Mesaba attrition! WOW

[xjhawk]

did i read that right, that the staffing levels say we are at something like 570 pilot? So lets see, we had about 900 pilots when NWA declared bankruptcy, furloughed 200, so like 230 have left in the last year or so? thats unbelievable. Do they think they will impose on us? do they not realise most would not work for that, maybe a few will but lets see if they can run an airline on a small percentage of the airlines pilot! I would rather let it liquidate......than work for sub-mesa rules and pay. it seems to me, that at the rate they are going, they will not have to furlough anymore if they are losing from what i hear is 1-3 a week. a few more weeks and we will be down to the staffing for 49 saabs! ha....and if they impose, i am sure they will be staffed for about 10 saabs, if that.

 

[Mesabi Miner]

Last involuntarily furloughed pilot held number 655 and had a hire date of May 3, 2004. Another 50 voluntary furloughs exist above him. This leaves about 605 pilots presently cursing upper management. New realignment notice keeps the number of pilots constant although I'm sure the next reduction notice isn't far away. Where's my beer?

MM

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

What's the logic in closing the MSP Avro base but keeping a bunch of FOs there and no Captains?

 

[belchfire]

What's the logic in closing the MSP Avro base but keeping a bunch of FOs there and no Captains?

You dare apply logic to airline management???

 

[Way2Broke]

Belch for President!

 

[flyn96]

What's the logic in closing the MSP Avro base but keeping a bunch of FOs there and no Captains?

Squeeze the senior guys. They are the most exspensive group. Its a hard pill to swallow to have to go back to the saab, or commute to DTW. The MSP crowd would rather cut their nuts off than commute to DTW. After all its not the center of the universe. Or they can retire. Either way the good ol boys from MSP are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Actually it doesn't matter, because they will soon have shrunk Mesaba to a small enough number that leaves only the senior Mesaba lifers. These guys will sign whatever contract because their airline career is Mesaba. They can't or don't want to work for anyone else. I feel bad for them, because I won't be around to vote when the next reduction comes so its not up to me.

Oh well this industry is a Motha F#$#$er

 

[Dodge]

Correct. Many, if not all the MSP Avro CA's never have sat in the cockpit of a Saab. Good move by the company to get them all worked up. Makes them put the pressure on the MEC to sign "whatever it takes" so long as they don't have to commute or fly a little prop job. The Dash.....now that was a real airplane.

 

[ImbracableCrunk]

I know their evil plan requires them to get rid of all the really senior lifers, but how do they say they are closing a base, but then leave the FOs there?

 

[xjhawk]

yeah, seems like a ploy to me, but did you add up the present staffing number, its well under 600. and from what i remember, there are 40-50 junior to me that were not yet furloughed, so we might already or be close to the staffing they need for 49 saabs....or whatever they say they are doing......if air wisconsin can transfere their pilots from the 146's to the crj, we can do it as well! screw them. someone should make up a generic resignation letter, with a fill in the blank name, seniority number, and date for resignation. copy a bunch of them and have them floating around the crew room for easy access for emergencies.......yes, thats a great idea!

 

[kmox29]

Many, if not all the MSP Avro CA's never have sat in the cockpit of a Saab.

Maybe not, but many of those guys spent numerous hours in Beech 99s, Fokkers, and Metros...

Although there are certainly a handful of guys in MSP that would vote for almost anything, there is also a fair amount who feel the same as the junior guys.

 

[XJohXJ]

I've talked with a few of the senior guys who will vote "no" on anything with a pay cut or degredation of work rules, so they are out there, rest assured. Besides, even for an ultra senior guy, what's the point of sticking around if their pay plummets from the $75k-$90k range all the way down to the crappy $40's? For a guy with that much experience, $40-$50k IS easily replaceable, in many jobs with much more favorable conditions.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

I know their evil plan requires them to get rid of all the really senior lifers, but how do they say they are closing a base, but then leave the FOs there?

Same way they left 6 FO's in CVG for 5 months after the announcement that it was closed. They didn't want to risk us applying for moving benefits.