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MESA TA Question

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FlyingDawg

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2002
Posts
239
Is the new Mesa TA out? Anyone know the details? Interested in the pay, days off, 401k match, per diem etc... (the important stuff
 
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Mesa TA
Mesa MEC

Tentative Agreement Summary


----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------



Section 1: Recognition



New NMB certificate number for:
Mesa Airlines
Air Midwest
CCAir
Freedom Airlines
All flying performed by "Mesa Air Group" Pilots
Length of wet lease/contract flying time now 60 days versus 90 days
No creation of "alter-ego" airlines
"Successorship" and "Transfer of Assets" language
Protection of pilots if Mesa Air Group acquires/transfers
subsidiaries
Allows pilots the opportunity to follow aircraft if assets are
transferred


Section 2: Definitions



"Company" - now includes:
Mesa Airlines
Air Midwest
CCAir
Freedom Airlines
Any other airlines acquired or established by Mesa Air Group
"Pilot" - now references "Mesa Air Group"
Other New Definitions reflect FAA training terms


Section 3: Compensation



Pay increases are guaranteed
New rate increases every 18 months
Addition of Company's 97.5% Controllable Cancellation pay
Controllable defined as:
Schedule adjustments
Mechanical
Aircraft damage
Crew
Historic average from Mar 2000 to Oct 2002
98.1%
Of the 32 months, 8 months would not have met the requirements
Company will now pay 150% for all open time flying, including Junior
Availability


Section 4: Minimum Bid Period Guarantee



Current Book


Section 5: Expenses



Rate of $1.15/hour with annual increase based upon CPI
Language added requiring the Company and Association to meet
regarding any lodging concerns
Transportation for PHX based pilots from PHX to Williams Gateway
Training Facility
Moving expenses:
Company pays up to 9000 lbs of household goods through an agreed upon
moving company, or
Company will pay an allowance plus $500 if pilot self moves with an
agreed upon truck/van rental (Ryder, U-Haul)


Section 6: Deadhead



Current Book


Section 7: Vacation



Vacation week Sunday through Saturday
All 52 weeks eligible for bid
Cancellation notice
4 weeks, previously 2 weeks
Any documented non-refundable deposit reimbursed for cancelled
vacations (except for voluntary training)
Annual bid


Section 8: Sick Leave



Sick leave buy back program (productivity incentives)
"Catastrophic Illness Protection"


Section 9: Leaves of Absence



Jury Duty may be vacation or sick leave


Section 10: Physical Examinations



Incorporates System Board settlement
Chief Pilot's or designee's request for doctor's notes with
reasonable cause


Section 11: Training



Notification Requirements
7 days for training
5 days for PC/PT
considered notified until returned to line
Training contracts are now straight line amortization
50% reduction for 45 days notification of resignation
Set dollar amounts for Jet, TP 20-40 seat, TP 0-19 seat
SA transportation to training center in PHX for PHX based pilots


Section 12: Hours of Service



Minimum Days Off
Line Holders: minimum 10 days off per bid in domicile or TDY domicile
Reserve/Mixed Line Holder: minimum of 8 days off per bid in domicile
or TDY domicile
Pilots in training current practice


Section 13: Scheduling



Consecutive days off to 3 groups of 3 days for lineholders
(Company's
best effort)
Consecutive days of to 2 groups of 3 days for reserves (to the extent
possible)


New Timeline for Scheduling Distribution

CB=Current Bargaining Agreement, TA=Tentative Agreement




§ Pilots required to fly carryover trips

§ During Integration, FAR conflicts will be resolved by
dropping either shifts or segments

§ Uncovered flying created during integration will be
assigned to pilots, in the following order:

o Line Holders

o Mixed line holders

o For IOE or consolidation

o Reserve

§ Call Me First (CMF)/Call Me Last (CML)

§ Extended Reserve Call Out provision

§ Ready Reserve incorporated

§ Company has right to reserve up to 5% of all known
flying
for consolidation only

§ Continuous Duty Overnight cannot be scheduled for more
than
14 hours of continuous duty



Section 14: Transfer to Non Flying or Supervisory Duty



Management/Supervisory pilot return
Will return to a vacancy as per Section 23
Previously, came back solely on seniority
Pilots who transfer between the training department and the line
Instructors awarded domiciles in accordance with seniority
Now paid according to their equipment and seat as per Section 23
Instructors will not appear on the bid roster for bidding a line when
assigned to the Training Department
Instructors that are not in the domicile for the entire bid, will not
be on the roster
Instructors returning to their domicile in the middle of a bid, will
be assigned reserve until entitled to bid a line


Section 15: Miscellaneous Flying



Dual qualifications
No dual qualifications required (aircraft)
Only for Supervisory pilots
Previously for training pilots






Section 16: Seniority



All reference to Mesa Airlines, now Mesa Air Group
Posting of Seniority List
Now on computer
Previously via bulletin board


Section 17: Furlough and Recall



Unlimited recall duration (previously 6 years)
Recall bypass rights
all junior pilots to furlough are recalled
at 12 months from date of furlough


Section 18: Grievances



Attempt to resolved issues with department supervisor


Section 19: Discipline and Discharge



No suspension will be without pay pending an investigation
Exception, an immediate FAA certificate action for safety issues


Section 20: System Bard of Adjustment



Language changed to current practice


Section 21: Agency Shop and Dues Check Off



Inclusion of ALPA PAC dues check off
Complete membership information provided monthly


Section 22: General



Commuter Policy
Crew lounge, language requiring cooperation between the company and
the Association


Section 23: Filing of Vacancies



Permanent Vacancy
more than 112 days (4 bid periods)
previously 120 days
Temporary Vacancy
14 to 112 days
Previously 14 to 120 days
Posting of temporary vacancy language
No less than 3 days
Previously 72 hours
Vacancies postings require a 10 day notice, previously 7 days
New submission of bid will be via:
Fax
Electronic
Certified Mail
Car mileage allowance rate while on TDY
CONUS
Previously, 0.20/mile

Equipment Commitments
18 months for Turboprop CA
36 months for Jet CA
TP F/O can only move to CA on same equipment or to CA on jet
ERJ pilot can move to CRJ (fleet combination)
CRJ CA can NOT move to ERJ, except for substitution/displacement
No seat locks
Pilots will be trained and qualified on all aircraft derivatives


Section 24: Insurance Benefits



After 24 months the Company will guarantee a 2% match on 401(K)


Section 25: Duration



54 months from date of signing 15 Equipment Commitments
 
Okay, how about the meat & potatoes question. What is the proposed pay schedule for Mesa for the 50, 70 & 90 seat RJ's. Are you gonna seat a good example? Or are you gonna drag the industry down with lower payscales??
 
Were going to drag them down Freedom pilots make more than our pilots with the new Ta, Also the1900 guys can not go to jet fo it will be a new hire probally from MAPD with 300 hour. the 1900can only uprade to jet Capt. Our company is a piece of $hit and our MEC are a bunch of sell outs. Also Alpa approved this just for the J4J!! We got nothing in the deal other than the scope!!!!!
 
If that is the truth, then rally the troops and vote that garbage TA down!! It truly is embarassing.

Mayday.
 
drag down

FlyingDawg,
The only information currently available on the TA is what DoinTime posted - a summary. Actual language may be ready, but has not been posted, or it may still be in the works.

Big Dog1,
You make it sound like the scope is NOTHING. Let's look at Piedmont, Allegheny, and PSA. They have no scope...they have no single seniority list and they are being played against each other as well as against the various contract carriers, not just us. They like to demonize us in particular just to make themselves feel better. Sure they had great payscales, work rules, and benefits, but did they waste their bargaining power on pay and benefits at the expense of scope and single seniority?

On the bright side for Mesa - we are going to grow like gangbusters as long as AWA and USAirways stay in business. Every FO currently working for Mesa should have the opportunity be a jet Captain in the near future. I am hearing that we will grow three times larger than present size. Mesa will be a major airline as far as revenues are concerned. Hopefully when it is time to renegotiate the economy and the airline industry will be on a more sound footing, and we can negotiate a better contract - knowing that we already have scope in the bag.

Could and should we have held out for more...maybe. I am interested in hearing the road shows and FACTS not just the rumors.

Jeepman,
What can I say...you hate Mesa and you probably blame Mesa for all the problems in your miserable little life. WE are not your problem though. YOUR lack of understanding of REALITY is part of the problem. Why didn't your MEC negotiate job protections into your wonderful contract? Were they short sighted?

You might want to start learning about the fundamentals of economics as well. Supply, demand and all that good stuff. In a weak economy you can't just artificially prop up wages and benefits just because you think you are worth it. Well, maybe you can for a short amount of time, but it won't last for very long. If the market can't bear the costs then the market WILL find another way - a cheaper way or more efficient way - whether you and I like it or not.

I know what you are thinking - that am I "whoring" myself out or that I would work for free. Again, I would say that we have to find the right balance of what the market will bear. What is the right balance? I don't know. I would like to think it is more than what we are going to get in the TA, but then again the market is so soft. In case you haven't heard industry experts give United about an 80% chance of going under...chapter 7 that is...

gotta go..dinner is ready
 
Spaceman,

Please do research before stating what the WOs have and don't have. We infact do have Scope. It's a page and a half long so I won't bother putting it here. The one thing lacking in our scope is that we can't keep Group from sub-contracting Express brand flying out to companies like yours.

You mentioned the single-sen. list thing, so I'll bring you up to date. The three WOs sen. lists were already put together years ago in hopes that Group would merge us. It has yet to happen legally. The language in our contracts that was forced upon us with respect to jets for jobs will merge the WOs and staple us to the bottom of MDAs sen. list and flow to Mainline. Inother words if things actually turn around for US Airways Group the Mainline will have to take all of MDA and the WOs before they can hire from the outside. Now I'm not to exstatic about most of the wording, but it is what it is. To top it off single carrier status has been denied by the courts sometime in the past couple of years. US Airways Group has Mainline and the WOs set up in just a way that it walks a very thin line, but is still able to maintain everything separate. In the past week or so our MEC held a meeting, which was later deemed null and void, that disscused a single sen. list again. All WO MECs, according one person on the MEC, agreed that there were more pressing issues to deal with in order to emerge from bankruptcy with
Group.


Now is Group playing the WOs against each other? Yes, but not so much anymore and never as much as we've had to compete against contract carriers. To give an example, our FAs while trying to negotiate a concessionary contract to emerge from bankruptcy with the rest of Group, were told directly from Dave that if it was'nt in line with what Mesa has it would'nt be acceptable. Are you starting to see how you guys are hurting us.

You said,"Sure they had great payscales, work rules, and benefits, but did they waste their bargaining power on pay and benefits at the expense of scope and single seniority?"

I hope that your contract sets some sort of higher bar. Becuase if it comes anywhere below the WOs "Concessionary Contracts" and you approve it, you will trully be whores. Rememmber that we were'nt allowed to vote on ours cause they knew it would'nt have passed. You on the other hand get to vote and this is where we will see if Mesa will gladly undercut the WOs. And don't feed us garbage about what the market will and won't bear. The current market can still pay a livable wage, its just up to you to make sure you get it and not hurt others in the process.

If I were you, I would'nt get to exited about all this growth you talk about. It will come at a very high price to alot of good people. Just wait and see how things turn out. Most of the Mainline pilots I talk to are ready to walk out if the pension problem is not solved to their satisfaction.
 
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Spaceman,

First of all I don't hate Mesa, Freedom yes, Mesa no. Second, I do not have a "miserable little life" it is quite good, thank you. I don't consider myself misinformed, nor am I asking or stating that I or anyone else in this industry should get a pay raise. However I DONT think that any of us deserve a pay cut because of the problems the majors are having. We have done nothing but help the majors out. You mention job protection hmm.......let's see

SkyWest NEVER furloughed a single pilot in 30 Years.

Mesa How many furloughed how many times????

Look I don't wanna get into a bashing contest. All I am saying is that you guys have the opportunity to raise your quality of life after you have had to deal with all the stuff J.O. has thrown at you. Who is the Mesa pilot with the Avatar of the Mesa logo & the K.Y. jelly?Yes, I am a little concerened that United will give you some of our flying. Will I be pissed at you? No, it was United who I would be pissed at. After giving them quality service with great on time and completion numbers, while making money for them they are now hosing us. Yes the economy is bad, but if United is making money from us should we have to suffer, no. If you get the contract will you win? Only if you have some respect and negotiate a FAIR CONTRACT. If not then fine, just remember YOU called yourself a whore, not me.

Good Luck
 
Most of the posts on this board seem to indicate that the actual pay rates are the most important part of the contract. Most people forget about quality of life, work rules, insurance, and retirement. Even if the economy is soft and may not be able to yield the wages that regional pilots as a whole have earned, other parts of the contract could be brought up. 8 and 9 days off...that is so pitiful. Supply and demand be what it is, a shorter agreement can also be negotiated. 2 or 3 years instead of 4 or 5. I am not sure what the duration of the Mesa TA is but I hope for their sake, for all of our sake, it is a short one (if it is passed of course).

Mayday.
 
so does all this talk about Mesa mean they will soon be hiring again? once they get all this garbage straight.
 
Bottom Line

I know everyone else would love the Mesa pilots to fall on their swords in the name of industry leading contracts and vote this TA down, it's not them that will end up unemployed after all. Bottom Line is that if we don't sign this contract, Johnny O has publicly stated that he will shut the doors and all the flying will be shunted over to Freedom. Mesa, Airmidwest and CCAir folks will be on the streets unless they are willing to fly for non-union Freedom. Anyone that thinks he won't do that in a heartbeat to get the union out of his shop is dreaming.

Not only would that obviously suck for all our pilots, it also wouldn't do the rest of the industry very good to set the precedent that Johnny O and his Freedom airlines tactic wins. Let that happen once and every carrier, not just Mesa will be scrambling to start their own union busting carrier so that they can whipsaw their pilots because Freedom will have demonstrated that it works, and works like a charm.

Right now the cost of killing Freedom, not only for us but for the rest of the industry, is Mesa pilots choking down a contract that is only marginally better than the old one. The only card we have to play is to get this contract signed and get the scope in effect. Johnny O lost his temper in the negotiations and let that one slip, we need to take advantage of his mistake. All the other cards are in the hands of management. And don't think that Johnny O wouldn't throw away everything if he thinks he can get rid of the union at Mesa, including the new jets for J4J. He'll find other carriers to fly for and go to sleep happy at night knowing he stuck it to the union and all his employees.
 
WileE,

The real bottom line is that contract carrier companys such as yours have no business flying in U colors. And it's only becuase of the old timers at Mainline that did'nt have the forsight or B@lls to keep all the flying in house.

But now that you are here you and the rest make it even more difficult for all pilots to make a good living and easier for managment to have their way with us. Don't belive me, just look at the post from Mr. Jet_Dreamer above. With everything thats going on all he cares about is if Mesa will hire soon, regardless of the pay. His is the perfect example of what has brought this industry to its knees. Trust me I am not without fault, I too went to work for a company knowing I was taking a $10,000 a year pay cut, but it was still more beneficial to work at the lowest paid WO, at the time, than it was to work for a contract carrier. This was all bound to happen sooner or later, 9-11 only speed up the proccess. Management has all the cards because too many people like him are willing to fly for dirt and some others for just above dirt, or God forbid PFT. I'll bet it won't be too long before that monster comes around again.

I understand what your saying WileE, and the position your in is a tricky one. But from my point of view it looks like JO has already won either way. I highly doubt he let anything slip that he did'nt want you to hear. Either he pays you dirt or he pays Freedom just above dirt with no union. So the onlything for you to do now is take it and run and tell everyone else its OK to fly for dirt. Hey you got yours right?
 
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The word is two interview groups of 30 each on the 27th of Feb and the 13th of Mar. I got called the other day, but respectfully declined. Good luck guys.
 
I posted this awhile back but I will do it again to see if there are any thoughts on this.A neighbor of mine let me read the T/A (furloughed CCAir Pilot) and it is not good, but at the end it has a clause to bring in the CCAir group.It states"CCAir pilots will be credited longevity for pay and benefit purposes from the date CCAir was aquired by Mesa Air Group,Inc".This comes to about 3yrs. according to my neighbor.Can you imagine what JO could do with this.He is also looking at some of the WO's to purchace,wouldn't that be a great windfall for him if he could start say a Piedment over at year 1 pay?I bet other CEO's would like to get a hold of this also,if JO can get it why not them?

And to WileE.....I don't know how big Freedumb is a this time,but I wouldn't think its big enough to carry all of Mesa flying at this point.This would seem the perfect time to talk of a strike before he has time to build up the non union carrier.
 
To all the Mesa guys, I don't know what to say other than I hope somehow all this works out for you and you can shove all the Free-dumb guys into the 1900 for a few years.


To J.O. May you some day wind up in jail using the same K.Y. that you force your pilots to use when you get gangbanged by Kenneth Lay & all the other crooked CEO's out there. Your no better than Hussein or Bin Laden.
 
oh brother...

BoredToDeath,
"The real bottom line is that contract carrier companys such as yours have no business flying in U colors."

We have all the right and the business in the world to do flying for U or anyone else. This is capitalism, right? Or has the AFL-CIO convinced you that we live in a workers paradise? Is is fair to the U and WO employees or even a smart business practice? Probably not. I don't think fine companies like Southwest, JetBlue, or Skywest would ever do this to their employees. You said it yourself though, the Mainline pilots were shortsighted. You say you have scope protection and yet your flying is being bid out to contract carriers. Do you even hear what you are saying? Are you able to connect the dots yet? Get with reality...Go and be shortsighted no more.

If you could go back in time and give up some or most of the precious pieces of your contract for REAL scope and a single seniority list, would you do it? Knowing that in 4.5 years you start negotiating again from a stronger position because your CEO doesn't have the ability to make the end run again? Also hoping that the economy and airline industry have turned around?

Intruder One,
You don't just declare a strike and just talking about a strike doesn't do a hell of a lot of good. There is a process and at the rate we are going...or at some point Mesa Air Group will not need Mesa Airlines. Mesa Airlines would go the way of WestAir and CCAir and Freedumb would grow.

Jeepman,
My apologies...I mistook you for one of the U WO guys that blame us for all of lifes ills.
I wish we worked for a management team like the one at Skywest, but we don't. Our CEO cares NOTHING for the emloyees. No matter what his lips say, his actions speak far louder than his words. It is ALL about him and his massive ego.

What would your pilot group do if they were in our alter-ego shoes. While you ponder that, keep in mind that you have already seen two of your sister companies disappear with little or no trace. Would you choke down a sorry contract that offered you job security and gowth in hopes that you can ride out a weak economy and put yourself in stronger bargaining position for the future? Skywest would never do that to their employees? That is wonderful. I hope you are correct.

And Jeepman, I NEVER called myself a whore. I know fairly well what I am, and I sleep just fine at night, thank you.

Mayday911,
The TA is for 4.5 years.
 
RE: Mesa's alleged interest in the WOs

I could easily be wrong, but I think the WOs are small potatoes compared to what JO really wants to go after.
 
Spaceman,

That's good the TA is only 4.5 years, thats about when the industry will (hopefully) turn around. Yes, we do have great management, The top 3 in the company took a 20% cut in pay to help us be more competetive. The word is that they want us to take a pay cut in the form of flying a 70 seat RJ for 50 seat pay, or a 90 seat RJ for who knows what pay. I don't like the idea of that, but it makes it easier to do knowing the CEO took a 20% cut before we did. Alot of guys are calling it scab flying, but I would rather do that than take a cut in pay.

In a way I wish we would buy you guys out so that I wouldn't have to hear how J.O. shafts you guys every time & you could see what it's like to work for great management & not deal with so much B.S. Lord knows there's enough B.S. in this world to fuel the worlds energy needs from here to eternity.

Take care.
 
Freedom has 7or 8 planes ,if we strike now eveyone on at Freedom will be scabs, they will have to fly struck work.With that being said there will be no J4J which means no growth for freedom this whole mess needs to be stopped here!!! 4.5 years it will be something else no QOL or No pay raises.
Limited growth MESA'S HAS FIRM ORDERS ONLY THE FREEDOM PLANES- 40 A/C. THE REST IS ALL SPECULATIONS.

IF YOU EXPECT BASED ON SPECULATIONS GOOD LUCK.

WE HAVE ENOUGH CAPTAINS AS OF NOW FOR 72 PLANES,TO INCLUDE FREEDOM, THE REST ARE J4JS..............50% OURS.



VOTE NO NO NO !!!!!!!!!
 
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Strike?

You can't strike if you are fired first. Ask CCAir guys about that. They thought they had that kind of leverage, and look at the position they are in today.

In 4.5 years if this contract is signed it means no furlough threats (he can't do that under the scope clause without pilot approval), no freedom (Mesa Air Group will be unable to play that card ever again), and no whipsawing one pilot group against another to accept a cheaper contract (ala CCAir). If you think that by turning down this contract we'll somehow get something better, you are dreaming.

Do I want to be working for Mesa in 2007? Hell no, just like everyone at the regionals I'm looking towards better things. But if the recovery doesn't happen as fast as it might, I could very well still be here. IN that case I'd much rather have more cards in my deck than JO has in his. Rob him of half his bag of dirty tricks and see how negotiations go then.

Fight the war and win in the long run, don't commit a inglorious suicide and lose it all for everyone.
 

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