Continental Employees Informed of Pay Reductions

[WolfManPack]

Just received an email informing the Continental employees that they will be asked for pay concessions and they expect that it will be completed by late winter. The memo indicated that it was necessary for the company to return to profitability at some point in the future.

Anyway...I realize this is the "Regional" board but thought some of you might be interested!

When are the people of our industry going to demand better business plans rather than the standard response from management of cutting salaries to save the company.

Something has to give here!

And while I'm at it....the government seems to be "half way" involved in the airline industry. In my opinion they either need to get back in the business of regulating or getting out all together so that the weaker operations are not allowed to drag all the others down.

Ironically Gordon Bethune wrote an excellent article a couple months back saying essentially the same thing.....the weaker airlines are really hurting the industry by somehow surviving longer than they normally would be able to survive!

I think it's time for drastic measure by the people who make up the Airline Industry. Otherwise we'll all be working for substandard wages with no end in sight!

Anyway....my 2 pennies!

P.S. Regarding the new ExpressJet contract.....I personally apologize on behalf of those in my company that saw fit to lower the bar further and you guys have every right, and should in my opinion, let us know about it every oporunity you have!

Peace!

 

[vc10]

Of course, Continental itself would likely have gone Ch 11 shortly after 9/11 if not for government cash. So there's an element of hypocrisy to Bethune's analysis.

Just received an email informing the Continental employees that they will be asked for pay concessions and they expect that it will be completed by late winter. The memo indicated that it was necessary for the company to return to profitability at some point in the future.

Anyway...I realize this is the "Regional" board but thought some of you might be interested!

When are the people of our industry going to demand better business plans rather than the standard response from management of cutting salaries to save the company.

Something has to give here!

And while I'm at it....the government seems to be "half way" involved in the airline industry. In my opinion they either need to get back in the business of regulating or getting out all together so that the weaker operations are not allowed to drag all the others down.

Ironically Gordon Bethune wrote an excellent article a couple months back saying essentially the same thing.....the weaker airlines are really hurting the industry by somehow surviving longer than they normally would be able to survive!

I think it's time for drastic measure by the people who make up the Airline Industry. Otherwise we'll all be working for substandard wages with no end in sight!

Anyway....my 2 pennies!

P.S. Regarding the new ExpressJet contract.....I personally apologize on behalf of those in my company that saw fit to lower the bar further and you guys have every right, and should in my opinion, let us know about it every oporunity you have!

Peace!

 

[nimtz]

REMEMBER YOU WORK FOR ONE OF FORTUNE 500'S TOP COMPANIES TO WORK FOR! LET'S GET A 'BRAG BAG' TOGETHER TO SHOW EVERYONE HOW SUPER IT IS TO BE A PART OF THE GO FORWARD PLAN!


Hey Gordo,

Is your retirement package taking a pay reduction...

PS,

Ditto what wolf said. Please lay it on all our trash talkers who tucked their tails between their legs when it came time to actually put in effort on the xjet contract.

 

[MECH]

What do we have to hang our heads over. We are now the highest compensated pilots in the 50 seat industry, with the most time off. How many other regional airline pilots get almost three months off a year, for vacation, with no loss in pay. Do not have to give up a single day off for recurrent training. Have some the best reserve work rules out there. No off the street captains. A great scope section. We also have one of the best sick leave sections. Filling of vacancies section that forces the company to train in senority. The best retirement program in the 50 seat industry.

I could go on.....

 

[WolfManPack]

Oh yeah...

Mech,

And we also have sub Horizon pay rates for our jets vs. their turbo props at serveral comparable stages in our careers. AND they have an older contract. Unbelievable!

Oh well....all those other things you said were worth it to you I guess!

Not a flame...just the truth!

 

[MECH]

The reality is that NO ONE since Sept. 2001 has seen those rates. We unforunately do not operate in a vacuum. With a date of signing cost increase of 31 million dollars and the most expensive contract in our industry. I personally don't think we need to hang our heads.

The best part is we do not have to wear the hats any more(not a contract issue).

 

[nimtz]

What do we have to hang our heads over. We are now the highest compensated pilots in the 50 seat industry, with the most time off. How many other regional airline pilots get almost three months off a year, for vacation, with no loss in pay. Do not have to give up a single day off for recurrent training. Have some the best reserve work rules out there. No off the street captains. A great scope section. We also have one of the best sick leave sections. Filling of vacancies section that forces the company to train in senority. The best retirement program in the 50 seat industry.

I could go on.....

Why don't you ask the CHQ guys who were berated and hung up wet by our hotheads about how we would get a contract so vastly better that they should hang there heads in shame ahead of time. Check for quotes made by these lazy POS who boasterously thumped their chests screaming Comair +5%.' We should hang our heads in shame cause we trash talked like the bad guy, but couldn't walk the walk. That's why!

Unlike a vast majority (including the numbnuts who didn't even vote) I walked the line and helped out when needed. What scared me is that I noticed the same people showing up everytime to help. Very rarely would new people appear. Take a look at Mesaba and CHQ contracts and realize we did not due that much better despite both carriers have zero leverage. Bottom line lesson is simple. Don't talk smack unless you can prove it on the court.

 

[MECH]

Actually Mesaba had more leverage over their company. They had a strike deadline. Some thing that we could not get from the NMB.

As for our pilot group I have to agree with you. This agreement was obtained in spite of this pilot group, not becuase of it.

 

[WolfManPack]

Ok!!!

Meck,

Okay...we can agree on the Hat issue at least.

Persanally...I feel like a man out of jail.

P.S.

Let me add that Gordon really didn't get into the government involvement issue in his article that I referenced. He really only targeted the Airlines that were continuing to operate despite the adverse conditions they face. I guess that could be understood to include government intervention but I just wanted to add this note to make sure people realized that the article I read was really not about what Gordon thought about the role of government and the airline industry BUT instead the ability of some airlines to survive longer than expected and the direct effect it has on other more "healthy" airlines like Continental.

 

[densoo]

PRESS RELEASE. "Continental plans to implement the reductions on Feb. 28, 2005....

Continental will meet with each work group to discuss a package of changes that are appropriate for each particular group."

They've already got a date for the reductions! So what's the point of a discussion. I'd like to hear it:

CAL: we're reducing your pay, benefits, health care, retirement, and you'll work 90 hours per month instead of the 85 you're doing now.

PILOTS: ok.

At least at DAL they let the drama play out. Even THEY haven't announced a date yet, and they've discussed, voted, and toweled off.

 

[dkwid]

The reality is that NO ONE since Sept. 2001 has seen those rates. We unforunately do not operate in a vacuum. With a date of signing cost increase of 31 million dollars and the most expensive contract in our industry. I personally don't think we need to hang our heads.

The best part is we do not have to wear the hats any more(not a contract issue).

Let us stop using Sept 11th as an excuse to give it all away. Horizon did sign their contract prior to Sept 2001. Still, today, with those very pay rates Horizon air is posting quarterly profits and Horizon does not get a gaurentee of profits for every departure as expressjet does. Additionally Express Jet is a MUCH larger carier and should be able to negotiate competative pay. point is...If Horizon makes profits with their current contracts it is fare to say Express Jet could match pay and best it with their considerable procing power considering their massive size.

Now, I will be first to tell you Horizons contract has serious grey in the work rules but still the min days off is 13 per 5 week bid and offers 4 weeks of paid vacation (that is 4 weeks a year to bid...actual acrual is closer to 5 depending on bidding ability). So Horizon also has a minimum of nearly 3 months off a year 1 third of which is paid......I don't know I still feel I live at work considering I am in a hotel 3 nights a week...compensitary time off is what it should be called.

I am not greedy and for the most part I enjoy my work and respect my employer...but I have no itention to give away the farm for promises of growth and pretty airplanes....this is still a career and I have a family and a future to consider.

 

[densoo]

hmmmm

 

[TOGA]

dkwid gets it! Right on!

 

[SuperFLUF]

They've already got a date for the reductions! So what's the point of a discussion. I'd like to hear it:

CAL: we're reducing your pay, benefits, health care, retirement, and you'll work 90 hours per month instead of the 85 you're doing now.

PILOTS: ok.

At least at DAL they let the drama play out. Even THEY haven't announced a date yet, and they've discussed, voted, and toweled off.

That date is for the non union employees. IF the pilots, mechanics and coke servers take a cut it will have to be negotiated and sent to the membership for ratification. I doubt that will happen in three months.

 

[Ben Franklin]

How many other regional airline pilots get almost three months off a year, for vacation, with no loss in pay.

How do you get three months off per year for vacation? Did I miss something in the contract?

Sincerely,

B. Franklin