Airlines. TSA is going under, so TSH started a second airline, GoJet. TSH has this bright idea that its perfectly alright to furlough pilots from TSA while hiring like mad into GoJet, which vitrually shares the same bank account as TSA. TSA pilots are mad at their co-workers for playing into TSH's game and seeking work at GoJet- thereby undermining their colleagues who are waiting to return to work at TSA. Those pilots who have elected to work for GoJet say that their actions are justified because ALPA actually advised furloughed pilots from TSA to apply to GoJet- not to mention the need to feed their families.

This is just one of a long line of examples of pilots turning against pilots in an effort to preserve their hard-earned seniority spot. I understand both sides of this particular scenario, but it pains me that pilots would feel any animosity towards a fellow aviator for reasons such as these. Let's keep the two simple truths of life in sight here:

Is your career more important to you than your family? I have never met a pilot that answers no to this question. Here is the simple reason why pilots left TSA to go to GoJet- they're in a job to pay the mortgage and put food on the table. Period. Now, the angry TSA pilot that may read this is most likely boiling over how insensitive I am because I am defending the secession of their colleagues over to GoJet, but for all such readers the next question is for you.

Is your co-worker's career more important to you than your own family? This seems to be the single greatest issue that brings pilots to so freely pin the word scab to so many others. GoJet pilots (even those who join GoJet as their first 121 job) are being considered scabs, whether they are aware of the family feud with TSA or not. What responsible adult, seeing that the money just isn't flowing, would stick with their job while their family suffers instead of seeking employment elsewhere simply because they want to protect their co-worker's seniority? Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking... people like me are the ones who undermine everybody else in order to "advance my own career over the bodies of others." But do you really feel that the objective of pilots like those going to GoJet is to steal your seniority and put you out of business? Do you really believe that they merit the same label (libel, if you ask me) as those who literally cross a picket line? Priority number one is family, and when you find yourself in their situation to chose between your co-workers and your family, you'll do exactly the same thing.

The anger here should be directed at those responsible for your hardship in the first place- your management. It is their fault that the company is going under, not yours, not your co-workers, theirs. Their decisions busted the company and forced your friends in the industry to make some tough choices for the good of their families and they don't like it any more than you do.

I've listened to people rant and rave about ousting all the unions and starting one industry wide pilot's union, but it seems to me that we have already built up such an entity by creating an unspoken demand of greater loyalty to our colleagues than to our own spouses and children. Pilots are human beings, not drones in a hive-mind collective of an ethereal co-dependent network of equals moving as one great whole. That's the way sheep move to the slaughter.

Respect your colleagues. Give them a jumpseat. Invite them over for the bar-b-que. Our fight for greater respect and pay from our management is already hard enough without turning on our own. Let uncontitional respect and understanding rule your dealings with your fellows.