Why the Pilots Protest Matters to the Occupy Wall Street Movement

[blogslut]

From the http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/220833/20110927/united-continental-merger-pilots-wall-street-protest.htm">International Business Times:

More than 700 Continental and United Continental pilots took to Wall Street on Tuesday to protest slow contract negotiations and misinformation regarding merger integration. The demonstrating pilots marched together, queitely, in order and in full uniform, holding two signs.

"Merger Progress is More than Painting Airplanes," said one sign.

"Management is Destroying our Airline," said another sign.

United Continental Holdings plans to fully integrate the two airlines by mid-2012, but pilots on Wall Street on Tuesday believe that the company needs to focus on contract negotiations instead of changing the logo on the cocktail napkins. The pilots say too many contract issues including benefits and job protections remain unresolved...

Years ago a West Texas group called http://peacefarm.us">The Peace Farm were holding a protest at an Amarillo mall against the proposed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trident_%28missile%29#Trident_II_.28D5.29_UGM-133A">Trident II Missile. Leading the protest was a man named Les Breeding. Unbeknownst to Mr. Breeding, someone had sent a package to him via FEDEX. The content of the package is not the point of this story. The delivery of that package is what matters.

I don't recall if FEDEX made any attempts to drive 10 miles outside of Amarillo to the Peace Farm. What I do know is that in the middle of a peace movement protest on the high plains of Texas, a FEDEX truck drove into the parking lot of Westgate Mall, located Les Breeding and had him sign for his package so it could be delivered according to company policy.

To paraphrase the FEDEX representative that was asked about the unusual delivery: "We went to the mall because that's where that man was at."

The Occupy Wall Street protest is ongoing. In my opinion, the longer they stay, the more they will garner support, attention and attendees. Those 700 pilots marched on Wall Street because that's where the people are at.

[SpiralHawk]

1. RepubliCorp, Inc. (R) wants to bust the pilots' asses, too

remind them that they, too, are but Proles in service to the Eeeeleete RepubliWankers...

[Vanje]

2. K! R!

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. Recommend!

[johnd83]

4. Pilots are severely underpaid, undertrained, and overworked

It is getting to the point that it is pretty unsafe. Air traffic controllers have the same problem and are falling asleep on the job!

[Major Nikon]

5. Controllers don't have the same problem

The average salary of a controller is in the six figure range, and they don't have an army of underpaid controllers in line for their jobs with management cheering them on. I'm not bashing controllers, but just sayin' it ain't the same situation.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. Average in the six figure range!?!?! I need a link.

[Major Nikon]

11. Here's over 3 million of them

http://www.google.com/search?q=average+air+traffic+controller+salary

[Hassin Bin Sober]

14. Wow. I never knew.

[BeHereNow]

6. Hell yeah! Remember the stories about pilots using food stamps?

I mean what the hell?
Pilots are now the "bus drivers" of the sky?
Making the same wages, or less, than people
who drive city busses for a living????

I remember when pilots for the airlines were
regarded as God-like beings.
A marvel among us mere mortals.

BHN

[awoke_in_2003]

8. Airlines like American...

are structured like baseball- major league and minor league. The minor league for American is American Eagle, and they fly regional jets doing short hops. Regional pilots are paid a pathetic wage- and many pilots group up to rent flop houses for their layovers. Once they graduate to the big leagues (which takes some time) the pay is pretty decent. But when you are in the minors you are underpaid and overworked- at the safety of the passenger.

[Major Nikon]

12. Even to get in the minor leagues takes years of working for practically nothing

Here's an old pilot joke:

Q. What's the difference between a flight instructor and a pizza?

A. A pizza can feed a family of 4.

[BeHereNow]

13. Even better news that they are protesting then...

I don't think anyone wants to board a plane flown
by some one who is living in the conditions you describe.
Despicable corporate fucks have destroyed the quality of life
for so many people. I am so glad to see the people fighting back.

I would LOVE to be in NY right now.
Wish I could afford to go.

BHN

[awoke_in_2003]

15. totally agree on all accounts. nt

[FarCenter]

7. They came, they demonstrated, they left

Not much to do with OccupyWallStreet.

They had a specific message for the Mergers & Acquisition investment bankers, which they made in a very disciplined way.

[blogslut]

10. Maybe I'm not making my point clear

I wasn't making the claim that the pilots intended to remain. I'm saying they chose Wall Street because that's the place to be and they knew it. I'm saying that other groups will also choose Wall Street as the location for their protests because the Occupy Wall Street movement has transformed that bit of NYC into "protest central" - the symbolic heart of our American problem(s).