CHQ E190's

[surplus1]

This 190 deal will exceed that number, so it requires our approval to increase the number of J4J aircraft on property.

Why do you have a "need" to increase the number of J4J aircraft for any reason?
Haven't you figured out that the only thing that "program" does is play you all for suckers?

Why are you at all interested in giving up your seniority to pilots from another airline?

 

[Stick Man]

Why do you have a "need" to increase the number of J4J aircraft for any reason?
Haven't you figured out that the only thing that "program" does is play you all for suckers?

Why are you at all interested in giving up your seniority to pilots from another airline?

Wow, 25000 hrs and you're a CA at CMR?

Sad - truly sad.

 

[surplus1]

What is "sad" about it Stick Man?

 

[jobear]

Well said Lear! I agree both pilot groups need to get together and arm ourselves for this upcoming battle.

What is the Company going to do for us to sweeten the deal? Bump pay rates (not likely), settle grievances, improve contract language, etc.

Although I believe the 190 should be a mainline aircraft flown by mainline crews at mainline rates, it is a fact that 190's are coming, like it or not. GECAS ordered 25 of them on 6-23-05. Wonder where they're going?

IMHO, BB's letter was simply posturing. This is a done deal as far as a/c orders go. The 25 orders for the E190 will enable Republic Airways Holdings to take all of the pilots from MDA in a J4J deal, which was discussed a few weeks ago when the asset sale/change of control issue first surfaced. BB said himself that in order to take all of the MDA guys, we would need at least 25 growth aircraft in addition to the current J4J agreement.

No matter what, we need to stick together on this and not waver. I believe the Company has something to gain but a lot more to lose on this and perhaps we can finally make a stand.

I concur, he's hoping the SJS infects all who work here. I just want a steady job and a chance to move to a legacy carrier before my 45th birthday (which really ain't to far off). And a retirement without the need for work unless I'm bored.

Jobear
doing the yeomans job...

 

[Strikefinder]

Why do you have a "need" to increase the number of J4J aircraft for any reason?
Haven't you figured out that the only thing that "program" does is play you all for suckers?

Why are you at all interested in giving up your seniority to pilots from another airline?

Get out your history books, folks, since yet another misunderstanding is being dragged out...

About three years ago, Bedford came to the Chautauqua pilot group and asked us to ratify a J4J agreement that had been put or was going to be put in place at the wholly-owned airlines and the affliate carriers who we were competing against.

Our answer?

No.

Bedford, et al, go forward with a brainy (literally) idea to circumvent our contract and scope by creating an alter-ego entity known as "Republic Airlines" (much like Freedom is now a legitmately sanctioned part of Mesa, Republic is now legitimately sactioned by our pilot contract). At the time, Republic was supposed to be an airline made solely for the purpose of excercising an agreement with USAir to acquire J4J aircraft, and the pay rate was lower than our current, and old, contract. Sounds a lot like another popular and recent alter-ego issue, to be honest.

Of course, the problem was, Bedford had us by our, ahem, packages and the threat of an alter-ego being created pushed the Chautauqua pilot group to reexamine the J4J contract that had been updated, took the lesser of two evils, and signed a revised version in hopes of eliminating the alter-ego status of Republic. We were successful--there is no alter-ego carrier, since Republic is now bound to the CHQ pilot agreement. The bitter pill we swallowed was to surrender a part of our seniority provisions to the J4J pilots, who were given protections not afforded them at their relative seniority in certain situations. I'm not saying anything bad about the U pilots who have come here--I've flown with several, and they're all stand-up guys. But it is a slippery slope, and any of us who were here at CHQ at the time are very aware of the ramificaions of the agreement we signed the second time around. Quite honestly, we were outmaneuvered by management on this particular item, and had to give in to the J4J program in the hopes of protecting our jobs, and quite frankly the jobs at our competitors. If you don't like our pay rates, consider how much more difficult it would have been had you been competing with several dollars, per hour, less.

I can't speak for the pilot group on the whole, but there are a lot of vocal opponents to the idea of expanding the J4J program at CHQ. Again, this is not meant to be a slap in the face to the MDA pilots. I do not see any particular benefit for us to sign away more of the scope and seniority provisions of our current agreement solely in exchange for more aircraft. Nor do I have any particular inkling to go after any more flying (and certainly not concede any part of our agreement to acquire such flying) in larger aircraft, for both reasons of industry solidarity and a desire to motivate Mr. Bedford to elicit positive changes in blatant violations of our work rules and bargaining agreement.

What will happen? Who can say. To the best of my knowledge, USAir's pilots have scoped anything larger than a 170 to mainline, so I don't understand how Chautauqua, or anybody for that matter, can fly them for USAir. With the apparent lack of interest on the part of the MDA pilots to fly here, I don't know why the USAir pilots would agree--with or without a J4J provision--to allow us to fly them. Perhaps a court has eliminated such scope in order to make U more competitive, and I'm out of the loop. If not, however, I sincerely hope that ALPA will settle the issue where it ought to be settled--at mainline. If Chautauqua is offered such aircraft with the consent of the U pilots, then it has quite frankly gone too far already.

So, to answer your questions (see quote):
1.We don't
2.Though I wouldn't have put it so colorfully, yes
3.Who said we were interested in this at all?

 

[E170Guppykiller]

Since the 190s are coming and will be flown by the regionals, I'd rather be the one flying them rather than some other regional flying them.

 

[ERJDRVR2]

Since the 190s are coming and will be flown by the regionals, I'd rather be the one flying them rather than some other regional flying them.

GUPPY is NOT A CHQ PILOT.

FLAME-BAIT

 

[Superpilot92]

I hope not i was about to say how pathetic of a thought pattern that was. We need to pick the profession back up and try and turn it around or we are only screwing ourselves.

 

[E170Guppykiller]

I am a CHQ pilot that has come to terms with reality. We are going to be at the regionals a whole lot longer than any of us ever imagined, most of us for the rest of our careers. With that said, if I'm going to be stuck at the regionals, I want to fly the biggest, coolest jet out there and currently the 170 is it and the 190 will take it's place.

 

[PSAChiefPilots]

thanks

I appreciate the offer to come by and have it explained by a cp. I have better things to do with my time. I hope your career expectaions are what you expect. good luck.

e190 is not a regional A/c.

Tie1on,
I quoted who my comments were directed toward.
Thanks,
PSACPSP