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Mesaba managers won't fill in for pilots who strike
Liz Fedor, Star Tribune
Published January 9, 2004 MAIR09
If Mesaba Airlines pilots go on strike tonight, management at the regional airline will not attempt to fly any portion of the carrier's schedule.
"We absolutely are not going to do replacement flying," Mesaba spokesman Dave Jackson said Thursday. "We want to do our flying with the pilots we have."
Mesaba pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), voted overwhelmingly in October to authorize a strike. Management and the pilots union have been at odds over compensation, retirement benefits and work rules during two and a half years of contract talks.
Now they are facing an 11:01 p.m. strike deadline. "Negotiators are planning to go through the night tonight," Jackson said late Thursday.
Mesaba pilots earn between $17,000 and $85,000, but about 65 percent fall into the $30,000 to $57,000 pay range, according to union figures.
Eagan-based Mesaba flies about 600 daily departures for Northwest Airlines, and transported 5.7 million passengers in 2003. That compares with about 51.9 million passengers flown by Northwest.
The 844 Mesaba pilots fly regional routes with Saab turboprops and Avro jets to 112 cities in 30 states and Canada. About one in every 12 Northwest passengers flies part of a trip on Mesaba.
The strike threat has not dampened investor enthusiasm for the stock this week. The shares of Mesaba Aviation's parent company, MAIR Holdings Inc., has risen 12 percent since the end of 2003. The stock has hit 52-week highs each day this week even as labor talks continue. Volume spiked on Wednesday, when more than 500,000 shares traded hands. Thursday's volume of about 70,000 shares was close to the 15-day average volume.
Flight cancellations
If a strike occurs late tonight, Mesaba wants to make sure it flies its aircraft back to its hubs in the Twin Cities, Detroit and Memphis.
Consequently, the airline is expected to cancel some flights today. "The plan would be to cancel some late flights in the day," Jackson said. "In some cases, we would ferry a plane back to the hub after it has gone out with passengers to a spoke" or regional city.
When people see some flight cancellations today, they should not assume that a strike will occur, Jackson said. "We need to take precautions," he said, adding that management does not want airplanes dispersed around the country if a work stoppage occurs.
Mesaba employs about 3,300 people, including 1,700 in Minnesota. Last month, about 1,700 workers across the company received furlough notices, which could take effect shortly after a strike begins.
However, if the pilots walk off their jobs, other Mesaba employees will not automatically lose their jobs. In a message to employees, management said it might ask employees to report to work on Saturday even if the pilots strike. Under that scenario, Mesaba management would attempt to win a fairly quick settlement with the striking pilots and avoid going through the furlough process with most of its workforce.
Some management and union workers will retain their jobs, even if the pilots strike and 1,700 other employees are furloughed.
For example, a small number of senior mechanics will keep their jobs. Eight mechanics in Minnesota and Wisconsin will continue working, said Jim Atkinson, president of Local 33 of the Aircraft Maintenance Fraternal Association (AMFA).
"They've agreed to keep a skeleton force of aircraft mechanics," Atkinson said. "There will be maintenance that will have to be performed, so there are aircraft ready to go when the strike ends."
Another 157 Mesaba mechanics from Local 33 have received furlough notices. AMFA distributed packets to many of those workers Thursday that explained how to file for unemployment compensation.
Spokesmen for management and the pilots union did not release details Thursday about what's transpiring at the bargaining table.
Wednesday's negotiating session ended at 1 a.m. and Thursday's talks were expected to "go into the morning hours," said ALPA spokesman Jonathan Marut.
"We are both working really hard to get a deal done," Jackson said.
If a strike occurs, it would be the first work stoppage in the company's 60-year history.
Liz Fedor, Star Tribune
Published January 9, 2004 MAIR09
If Mesaba Airlines pilots go on strike tonight, management at the regional airline will not attempt to fly any portion of the carrier's schedule.
"We absolutely are not going to do replacement flying," Mesaba spokesman Dave Jackson said Thursday. "We want to do our flying with the pilots we have."
Mesaba pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), voted overwhelmingly in October to authorize a strike. Management and the pilots union have been at odds over compensation, retirement benefits and work rules during two and a half years of contract talks.
Now they are facing an 11:01 p.m. strike deadline. "Negotiators are planning to go through the night tonight," Jackson said late Thursday.
Mesaba pilots earn between $17,000 and $85,000, but about 65 percent fall into the $30,000 to $57,000 pay range, according to union figures.
Eagan-based Mesaba flies about 600 daily departures for Northwest Airlines, and transported 5.7 million passengers in 2003. That compares with about 51.9 million passengers flown by Northwest.
The 844 Mesaba pilots fly regional routes with Saab turboprops and Avro jets to 112 cities in 30 states and Canada. About one in every 12 Northwest passengers flies part of a trip on Mesaba.
The strike threat has not dampened investor enthusiasm for the stock this week. The shares of Mesaba Aviation's parent company, MAIR Holdings Inc., has risen 12 percent since the end of 2003. The stock has hit 52-week highs each day this week even as labor talks continue. Volume spiked on Wednesday, when more than 500,000 shares traded hands. Thursday's volume of about 70,000 shares was close to the 15-day average volume.
Flight cancellations
If a strike occurs late tonight, Mesaba wants to make sure it flies its aircraft back to its hubs in the Twin Cities, Detroit and Memphis.
Consequently, the airline is expected to cancel some flights today. "The plan would be to cancel some late flights in the day," Jackson said. "In some cases, we would ferry a plane back to the hub after it has gone out with passengers to a spoke" or regional city.
When people see some flight cancellations today, they should not assume that a strike will occur, Jackson said. "We need to take precautions," he said, adding that management does not want airplanes dispersed around the country if a work stoppage occurs.
Mesaba employs about 3,300 people, including 1,700 in Minnesota. Last month, about 1,700 workers across the company received furlough notices, which could take effect shortly after a strike begins.
However, if the pilots walk off their jobs, other Mesaba employees will not automatically lose their jobs. In a message to employees, management said it might ask employees to report to work on Saturday even if the pilots strike. Under that scenario, Mesaba management would attempt to win a fairly quick settlement with the striking pilots and avoid going through the furlough process with most of its workforce.
Some management and union workers will retain their jobs, even if the pilots strike and 1,700 other employees are furloughed.
For example, a small number of senior mechanics will keep their jobs. Eight mechanics in Minnesota and Wisconsin will continue working, said Jim Atkinson, president of Local 33 of the Aircraft Maintenance Fraternal Association (AMFA).
"They've agreed to keep a skeleton force of aircraft mechanics," Atkinson said. "There will be maintenance that will have to be performed, so there are aircraft ready to go when the strike ends."
Another 157 Mesaba mechanics from Local 33 have received furlough notices. AMFA distributed packets to many of those workers Thursday that explained how to file for unemployment compensation.
Spokesmen for management and the pilots union did not release details Thursday about what's transpiring at the bargaining table.
Wednesday's negotiating session ended at 1 a.m. and Thursday's talks were expected to "go into the morning hours," said ALPA spokesman Jonathan Marut.
"We are both working really hard to get a deal done," Jackson said.
If a strike occurs, it would be the first work stoppage in the company's 60-year history.
