Wednesday, March 14, 2001

In response to the airline pilot's article in the (AJC, March 3), I have several comments to make.

Regarding the sacrifices that [the pilot] and his family have made in the last 10 years, I want him to know that the rest of the company employees have also made countless sacrifices. For example, in order to achieve a good shift and days off, most of us have worked way over his 10 years of seniority, to say the least. We have also been away from our families on holidays, during school functions, weekends and worked all hours. To make ends meet and secure a retirement in which our families will be taken care of, many of us work 68 hours per week when overtime is available, not per month like him. I am aware that his 70 hours per month is flying time only.

Many of us have paid for our own training and college education through many sacrifices; however, his rigorous training in the Air Force to obtain those "necessary skills, experience and judgment" to fly planes well was a very costly training paid for by us, the taxpayers.

While he is unapologetic about the tactics used to obtain what he thinks he is owed, the rest of the employees, as he well said, are not and cannot be sympathetic with him.

Our pilots have been offered to be the highest paid in the industry. However a large majority of the company's employees will still make one-third of the present salary of this one pilot at their top pay. His response to this might be that it's our fault because we are not unionized (on our own accord).

Nonetheless, he should also think of the divisiveness and resentment that this situation is causing among all other employees, and the public's perception of the arrogance and greed of many of his rank. He needs to be reminded that he does not work alone. There wouldn't be any plane for him to fly if the rest of the employees wouldn't have "the necessary skills, experience and judgment" to make those planes safe and full.

It seems that he has forgotten the lesson learned from Eastern Airlines and other airlines as well. If this continues, we could all be asking ourselves, "How could this happen to the greatest airline in the free world?"

Jorge A. Orraca

Peachtree City

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