GoJet (Trans States 2) will fly Aug 05

[Dave Benjamin]

TSA ALPA should be able to get a single carrier ruling.
Mesa was able to do that with Freedumb however their pilots approved their concessions before the judge rendered his verdict.

 

[Black Water Dog]

AA isn't the perfect company, but I think with this kind of treatment they'll wise up quick and drop Waterski sooner rather than later. At least I hope so.

Just as soon as they wash the TWA blood off their hands.

 

[whereamI]

Whose flying is it?

As a former "Waterskier" I wish you all the best over the coming months.

However, the real problem is the issue of whose flying this really is. "Untied" owns the flying and in my opinion any 70 seaters should be on mainline property. Instead, the mgmt. of "Untied" is bargain shopping for new a new regional provider. So, even if you manage to get TSA pilots flying for Gojets, have you really won? AWAC was effectively bent over, and what is to prevent big U from doing the same again? When and if you are able to negotiate a "reasonable" wage for the 70 seaters (reasonable wage at the regional level is an oxymoron anyway), would this not increase your operating costs and replicate the current scenario. This is all happening because Uncle Hulas wants to line his pockets some more and with the 50 seat market completely saturated, he must circumvent the AA scope for 70 seaters. He should not be allowed to abbrogate the TSA cba, but should he be able to circumvent the AA scope? Where is ALPA? Where is the unity? 70 seat flying is already at the regional level you say, but what about 90-110 seat flying? Take a look at Jetblue's Emb 190 payscale (do you really wanna fly that "bigger" jet that badly?). When the 70 seat market becomes saturated in another 2 years, Uncle Hulas will be looking for bigger planes to make more money. Unless ALPA can unite the members (regional and major) and stop the erosion of mainline flying to the regionals, this cycle will continue. 1.95% of your salary is being used to try and raise the age 60 rule, so that you can continue to fly your 50-70-90 seat jet for $80/hr until your 65 years old. The foundation of this industry is shaking, and I only hope we as pilots have enough unity to withstand.

 

[vclean]

The next sandstorm to continue eroding the industry will be cabotage. Inroads are already in place with Alaskan cargo.

BTW, United is ALPA, American's union is the APA, further complicating unity efforts.

 

[belchfire]

This thing is going to be interesting to
watch. Yeah, going from a jball to a
crj-700 would be a good move if I could
go right to the left seat...but...

I bet that there will be a bunch of UAL
furloughees that somehow get preferential
hiring status...how long before they get
tired of HK's abusive BS and vote a union
in?

How many airlines start with a union in
place? Not many! I doubt that it will be long
before one arrives...

In order to get the flying from UAL, TSA has
to do something to get around the contract
the company negotiated with AA in order to
keep the old TWE flying. I am surprised that
AE hasn't already stolen all of it to tell the
truth. The hitler youth have already made all
kinds of ugly noises that TSA and CHQ were
"stealing" their flying by operating as American
Connection even though AE (up to a year ago)
had NEVER flown into STL!

Ever seen a Mainline or Eagle gate agent put
one of their buddies on a Connection airplane
and deny boarding to an employee of one of
the Connection carriers in violation of the
priority spelled out in SABRE??? Happens guys!

One more thought that occurs to me...how good
a bet is it to start a company to work for UAL?

Should the current TSA guys and gals have first
shot at the new jobs? Yeah, with some flowback
rights too...but in this business one of the few
constants is the lack of faith one can put in
management. That is why I am sure that at some
point gojets will have a union.

 

[SlapShot]

I must have missed something.

What did Wexford get away with? I thought the Chautauqua contract says any flying done by Republic Airways must be done by pilots on their seniority list. Therefore Wexford has to pay the rates of the CHQ (I got tired of typing and spelling Chautau...) contract. I am sure this was a bargaining ploy when CHQ was in negotiations. But I think CHQ pilots got what they wanted.

 

[belchfire]

My understanding is that the CHQ pilots
will get one chance to change "companies"
and that there will be two senority lists...
I don't know if there will be flowback if
the Republic thing tanks, but I am not sure.

The true root of this problem is the scope
clause that was hammered out with APA,
AE ALPA and AMR that won't let TSA or
CHQ operate 70 seat aircraft at all, even if
it is for another carrier. Why they care what
a company does under the flag of another
carrier I can only classify as "restraint of
trade". Both TSA and CHQ were initially going
to operate the 70 seat AC under their existing
certificates. Scope clauses (it may have been
with DAL for CHQ rather than AMR) are what
drive this issue. PSA is running the -700's
for Airways, Mesa for UAL...no scope problems,
then there is the J4J issue...

The tangled webs that we weave!

 

[ren]

GoJet will be union if you believe the teamsters website. Check it out. Nothing like Hulas to try to pin one union against another. The question is, what ultimately will happen to the current Trans States. They have one awesome Alpa President that busts his butt for his pilot group and is not in the least intimidated by management. Now with the teamsters being pitted up against them, what is the future to hold? Guess that's the question of the day. Hulas will never change. Oh, and by the way, I cannot believe United would ever code share with Kanodia again considering how he handled UFS.

 

[J32driver]

If anyone wants to witness the damage that Hulas and GoJets are doing to the profession, look no further than AWAC. We just lost all of our UAL flying. A portion of that flying has been awarded to a nonexistent carrier, with no operating certificate because Hulas promised UAL he could do it cheaper.

Make no mistake.... the Skywest and future GoJets pilots just destroyed the jobs of more than 1,000 pilots at AWAC.

 

[belchfire]

If anyone wants to witness the damage that Hulas and GoJets are doing to the profession, look no further than AWAC. We just lost all of our UAL flying. A portion of that flying has been awarded to a nonexistent carrier, with no operating certificate because Hulas promised UAL he could do it cheaper.

Make no mistake.... the Skywest and future GoJets pilots just destroyed the jobs of more than 1,000 pilots at AWAC.

Not to mention the gamble that ACA took...I
still hope that they can come through!

 

[theo]

Given all of the problems Chautauqua/Republic have had getting a operating certificate, I wonder how GoJet will do in that area. It has been over a year and a half now for Republic. DO you think GoJet can do better? When are they supposed to get thier certificate?

 

[pianoman]

First off, any ALPA members need to go to www.alpa.org and vote on ALPA's age 60 position. A lot of times the regionals get steamrolled because we don't PARTICIPATE in the process. Let's change that.


Next point, are you TSA guys picketing at all? I'll come down in uniform and walk with y'all if it'll help. Maybe I can bring some buddies with bats.....

 

[Beechnut]

So.... all this banter and no good information. Can someone tell what I can do to get a job there? Any street captains? What's the pay going to look like?

Thanks for the info!

S.

 

[pianoman]

So.... all this banter and no good information. Can someone tell what I can do to get a job there?

Just F over your fellow pilot. It's really pretty easy once you get used to it.

Any street captains?

I'm sure there will be. Unfortunately there are always people who value short-term gains over long-term.

What's the pay going to look like?

Well since you have no negotiating leverage and no negotiators, I'd say just great! I'm sure you'll make more than a C-172 captain. Not to mention you'll have no recourse when the company either:

1. Violates your contract
2. Fires you when you screw up (and you sound like you screw up a lot)
3. Furloughs or trains out of seniority order

Thanks for the info!
S.

Good luck and you're welcome for all the info!

 

[Beechnut]

Thanks! Glad to see you're losing some sleep over this!

S.