Prop Trash said:
Why do you consider this a victory for ALPA? The ratified TA obviously goes against ALPA's plan of "pattern bargaining."
I consider it a "victory for ALPA" beacuse ALPA itself has said it is a victory and worked overtime to convince the Mesa pilots to ratify it. ALPA got exactly what it wanted. If you really thing this agreement "goes against ALPA's plan", you have my deepest sympathy. In reality it is part and parcel of "ALPA's plan". You can rest assured that the Mesa MEC Chairman will get a pat on the back and many congratulations from the ALPA President for a job well don. Here is ALPA's press release for your information.
Release #03.023
March 18, 2003
Mesa Pilots Protect Jobs with Contract Ratification
PHOENIX, AZ --- The pilots of Mesa Airlines, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, today announced that they have ratified a labor contract with management that provides employment protection for all pilots under the parent holding company, Mesa Air Group.
The new agreement brings all pilots from the Mesa Air Group carriers (Mesa Airlines, Air Midwest, CCAir, Freedom Air and any future MAG airlines) into one seniority list and under one contract. Management’s practice of using alter-ego carriers to take jobs away from Mesa pilots determined that job protection be a priority in these negotiations.
"This agreement provides that not only will Mesa pilots’ employment be protected, but also that any expansion of Mesa Air Group will include our ALPA pilots," said the Mesa pilots’ Master Executive Council Chairman, Capt. Andy Hughes. "Included in this job protection is the right of our CCAir pilots to their rightful employment opportunities at Mesa Air Group. These fellow pilots have been unemployed since last year," he added.
Negotiating Committee Chairman for the pilots, Capt. Don Lyons said, "We have also secured the immediate employment of furloughed US Airways pilots under our ‘Jets for Jobs’ provision which allows for the expansion of Mesa’s US Airways Express operation. We negotiated under very difficult circumstances and are pleased to have secured jobs as well as other improvements in our contract."
Of the 977 Mesa crewmembers eligible to vote on this proposed deal, 842 (86.2 percent) participated, with 663 (78.7 percent) casting ballots in favor of the new contract. The previous Mesa pilot contract became amendable in December 2001.
Founded in 1931, the Air Line Pilots Association, International, is the world’s oldest and largest pilots union, representing 66,000 pilots at 42 airline carriers in the United States and Canada. ALPA’s website is
http://www.alpa.org.
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ALPA CONTACTS: Anya Piazza/ Teresa Mattick, (703) 481-4440
