FreedomAirlines "Mission Statement"

[big dog1]

Most likely most will stay as jet fo's, they imposed a seat lock on our 1900 guys

Equipment Commitments
18 months for Turboprop CA
36 months for Jet CA
TP F/O can only move to CA on same equipment or to CA on jet

 

[Mayday911]

If that TA summary is correct and accurate...it is embarassing!!

 

[Juan Valdez]

Freedom Monky Spanks

All Freedom pilots should be deported to Afghanastan and dropped off into the Talibans training camps. Those sorry A_SES... It's called payin the M'FN dues brother your telling me that a brand new CRJ 700 CA at freedom should remain in his/her seat and a 4 year 1900 CA should take it up the shang wang? BRING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Intruder One]

$1.15 per diem...10 days off lineholder....8 days off reserve...2% match on 401K,boy they sure are generous,I also like the wording "Companys best effort" and "to the extent possible" JO must think his pilots are a bunch of idiots.

 

[WileE]

As far as the Freedom pilots go, they will be back to Mesa's seniority if they had one. Any new hires will go at the bottom of the seniority list. The Jet seats will go based on seniority. All the positions will be open to the entire Mesa list, including CCAir pilots. All the seats are open for bidding, if they aren't senior enough to hold it, they can be displaced completely out of the jet.

As far as the seat lock goes, that is only as of your next training event. If you are already a 1900 CA you are not seat locked until your next upgrade. If you are a 1900 FO, you will be seat locked when you upgrade to CA for 18 months, not when the contract is signed. Also, the time is not a seat lock. If you are awarded FO in the beech (as a new hire say) and fly FO for 1 year, when you make captain you are only locked in for another 6 months before you can bid something else.

For Intruder One: Yes, this is the current contract with a few small improvements such as an additional guaranteed day off for line holders (it was 9), an increased per diem (back dated so everyone will get a small check), a moving allowance where they will actually pay to move up to 9000 lbs of stuff (like the military's PCS policy for any other prior service folks), and a guaranteed raise every 18 months (as opposed to the last contract where he had weasel room and there hasn't been one for 4 years).

The improvements are all small things, but they are improvements. There are no concessions. Compare that to other companies in negotiations right now that are giving up 15-25% of their pay back to the company. Compare that to the fact that under the new contract and J4J Mesa will more than triple in size in the next 4 years (there are already 13 new ERJ's and 46 new CRJ's bought and paid for). Any pilot on the payroll right now down to the last 1900 FO will be in the top quarter of the seniority list when this contract comes around again in 4 and a half years. By then every one of them will be able to hold jet Captain.

Basically the lack of any huge gains is the "Price of Freedom". The new scope clause is ironclad and will prevent Johnny O from transferring assets, getting rid of the 1900's, or ever starting another carrier like Freedom. By next contract Mesa will have become the next Major airline and all the leverage will be in the hands of the pilot group. How would you like to have been in the top 20% of the pilots at Southwest when it went major? Same thing if you are in the pilot group at Mesa right now. Any pilots hired under J4J will go on the bottom of the seniority list, there is no integration. They may be in jets, but they are the ones who will be holding reserve, be on the crappy schedules and will be at the worst bases.

All that goes away if the pilots reject the TA and every last one of the Mesa pilots will be on the street with all Mesa's assets going to non-union Freedom. It's sign this contract or be on the street with the 7000 other pilots out on the pavement not flying. Like it or not, that's the choice. Right now is not the time to fall on your sword for the non-existent chance of getting that holy grail of "industry best" contract that just isn't going to happen. Maybe in the next contract, but not right now.

 

[GearUpBitch]

I think it's great that Mesa is returning to seniority/DOH. Those Freedom guys are finally gonna get what they deserve. My only thought is how much $$$ in training cost is this going to burn? What do you guys have now...2000-2500 pilots total now? I can see up to 40-50% of you guys getting new equipment/upgrade slots. Oh well, I guess that's the way it has to be???

 

[WileE]

Training costs

In the longer run, training costs are going to be much less than the savings the company will have by bringing back everything under Mesa's certificate. The have already decided to shut down the Airmidwest, CCAir and Freedom certificates and bring all the planes and pilots under Mesa. That will be a huge cost savings because under the same certificate they won't need the three completely separate management structures they have now. The only reason it made sense to have the three was to whipsaw pilot groups against each other and to be able to play accounting games with the costs. Now the scope clause eliminates any advantage Johnny O had to maintain the multiple certificates so it will all be under one to save money.

 

[Intruder One]

To Wilie:

Yes probably bitting the bullet over there is probably all that can be done at this point in time given the state of the industry,but my neighbor down the street has enlightend me on a current point of that T/A that was left out in the post above(he's a furloughed CCAir pilot.) JO slipped in a good one that current Mesa pilots may or may not care anything about.To bring the CCAir pilots on board they must come in at the senority that they have accrued since being bought by Mesa,which comes to about 3 years.Not for bidding mind you,the 10yr. plus guys will still be Capts, just for pay and longivity.Can you imangine what JO will do with this?He is already looking at other USAirway express carriers to acquire,now he would be able to start them over at year one pay!Piedmont for instance who has 15 to 20 yr. guys on the payroll.For that matter other ALPA carriers that might acquire each other in the future.Delta say buys United........sorry boys year one pay, ALPA has already approved this over at Mesa.JO and other CEO's are chopping at the bit,this could save them millions in future merger.