The payscale was negotiated with this mathematical equation below –
No step would be lower then 2 or 3 in the industry, no step would get less then $5 at DOS, no step would fall behind AA/US/DL during or at the end of 5 years with managements 1.5% downline requirement (AS/DL had between 2-4%) and managements requirement that the top not exceed the 10.8% TOS increase given to the pilots making the FA’s and pilots the highest percent increase at TOS of all work groups on the property.
The overall step percentage increases vary based on the unbalance of the payscale over the years and how the top continued to keep pace with the top of the industry while the bottom was left falling further behind in the industry. We used this formula to keep it consistent and eliminate the preferential treatment of any step.
The longevity premium was lowered to YOS 16 to capture more people and be able to increase the rate on worked TFP making the scale rate consistent with the above formula but allowing for more money to be paid to TOS when working. If you add in the longevity premium to the scale the top continues to climb above the 10.8% on any worked TFP.