Mesa-The Anti-Christ of Regionals

[Cadillac]

if you don't wanna fly for Mesa then the simple solution would be do NOT apply...

done

 

[stillaboo]

There's a dozen regionals out there that would have eagerly and without delay snapped up the work Mesa would leave behind, so while Freedumb was busy trying to get the airplanes off Mesa's certificate someone else would have their airplanes in the paint shop

You guys had the leverage, you just didn't have the intestinal fortitude to use it. Had you guys struck, I doubt that JO would have been able to spool up Freedumb in such a way that they could logically bid the work left behind

It seems so simple. Mesa pilots should have struck so that those pilots at other regionals could benefit from the 'fortitude' of the Mesa guys, not to mention pick up the jets and routes formerly flown by Mesa. The 'dozen regionals out there' would have grabbed the Mesa flying as fast as they could, all the while complaining that Mesa didn't deserve it anyway - welcome to the 'dog-eat-dog' world of aviation.

When is the last time a pilot group struck with the expectation that all their jobs would immediately disappear and they would be rewarded only with the satisfaction that they prevented themselves from being the next group to accept a poor contract? Even if Mesa had struck and every Mesa pilot had lost their job, Freedom would still grow, Wiskey and SKYW would still vote in concessions, and a certain U WO pilot would still be calling the contract cariers 'temps'. If you have 1-2 years at a regional, you're not gonna' go down with the ship just so that other pilots might take less in concessions (if you felt that way, you would already have your app in elsewhere). If you have over 10 years at a regional you're making a career there, so you're not gonna' walk a line that you believe ensures you lose all your seniority (and anyone making a career of the regionals is the real enemy. Theses are the guys who go to Freedom, Republic, and Big Sky, the guys who encourage the growth of jets at the regionals, replacing a high paying mainline 73 with poor paying RJ. All the RJ's should be a the majors, particularly the 50+ seat ones).

Regional guys just need a scapegoat. Right now, it's Mesa. Next year it'll be someone else. If you think you're worth more than a Mesa pilot, then vote that way! Don't accept a concessionary contract. Don't accept a 'Mesa-minus' contract. Trade potential growth, job security, and the elimination of a end-around to your contract for the higher pay, better QOL, and potential loss of job security of a higher cost contract.

And no matter what you think of Mesa's contract, I think we all can agree Mesa's elimination of Freedom was a stand we can all get behind.

-Boo

 

[bogberto]

FYI: we were not in a position to strike. Negotiations had not broken down or reached a stalemate, and the Federal Mediator was not going to release us at any time in the (then) near future.

It does seem so simple ... when you're not here.

 

[185flyer]

I would guess that all the Mesa bashing is due to envy. Mesa is going to have huge growth the next few years and take a lot of pilots of the street. Can anyone argue why that isn't good?

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Imagine this-
Take your paycheck, cut it in half, take your workweek hrs. double them, your new job is to stand in the septic tank and measure the depth of the sewage with your mouth.
Readit, knowit, liveit...
PBR

 

[bogberto]

I don't think there is a single pilot at any carrier who is envious of our contract. Not by a longshot.

Incidentally, who said growth is good? In order to get this growth we had to take this crappy contract (or lose our jobs to Freedumb). Growth comes at the cost of the employees.

You should see what our f/as make. THAT is a crime. It's no wonder we hire 19 year olds.

 

[ChinaClipper]

Wow, more "I sold out for more than you"

More pius BS, all the regionals are, and have been replacing Mainline flying for YEARS!!!! I love it when you holier than thou type say that you have, in effect, sold out the mainline guys for more than another person. You ALL caved when the threat of you job was dangled over your collective heads, MOST WITHOUT THE THREAT OF AN ALTER EGO ALREADY TAKING YOU JOBS! Jumping throught the hoops like a circus pony after a slap on the behind. Almost TOO FUNNY!!!!!!!!

 

[185flyer]

bogberto,

you mentioned FA wages. well, where does an FA make a lot of money especially at the regional level? i don't think they're doing it for the pay. starting FO wages are also crime, but what can you do?

growth is good. would you rather have it that mesa has no growth and your buddies are stuck in the right seat forever at $20.47? you might have gotten screwed by the F8 ploy, but you'd be much worse off if your fleet was stagnant. don't keep lamenting this point. mesa is going to become one of the top regionals (i know, i know - quality of life is low).

i say keep the growth going so you can upgrade to CA and significantly increase your pay. keep moving up the seniority list due to growth that might help you win the lines you want. i could be taking out of butt in this paragraph, but what are your thoughts?

 

[bogberto]

bogberto,

growth is good. would you rather have it that mesa has no growth and your buddies are stuck in the right seat forever at $20.47? you might have gotten screwed by the F8 ploy, but you'd be much worse off if your fleet was stagnant. don't keep lamenting this point. mesa is going to become one of the top regionals (i know, i know - quality of life is low).

i say keep the growth going so you can upgrade to CA and significantly increase your pay. keep moving up the seniority list due to growth that might help you win the lines you want. i could be taking out of butt in this paragraph, but what are your thoughts?

Honestly, we may become one of the largest regionals, but we will never be the best or anything close. Our management is a bit tooooooo focused on the almighty dollar, and their daily actions do nothing more than indicate that we are simply numbers to them. It's one thing to ask for a crappy contract with the intention of acquiring more business, but it's hitting below the belt to start up another airline in your airline in order to facilitate this process. MAG pilots will never trust management (not like we did before).

Corporate culture starts at the top and runs downhill. When the CEO runs around the office yelling and screaming (profanity too) at those who don't perform to "his" level, you'll never have a happy company. When upper management pulls something like Freedom and absolutely kills employee morale, you are looking at an organization whose days are numbered.

Just my opinion, and I'm sure they'd fire me for expressing it.

 

[skydrvr]

Haven't had my dose of "Mesa-bashing" for a while and wanted to make sure I got my "fix."

Remember:

Mesa is the cause of the demise of the airline industry

The Mesa contract is directly responsible for pilot woes at ALL regionals, including:

Allegheny
Piedmont
PSA
Air Wisconsin
ASA
ACA
Skywest
Comair
Express Jet
Mesaba
Bigy Sky
Chatauqua
Express 1
Colgan


Also,

The Mesa Contract has been directly linked to an increase in colon cancer.

The Plebe

I love it. Thanks Mesa.