ChinaClipper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2002
- Posts
- 460
Public service announcement. Folks, Freedom Air is getting up and running, possibly hiring off the street soon. I want to try and explain a few things about how detrimental going to such an operation is. Freedumb was the brainchild of Mesa Air CEO Johnathan Ornstein as an attempt to circumvent Mesa pilots in the quest to get their industry bottom contract improved upon. America West (HP) has a contract to place 70/90 seat jets in their Express operation with Mesa. It is VERY important to Mesa, Ornstein and HP to get those planes in the air, the money to be made is HUGE (two 700's are already sitting in PHX.) Mesa managers tried to get our MEC to agree to some insultingly low wages to keep these planes on Mesa's certficate, of course, the MEC said try again. Mesa's response was a ENTIRELY NEW non-union airline to get around our contractual language that would have provided our MEC with tremendous leverage, for our ongoing Sec 6 negotiations. Ornstein has offered 12% over our already low 50 seat rate and a host of embarassingly low bennies, first to current Mesa pilots. The vast majority of our 1300 pilots have wisely passed, but a few,(around 20 or so LIFERS) have taken them up on the offer. The 250 hour FO's will come from MAPD/PACE program who, after spending 50 grand or so, won't be able to say no thanks. This attempt to get around ALPA has opened the first salvo in the battle for the immediate future of your profession. Going to Freedumb is confirming what managers already belive, mainly that around 15% of all pilots would sell their grandmothers to fly, regardless of the negative impact for the rest of us. The industry is already replacing 737/717etc flying with RJ's ie Delta Express 732's and USAir's F100/737's. Don't support giving the biggest boost in pilot productivity in since WWII away at such low rates. The future is now and the trend is clear, it appears all that is left is the price. Please don't do it for so little, giving it away now will take yeaaars to recoup. Please remind people looking for a flying job what has traditionally happened to people who support circumventing the established process, AND selling out the profession. Times are tough, I know, but please spread the word the Freedumb Air is bad news. PS Our MEC has successfully pushed through a Single carrier status for Mesa, CCAir, controlled by Ornstein, wouldn't going BACK to Mesa after going to Freedumb be interesting???PSS If you want to know about Ornstein in his stock broker days, Refer to Forbes magazine, around 9 APR 99 "Can a Lepoard Change his Spots" to get the low down on how he has been banned from trading...Can you say the new Lorenzo or is it the New Ivan Boesky? or Carl Ichan?