Judge says Mesaba CAN void the contracts

[ualdriver]

bad news for Mesaba labor

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061016/mesaba_unions.html?.v=2

Judge Backs Mesaba in Labor Dispute
Monday October 16, 4:27 pm ET
By Chris Williams, Associated Press Writer Judge Rules Mesaba Can Reject Contracts, Impose Terms Wednesday

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A bankruptcy judge ruled on Monday that Mesaba Aviation Inc. can reject its union contracts with workers, a legal step toward a showdown that could result in a strike this week at the Northwest Airlines Corp. feeder. Judge Gregory Kishel's ruling said Mesaba can impose terms on Wednesday, a day after he's scheduled to hear the airline's request for an injunction against a strike.

 

[SEVEN]

Judge Backs Mesaba Management

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061016/mesaba_unions.html?.v=2


Here we go again................

 

[Mesabi Miner]

.........

 

[Mesabi Miner]

........

 

[Mesabi Miner]

The REALLY big news will be his decision on the ability to strike.

MM

 

[kmox29]

Reminds me of the immortal words of Dark Helmet:

"Evil will always prevail, because Good is dumb"

 

[SEVEN]

Don't forget to take your flight cases home. Good luck guys and gals.

 

[XJohXJ]

Those with the Gold make the rules.

 

[SEVEN]

The REALLY big news will be his decision on the ability to strike.

MM

I think you're right. Unless a TA is reached, doors closed by Friday and a liquidation to follow next week.

 

[TAWS]

I think he'll shy away from an injunction - he knows there is a good chance that would get thrown out by a higher court.

Well.....atleast common sense would point to enforced servitude being illegal, but then again since when did common sense have anything to do with this!

 

[Monster Buck]

I don't feel good.

 

[PoorJetDriver]

Mesaba can reject union contracts


October 16, 2006

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By CHRIS WILLIAMS
Associated Press


MINNEAPOLIS — A bankruptcy judge ruled on Monday that Mesaba Aviation Inc. can reject its union contracts with workers, a legal step toward a showdown that could result in a strike this week at the Northwest Airlines Corp. feeder.

Judge Gregory Kishel’s ruling said Mesaba can impose terms at 1201 a.m. on Wednesday, the day after he’s scheduled to hear the airline’s request for an injunction against a strike.

Mesaba has said it will impose terms on its 1,140 pilots, mechanics and flight attendants if given the legal right to do so. Unions have said they will strike rather than accept the proposed work rule changes and pay cuts.

Mesaba funnels passengers to Northwest’s hubs in Minneapolis, Detroit and Memphis, Tenn. from nearly 100 cities in America and Canada. It’s the only air carrier serving some of those cities.

The airline has said it wants to cut labor costs by 17.5%.

This is the second time Kishel has given Mesaba permission to throw out its union contracts. Much of his first decision was upheld on a union appeal, and Kishel’s ruling on Monday dealt with the parts that weren’t.

The judge ruled the airline had bargained in good faith on snapbacks, or automatic restorations of cuts in the future. He also rejected a union argument that Mesaba parent MAIR Holdings Inc. would get an economic windfall through bankruptcy.

Mesaba has warned that its financial situation is deteriorating and it can’t tap into $24 million in debt financing unless it reaches a deal with its unions. At the same time, the airline’s creditors are getting impatient and could push for liquidation in an attempt to recover some of their money.

Mesaba gets all of its planes, passengers and revenue from Northwest, and when Northwest filed for bankruptcy protection in September 2005, Mesaba followed about a month later.

Northwest has been pressuring Mesaba and its other regional feeder, Pinnacle Airlines, to cut costs. The feeder airlines fly under the Northwest Airlink name.

Northwest CEO Doug Steenland said last week that the airline has made preparations for getting Mesaba passengers to their destination if the airline workers strike.

He won’t be able to count on pilots from his airline. Their union said in a hot line message last week that Northwest pilots will

 

[XJPilot547]

I think we all saw it coming. The real question is whether there will be an injunction against a strike. What time will they rule tomorrow? Same judge?

 

[BoilerUP]

Who owns the leases on Mesaba's planes, or are they owned?

 

[kmox29]

Who owns the leases on Mesaba's planes, or are they owned?

"Owned", like the judge?

 

[N590MA]

Regardless of the injunction, my question is will ALPA conduct a strike? They might get their hands slapped if the judge rules against a strike. I guess we will see if the MEC was serious or just chest beating. Not bashing the MEC, I think they have done a great job at the table and in the courtroom. I just hope that the talk of not lowering the bar here is true. If the company liquidates, I'll find another job. I just would like to be able to hold my head up and say we did all we could and didn't accept a substandard POS contract!:smash:

 

[Terry Hunter]

Toast, Toast, Toast

 

[BoilerUP]

Guess I should have been more clear...

Are the airplanes owned outright by Mesaba, or leased by companies like GECAS or IFC? Or, like Pinnacle, are the airplanes owned by NWA and leased to Mesaba at inflated rates?

 

[PoorJetDriver]

I thought PCL airplanes are owned by a variety of lessors including Wells Fargo?

 

[COOPERVANE]

Good luck guys. Stay strong

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I hope Duane has the stones to call for an SOS.

It's about time we stepped up and let these judge and corporate robber barons we have had enough.

 

[xjgearbtch]

I curious how many fellow xj pilots will just walk away. prefferably at an outstation.

 

[ground stop]

lambert leasing and wachovia bank own some of the saabs and wells fargo bank northwest na trustee(?) owns some of the avros.

 

[Hpilot]

Total BS. Best of luck to the Mesaba guys and gals. A friend of mine works there and from what I've heard he's planning on a shut down before January. Since his wife has a good job he can do it and enjoy Christmas off. I hope there are more at Mesaba that can financially walk away. Northwest management makes ours look like a bunch of care bears.

 

[Northern Lights]

I see in the want ads that they are still hiring rampers at $9/hour. Does that mean they will be the highest paid work group in the company?

 

[fieldinsight]

Guess I should have been more clear...

Are the airplanes owned outright by Mesaba, or leased by companies like GECAS or IFC? Or, like Pinnacle, are the airplanes owned by NWA and leased to Mesaba at inflated rates?

Same deal. XJ owns nothing. Be strong, be safe!

 

[XJohXJ]

Remember back when people were pointing out that Judge Kishel went to school with Paul Foley, and everyone said "that doesn't matter, this judge is IMPARTIAL". I don't think he is impartial.

 

[CWUalum]

I walked away last month and was lucky enough to find another job. To all my friends still at XJ - Give'm he!! and stand tall. I wish you all the best of luck.

On another note, I agree that the judge was not impartial. He must be getting a bonus for this. Probably a nice steak dinner with his buddy Foley.

 

[TheGuat]

They will be recruiting at the "academies" and will have NO problem getting pilots to fill the seats of those that choose to quit. Upgrade times will dramatically shorten so they can get the coveted 1000 hrs of turbine PIC so they can get on with a major.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

They will be recruiting at the "academies" and will have NO problem getting pilots to fill the seats of those that choose to quit. Upgrade times will dramatically shorten so they can get the coveted 1000 hrs of turbine PIC so they can get on with a major.

The carriers with the best contracts are currently recruiting from these "academies". You have the choice of $13,000 vs $23,000. Plus there are nough pilots on the seniority list to fill all the upgrade slots for the next 5 years.