DOT authorizes Shuttle America/RP Branded Flying

[n757st]

Hoffmeister, we are shrinking and furloughed as well. We still have 105 guys and girls on furlough. I think you'd better examine your argument again, it's flawed and somehow I can't help to feel like you are trying to pin the worlds woes on RAH because we sit just a little better than the next guy. Unlike other people on this site, I don't wish ill will on anyone else and I'm doing what I can to better our pilot group, airline, and relations with other groups. I'm sorry you feel you need to shake your fists at someone else for the problems that you seem to have.

I'm not sitting here shaking my fists, I am just reacting to the fact that earlier you agreed that all your want is an average contract and average work rules. I am not blaming my problems on you, you did not cause any of the issues really effecting me, but I do work under an industry leading contract, and our contract is not nearly good enough. By accepting an "average" contract you will affect me in 2011 when our contract is up, and will degrade my negotiating power. Every contract should add onto the one before it, by accepting anything less then industry leading you break that cycle, thus perpetuating low pay for first officers, mediocre pay for captains, and giving the majors more reason to farm out larger and larger aircraft. RP guys on this site keep on blaming the mainline pilots for being selfish and giving up scope, thus limiting those jobs. Its ironic that the Mesa pilots, and your talk of wanting only an average contract are doing the exact same thing; you are being selfish and taking an average payscale that will undermine and limit the careers of pilots at airlines that strive for higher and don't want to accept "average", because to be honest, "average" at a regional sucks nut.

Also, to the RP guys that compare their pay to the E190's, maybe the reason that the pay is so low on that aircraft is that they have to now compete against you and your payscales. Again, I have nothing against the RP guys, but hearing that all you want is an average contract boils my blood. Trust me, I work under an "industry leading contract", and I can think of a multitude of contract improvements that could be made, first of all being first officer and captain payscales. I'm not saying reach for the stars, but industry leading would include improved payscales for FO's (in the 40-50 dollar range), slight increases in capt pay, trip rig, higher min day, 14hr max duty day, and 100% DH pay. Getting a couple of these, or at least even focusing on the FO pay and some trip rig issues would go a long way, and I would then call your contract "industry leading".

Morgan, I have nothing against you personally, and if RP walks I will walk with them, but just accepting an average contract makes you look more like Mesa, and lets all face facts, Mesa sux.

 

[Metro752]

The end is near! Hooooray!

 

[Captain Morgan]

I'm not sitting here shaking my fists, I am just reacting to the fact that earlier you agreed that all your want is an average contract and average work rules. I am not blaming my problems on you, you did not cause any of the issues really effecting me, but I do work under an industry leading contract, and our contract is not nearly good enough. By accepting an "average" contract you will affect me in 2011 when our contract is up, and will degrade my negotiating power. Every contract should add onto the one before it, by accepting anything less then industry leading you break that cycle, thus perpetuating low pay for first officers, mediocre pay for captains, and giving the majors more reason to farm out larger and larger aircraft. RP guys on this site keep on blaming the mainline pilots for being selfish and giving up scope, thus limiting those jobs. Its ironic that the Mesa pilots, and your talk of wanting only an average contract are doing the exact same thing; you are being selfish and taking an average payscale that will undermine and limit the careers of pilots at airlines that strive for higher and don't want to accept "average", because to be honest, "average" at a regional sucks nut.

Also, to the RP guys that compare their pay to the E190's, maybe the reason that the pay is so low on that aircraft is that they have to now compete against you and your payscales. Again, I have nothing against the RP guys, but hearing that all you want is an average contract boils my blood. Trust me, I work under an "industry leading contract", and I can think of a multitude of contract improvements that could be made, first of all being first officer and captain payscales. I'm not saying reach for the stars, but industry leading would include improved payscales for FO's (in the 40-50 dollar range), slight increases in capt pay, trip rig, higher min day, 14hr max duty day, and 100% DH pay. Getting a couple of these, or at least even focusing on the FO pay and some trip rig issues would go a long way, and I would then call your contract "industry leading".

Morgan, I have nothing against you personally, and if RP walks I will walk with them, but just accepting an average contract makes you look more like Mesa, and lets all face facts, Mesa sux.

I'll say it again, I agree with you on 40k-50k, I agree with you on 14hr duty day and 100% dead head pay. I agree with that stuff. What I was saying previously though, is I want to be second best. I want someone to have a contract slightly higher because then our contract won't be ripe for the hacking. That was my point. Believe me I don't want subpar, who does? I just don't want to be the next.

 

[climb2slow]

we hold DIP for Frontier, if they go under, we get assets. (planes/gates/etc)..im sure we could sell off those assets and recoup any loss. Im sure if Midwest files bk, we would probably be one of their DIP as well.

You should tally up the assets at F9 sometime. So far your ability to recoup losses SHOULD ride on hoping frontier makes it. RAH has invested in frontier at least 3 times the value of any assets that we have.

 

[king10pin02]

I'll say it again, I agree with you on 40k-50k, I agree with you on 14hr duty day and 100% dead head pay. I agree with that stuff. What I was saying previously though, is I want to be second best. I want someone to have a contract slightly higher because then our contract won't be ripe for the hacking. That was my point. Believe me I don't want subpar, who does? I just don't want to be the next.

exactly, if you look at my previous post, i said "above avg contract" Every regional is a subcontractor and I do not want to priced out of being competitive. I have a lot of friends at Comair, which was im sad to say is a shell of the great airline it once was, and dont want to see that happen to my airline.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Yes, the whole things smells, and we are looking in to it.

 

[Popeye0537]

Why is this such big news? Republic has had this ability for the past few years and I don't remember doing any branded flying.

I love you guys touting your Industry leading contracts.....XJT took 6% pay cut to stay in business, Comair froze pay increases for the HOPE of more A/C(how did that work out for you guys). ASA took what 6 years for a new contract and then was sold to a non-union company??!

 

[Axel]

...Guild....

 

[OUPilot01]

By not wanting an industry leading contract you are openly admitting you don't mind riding someone else coat tails. You will hide behind those that have better contracts and pay and swoop in and take flying from them. RAH has millions in the bank and is making money hand over fist but you don't want to "price your self out of competition." Essentially what you guys have done to midwest is what you are scared of happening to you. Ironic. Its ok for you to come in and do Midwest flying for a fraction of the wages, but god forbid that happen to you. It sickens me that after the emense beating this industry has taken in the past 8 years, there are still those scared to demand adequate wages for equipment size. RAH, XJT, AE, SKW these are no longer stepping stone places to work. The only thing regional about them is the pay. The sooner people stop looking at their regional as a "means to an end" The sooner things may turn around. This industry has to be fixed from the bottom up. The majors can not justify pay restoration as long as us regional guys are willing to do this job for peanuts.

 

[MCOE175]

By not wanting an industry leading contract you are openly admitting you don't mind riding someone else coat tails. You will hide behind those that have better contracts and pay and swoop in and take flying from them. RAH has millions in the bank and is making money hand over fist but you don't want to "price your self out of competition." Essentially what you guys have done to midwest is what you are scared of happening to you. Ironic. Its ok for you to come in and do Midwest flying for a fraction of the wages, but god forbid that happen to you. It sickens me that after the emense beating this industry has taken in the past 8 years, there are still those scared to demand adequate wages for equipment size. RAH, XJT, AE, SKW these are no longer stepping stone places to work. The only thing regional about them is the pay. The sooner people stop looking at their regional as a "means to an end" The sooner things may turn around. This industry has to be fixed from the bottom up. The majors can not justify pay restoration as long as us regional guys are willing to do this job for peanuts.

I agree fully with this post but now about "what we did to midwest." We didn't do anything TGP and MEH MGT did everything. We can't strike, we have to deal with it.