Truth About Colgan

[BirdCatcher]

My position on the union has changed. From being for it to against it. I don't plan on being here at colgan for my then a couple more years like most of us. Hell if Alpa is unable to negotiate a contract with pinnacle mgmt then how are they going to get us a contract. It would be one thing if it was the old family owned colgan air. but its not, it is pinnacle the same company that has denied a new contract for over two years. So it boils down to this, who wants to pay 2% for then next few years for no improvement. By the time colgan gets a contract we will be gone, so let the future colgan pilots go through the same crap they we go through now both good and bad. All the regionals suck and are under paid. Wages will increase with demand, just like anything else. With fewer pilots and an increasing demand we will have a choice, its a fact. So I say no to the union and will not be voting next month.

When you leave your Saab at the end of a long day, do you leave the airplane a mess for the next guy? Are you one of those FO's who leave the airplane without told cards and W & B forms? I sure hope not. So why would you not want to leave Colgan better for the next guy? That's assuming it takes 2 years. Keep in mind until the first contract, technically you DON'T HAVE to join the union, once the contract comes out it will most likely have a clause that says you must. So if you think you'll leave soon after getting voted in, at least think about your coworkers.

BTW vote the way you want, but make sure you information is correct. Supply and Demand has not changed pilot payscales AT ALL, and will not anytime soon. Supply and demand in regards to pilots determines the hiring mins, and signing bonuses. Management believes the current shortage is temporary, thus offering bonuses and lowering mins is a better idea then changing payscales. You have to think like management, what is the cheapest option. They will probably try to get that license that Europe has for low time FO's before they raise pay based on supply and demand.

 

[vectorvictor]

My position on the union has changed. From being for it to against it. I don't plan on being here at colgan for my then a couple more years like most of us. Hell if Alpa is unable to negotiate a contract with pinnacle mgmt then how are they going to get us a contract. It would be one thing if it was the old family owned colgan air. but its not, it is pinnacle the same company that has denied a new contract for over two years. So it boils down to this, who wants to pay 2% for then next few years for no improvement. By the time colgan gets a contract we will be gone, so let the future colgan pilots go through the same crap they we go through now both good and bad. All the regionals suck and are under paid. Wages will increase with demand, just like anything else. With fewer pilots and an increasing demand we will have a choice, its a fact. So I say no to the union and will not be voting next month.

I agree with you supply dictates demand and salaries and benefits will increase in the industry regardless of our union vote outcome but...

Voting in ALPA is a STEP toward improving things not only for ourselves but for everyone else who comes in after us. We're going to need to vote in quality reps and be pro-active as a pilot group in negotiating not only for the good of ourselves but the good of the company. How much smoother would day to day operations be if we had some work rules that required the company to carry adequate reserve? If we forced this issue alone, think of the money the company would SAVE in lost revenue.

Ask the folks who used to be on the MEC (the pilot committee that had the "open" line of communication with managment) at Commutair how many positive changes they were able to make in their work rules following the foiling of the union drive. They lost days off (12-10 per 28 days), their health insurace costs increased to over $60 a week for even the basic plan, they lost pay in the form of an on-time bonus ($1200 per year). Really nothing changed following a lot of talk about open communication and how they didn't need a union.

I can justify the cost of the union in the legal protection it provides for me and my family. God forbid I do something stupid and bend something there is at least an additional line of defense for my career and legal protection from the FAA that I could NOT afford to pay for myself. Think of it this way no one with car insurance thinks they are going to have an accident but I bet you are willing to pay 2% or more of your salary for that? You do it to protect yourself from the liability of your actions. No one with life insurance thinks they are going to die. Hey if I kick it my wife is a half a million richer not because I never want her to work again but because we accepted liabilities (like car payments and a home mortgage) based upon our salaries and a life together. As a pilot you accept a tremendous liability every time you get in the airplane with passengers in the back. Right now we are all self-insured. Worse part is the new guys coming in are so happy to be flying for us they don't recognize the liability or the potential consequences.

I believe that having ALPA representation with some good reps from our side could help not only the company but also the pilot group.

 

[Thurman Merman]

I think 400 hr. FO's who make my job harder should be payed less.

 

[Prop2Jet]

Hey back in the day they used to fly like this all the time, can't you? --Another Jebo quote....

 

[FO 4 Life]

My position on the union has changed. From being for it to against it. I don't plan on being here at colgan for my then a couple more years like most of us. Hell if Alpa is unable to negotiate a contract with pinnacle mgmt then how are they going to get us a contract. It would be one thing if it was the old family owned colgan air. but its not, it is pinnacle the same company that has denied a new contract for over two years. So it boils down to this, who wants to pay 2% for then next few years for no improvement. By the time colgan gets a contract we will be gone, so let the future colgan pilots go through the same crap they we go through now both good and bad. All the regionals suck and are under paid. Wages will increase with demand, just like anything else. With fewer pilots and an increasing demand we will have a choice, its a fact. So I say no to the union and will not be voting next month.

You don't want to do the work. What about your next job? What if those pilots said, "You know what I'll be retired/gone to the next job/ etc. so why make things better?" At the job you aspire to reach, pilots before you have made it a job you want. Why can't you do the same?

 

[Fred Rogers]

My position on the union has changed. From being for it to against it. I don't plan on being here at colgan for my then a couple more years like most of us. Hell if Alpa is unable to negotiate a contract with pinnacle mgmt then how are they going to get us a contract. It would be one thing if it was the old family owned colgan air. but its not, it is pinnacle the same company that has denied a new contract for over two years. So it boils down to this, who wants to pay 2% for then next few years for no improvement. By the time colgan gets a contract we will be gone, so let the future colgan pilots go through the same crap they we go through now both good and bad. All the regionals suck and are under paid. Wages will increase with demand, just like anything else. With fewer pilots and an increasing demand we will have a choice, its a fact. So I say no to the union and will not be voting next month.

So where does that leave us when we don't have a union? One big happy "family"? If you believe that then you are nuts.

 

[Brae123]

VOTE NO

 

[Prop2Jet]

Vote Brae Sucks ! OR PEDRO!

 

[Mr Wu]

VOTE NO

You make a compelling argument.

 

[belchfire]

We had a couple of folks come to crapex as management that had been at Express 1 in the bad old days. They brought all their abusive baggage with them. I really don't think that the corporate model has changed at Pinnicle too much from what I have read. NWA has been terrible in dealing with their regional partners.

Contract or not it would be ill advised not to get some kind of representation in there...when the contract stuff drags on you need to seek release to self help ASAP. That is the only thing people like this pay attention to.

I would recommend that you vote yes-even if you won't reap the benifits you won't have contributed to the continuation of one of most abusive sets of work rules in the regionals.

People that would vote NO cause it won't help them are self centered, short sighted and don't deserve to
progress any farther than Colgan...

It won't be easy and it won't be fun and you need to have some really sharp, dedicated people running the union-it will only be as good as the participation of the crewmembers.

My two cents worth.

Good luck!

 

[YMICFI]

Selfish and short sighted

My position on the union has changed. From being for it to against it. I don't plan on being here at colgan for my then a couple more years like most of us. Hell if Alpa is unable to negotiate a contract with pinnacle mgmt then how are they going to get us a contract. It would be one thing if it was the old family owned colgan air. but its not, it is pinnacle the same company that has denied a new contract for over two years. So it boils down to this, who wants to pay 2% for then next few years for no improvement. By the time colgan gets a contract we will be gone, so let the future colgan pilots go through the same crap they we go through now both good and bad. All the regionals suck and are under paid. Wages will increase with demand, just like anything else. With fewer pilots and an increasing demand we will have a choice, its a fact. So I say no to the union and will not be voting next month.

Really? That's short-sighted and very selfish. The contract could be in place in a much shorter time. This vote is for all professional pilots now and in the future. It is about all of us now at Colgan and those yet to come. We need to make it better for everyone in the industry and this company. The only way we can do that is to vote yes now.

 

[Fred Rogers]

It won't be easy and it won't be fun and you need to have some really sharp, dedicated people running the union-it will only be as good as the participation of the crewmembers.

That's the Fact Jack!

 

[Brae123]

It won't be easy and it won't be fun and you need to have some really sharp, dedicated people running the union-it will only be as good as the participation of the crewmembers.

My two cents worth.

Good luck!

That is the whole reason to vote no at Colgan, we have none of the above, just like every union I have seen and dealt with.

 

[SeaCow]

What unions have you dealt with in the past Brae123? The "Association of Unified Apron Strings", doesn’t count! And if all your fellow crew members are idiots why don’t you step up, if your so wise and experienced. Oh that’s rights that would involve you cutting the apron strings, putting on your big boy pants, and acting like a professional. Quite frankly you’re the dull one, if you enjoy the daily beatings we receive here. We expect to be treated like professionals, so why don’t we do the professional thing and vote YES. Cause right now were swimming in whale poop! So LETS MAKE IT BETTER and VOTE YES 31 Jul-21 AUG 07.

 

[Brae123]

What unions have you dealt with in the past Brae123? The "Association of Unified Apron Strings", doesn’t count! And if all your fellow crew members are idiots why don’t you step up, if your so wise and experienced. Oh that’s rights that would involve you cutting the apron strings, putting on your big boy pants, and acting like a professional. Quite frankly you’re the dull one, if you enjoy the daily beatings we receive here. We expect to be treated like professionals, so why don’t we do the professional thing and vote YES. Cause right now were swimming in whale poop! So LETS MAKE IT BETTER and VOTE YES 31 Jul-21 AUG 07.

Vote Brae Sucks ! OR PEDRO!

If your the example of professionalism at Colgan then you are right, we are screwed.