Comair sends a message....again...

[blott]

October 24, 2003
TO: All Comair People
FROM: Randy Rademacher
SUBJECT: Update On Growth Opportunities

For several months, we have been talking with you about how the market is forcing
changes within our industry. As part of those changes, smaller regional airlines with
lower costs and expanding regional jet capabilities are now emerging as competitive
threats. We have been working very hard to improve our operational reliability and
remove costs from every area of the company to better position us to compete with these
carriers. As part of this effort, we approached our pilot and flight attendant unions about
helping us address areas in our working agreements where market-based analysis shows
we have a competitive disadvantage.

We have been informed by Comair representatives of the Air Line Pilots Association
(ALPA) that they are not prepared to open discussions at this time regarding possible
market-based adjustments to their working agreement. Today’s decision by ALPA means
that at this point we also will not pursue further discussions with Comair representatives
of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).

We are obviously disappointed that we were unable to move forward on discussions with
our pilots at this crucial time and concerned that we could not seize the growth
opportunity that was immediately before us. It is important to know that without marketbased
contract adjustments, we are severely hindered in our efforts to compete
successfully for future growth aircraft. Industry conditions obligate Delta Connection and
all other airline programs to seek carriers for growth aircraft that can offer operational
reliability at competitive costs.
I am confident we will continue to pull together as a team to move our airline forward.
Thank you for all you do every day for our customers and each other.

 

[Airpiraterob]

market based analysis shows a competitive disadvantage? jesus how many words does it take to say "we pay you more than anyone"

i hope they never act on their market based analysis.

 

[Catbird]

Your MESA fraternal brothers will step to the front once again and show the Alpa spirit. After a agreement is signed the mantra from the toilet bowl will be. "We had to do it, Jonathan was going to use Blind Mongolian Lesbians if we didn't assume the KneePad position. We could not have achieved this without Duane and our other fraternal leaders in Virginia. "

 

[SmackYourPappy]

I applaud our fellow COMAIR brothers and sisters!!!!!

Wish I could say the same for other groups!!!!

Tailwinds-

 

[Freebrd]

Way to go CMR borthers & sisters! This is a common goal of US corporations to reduce pay and benefits as low as they can. WalMart, Tyson etc are all paying folks wages below the poverty level which the regionals have been doing for years, not to mention reduced benefits such as health insurance, or no benefits at all.

If DAL wants to contract with other carriers for DCI flying, so be it. I've been at ASA for over 14 years and will quit before I give in to any concessions. A 4 yr degree, thousands of hours of flight experience and flying a jet, with all the BS w/ security, training, physicals etc, and DAL wants me to fly THEIR RJs for low wages?

In the meantime DAL pilots are the highest paid and they're not taking a cut, DAL management is still padding their retirements and bonuses, and all DAL employees (not ASA & CMR) get a retirement, and none of them are taking a cut,so 'forget about it' !!!


Again, way to CMR, about time we put a stop to this nonsense!

 

[captjim]

Way to go Comair, I with eveyone in the industry had nards like you guys.

 

[Treme]

Let's hope

Let's hope that Randy's only "punishment" will be the lack of growth and that the airline doesn't intend to do worse.

I would be very surprised if we dont see a transfer of aircraft or flying to Chautauqua, ACA, or Skywest.

Management traditionally has only one "bullet" -- job security. I will be shocked if they don't fire a shot across the bow that could result in furloughs at Comair.

This industry sucks.

 

[Snakum]

Blind Mongolian Lesbians

I don't really have a pertinant comment, but I sure like saying that phrase ...

"Blind Mongolian Lesbians"
"Blind Mongolian Lesbians"
"Blind Mongolian Lesbians"

Say it with me, won't you?
"Blind Mongolian Lesbians"

Minh
(I find myself oddly aroused ... )

 

[surplus1]

Re: Let's hope

I will be shocked if they don't fire a shot across the bow that could result in furloughs at Comair.

This industry sucks.

They probably will. At that point it will be time to return fire. Aim for their bridge.

The indsutry doesn't suck. There are people running the industry that suck.

When there is a legitimate reason for concessions they should be considered and given. It this case, there is no real legitimate reason shown by the Company as yet. If it is good business to grow Comair, then it will grow, whether or not we give concessions. If it is bad business to grow, then we will remain stagnant or shrink. That's the name of the game.

If Delta management chooses to destroy one of the best assets they have going (CMR), there is not much we pilots can do about it. One thing is certain, we cannot "buy" growth with our compensation package,which is NOT unreasonable. We should support cost control, but the Company (Delta) must be realistic. When they have controlled the exorbitant costs in other divisions of the Company and cut the fat by reducing the overhead created by unnecessary "divisions", e.g., operating ASA and CMR separately for no logical reason other than to pressure labor, that will be the time for Comair pilots to consider concessions, not before.

If Delta really needs concessions from Comair, they can start by first obtaining concessions where they are really relevant to the bottom line; e.g., eliminating artificial restrictions on our operations, elevating ASA to parity with Comair, combining ASA/CMR and eliminating the "fat" of redundant management structures and unnecessary duplicitous infra structure, reducing other costs that are truly "out of line". If after that is done the Company can then demonstrate a legitimate need for further concessions at CMR/ASA, at that point they should be considered. Not before.

The recent concessions made at SKYW, ACA and ARW are good examples of what not to do. Does anyone really believe that UAL would have gone Chapter 7 if it were not for the "concessions" at those carriers? Would they have eliminated ALL their "regional feed" by cancelling those three contracts and trying to give it all to Mesa? I doubt it. The costs of attempting such a radical change would be far more than the "savings" generated by those concessions. They got the concessions because of FEAR on the part of those pilot groups. Had ALL of those groups refused concessions collectively it would have ended right there. As soon as the first one of them folded, the bluff was successful and all the rest of us were put into a more difficult position.

Concessions made to a management that cannot guarantee growth by itself, that cannot prevent reallocation of flying, that cannot control dowsizing of the operation, etc., are a masterpiece of incompetence on the part of union leadership.

Growth may stop at Comair and some flying may be reallocated to other carriers if Delta management decides to "punish" Comair pilots as a tonic for its ego. The last time they did that it cost the shareholders $700 millions in wasted money, saved nothing, and served no purpose other than to punish Delta customers, who are the real "victims" of management's unreasonable behavior. If that is what Delta wants to do, concessions from Comair pilots will not prevent it. Our MEC has made the right decision.

If and when Delta itself is willing to sign its name to the Comair PWA, then it will be time to talk. Comair (as a company) does not control Delta's behavior and therefore, Comair has nothing to offer and can guarantee nothing. Under that circumstance any "deal" made with Comair's puppet management is as useless as tits on a boar hog.

In the interim, Comair pilots "have nothing to fear but fear itself." Let us prepare to defend the ship. If shots are fired across our bow I say again, fire back and aim for the bridge. We are already doing everything we can to support our Company and last quarter we returned a net profit to the parent Company greater that the latest "wonder" known as JBLU. That's not bad for a "regional subsidiary".

Let us hope that Delta will not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. If they do, call it Kismet. Fate is the Hunter.

 

[Pez D. Spencer]

Q for surplus1

Surplus1,
I found your post interesting and well written, but I want to know what exactly is the "ammo" that the pilot group can use to "fire back and aim for the bridge?"

I'm not trying to be belligerent - just trying to learn something...

 

[LearLove]

Hey Comair guys,

Welcome to the WO world.

 

[F-eagle]

I'm currently in the pool at Comair, and will probably never step foot on the property as a result of the pilot group not taking concessions. That being said, thank you CMR pilots for not giving in and lowering the bar. The CMR pilots simply don't make enough money to take any paycuts. As a poolie that will probably miss out on a great job, with a great group of pilots, I say thank you for not lowering the bar. This is a sacrifice I am happy to take, if it means the CMR pilots setting the standard once again. If only Mesa, and the others had the balls the CMR pilots do, we wouldn't be in this mess, and the regionals could be a career, not just a stepping stone.

 

[prodigal]

Ditto. At least we have the satisfaction of knowing we made the cut.
What are the chances that this is still a part of the posturing and power play? Anyway, it ain't over till it's over.
Tryin' to keep the faith,
prodigal

 

[surplus1]

Re: Q for surplus1

Surplus1,
I found your post interesting and well written, but I want to know what exactly is the "ammo" that the pilot group can use to "fire back and aim for the bridge?"

I'm not trying to be belligerent - just trying to learn something...

Pez,

Sometimes silence is golden. Let's just call it Solidarity, to the last man. Comair pilots know what that means. Whatever it takes.

Shots have been "fired across our bow" before. Matter of fact they were fired at our waterline. There was much damage to both sides in the resulting battle. Who do you think lost more?

I didn't think you were belligerent, and even if you were (as I'm sure someone will be), I can take the "heat".

 

[surplus1]

Hey Comair guys,

Welcome to the WO world.

WO yes, but I think that's where the similarity ends. No offense intended, that's just how it is.

 

[surplus1]

To the "Poolies"

I sincerely hope that you are not adversely affected by any of this. I am greatful that you seem to recognize that we must care for those already here before we care for those to come.

Let us hope that management does not make any unreasonable decisions and you will become "one of us" sooner than later.

 

[Networ-King]

Way to go Comair guy/gals. Way to keep the bar where its at instead of lowering it like most of the other groups.

Fins,

Shouldn't you be here somewhere......telling these guys they make more then any other regional and that they should take cuts. hhhhhhmmmmm or do you work for Comair?

Im glad Comair and Delta have stood their ground and told management to go pound sand. Stay strong fellas, your underpaid as it is.

 

[surplus1]

Fins,

Shouldn't you be here somewhere......telling these guys they make more then any other regional and that they should take cuts. hhhhhhmmmmm or do you work for Comair?

Fins can speak for himself, but with all due respect I think you are misreading him by a wide margin. He is one of our ASA brothers and we are all members of the same team.

They stood by us when we were walking and we must stand by them while they are negotiating. Neither one of us wants to hurt the other with "friendly fire".

 

[LearLove]

WO yes, but I think that's where the similarity ends. No offense intended, that's just how it is.

Hold on there Surp1. Your head alittle big. Vanity, its the favorite sin.

Anyway - There is a history at this WO that would squash anything your PFT laidin, goin on strike when jobs are aplenty group has. NO OFFENSE INTENDED, THATS JUST HOW IT IS.

 

[FmrFreightDog]

WAY TO GO COMAIR!!!!!

Thanks a lot for standing up for all of us during this difficult time. You guys are really a class act. If more pilot groups would take a page from your book we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place.