Mesaba big annoucement imminent

[Rook]

True, but they may bring up the fact that it is "ramp control," not "ramp tower", but most of you still can't figure that out. Also that the majority of you used to work in your dad's barbeque sauce factory down in Mississippi and $20 an hour is pretty lucrative compared to that. Bye.

And this keeps you up at night? I'm sure what little friends I have over at XJ would say to get laid dude.

Rook
Looks like a high overcast.
Better ask for Type IV.

 

[Top Gum]

Hey Mel, what’s going on with the hiring at Mesaba. Are they gearing up for any new classes?

 

[WildBlue]

Yep... easy to get good pay rates when the rest of your contract sucks balls. What good is a better pay rate without "block or better" and without trip guarantee?

Compare apples to apples, my friend. What is the value of the entire contract? Even if we were all CRJ's I would take our current over yours any day of the week. I would be willing to bet our current over your next one too.

Do you honestly think your GIA wonderkids are going to "hold the line"? They barely speak English, how the heck can they demand a Comair type contract?

Get real.

In your zest to bash everything Pinnacle you entirely missed my point. XJ pilots asked for, and received, substantial support from 9E pilots during your last negotiations. The primary reason for that support was the perceived threat from whipsawing. Whipsawing is defined as pitting one pilot group against another in order to lower costs. This is usually done by attempting to get one group to lower their pay, or to take actions perceived as a threat to others livelyhood.

Whether your contract is better or not is completely beside the point. What was done was PERCEIVED by the Pinnacle pilots as an attempt to entice 50 seat flying to Mesaba. You negotiated very high pay rates for the flying that you were already performing, and, in turn, negotiated 50 seat rates that were lower than Pinnacle rates for flying that you did not perform. In other words, you took no personal financial hits and put in a rate to entice the flying to yourself.

Now comes the Pinnacle pilots to negotiate their deal, and we are already hearing from management about Mesaba. First in a video describing you as the "enemy" and at the table describing your rates. Can you not see how this plays before a very young group at Pinnacle that does not know all the history?

The thoughtful members of the Mesaba pilot will see how destructive this cycle can become. My point was, and remains, that the 9E pilots struck a blow against whipsawing when we had a knife to the throat in '99. We did not try to undercut the Mesaba pilots, even after all the bad blood generated by the loss of the MSP flying. When it was your turn to reciprocate, the PERCEPTION of many Pinnacle pilots is that you folded.

It is a perception that we must all work very hard to overcome. We are much better off if we can avoid this type of political faux pas. Just how hard would it have been for XJ to say, "Sure, we'll give you a 50 seat rate; Pinnacle plus 5%"?

 

[T-handle]

I don't have an actual pinnacle contract on me so I'm using what is posted at http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/content/view/78/18/ (though the website admin does round the cents up or down) and this is for 40-59 seat rates

5 year Mesaba CRJ CA 64.26
5 year Pinnacle CRJ CA 62.00

8 year XJ CA 70.21
8 year 9E CA 67.00

15 year XJ CA 86.35
15 year 9E CA 82.00

FO rates respectively
XJ newhire 23.54
9E 21.00

5 year XJ FO 35.80
5 year 9E FO 34.00

If the Pinnacle cotract posted at this website is current, Mesaba is higher and never undercuts 9E, though it's a matter of dollars and pennies which even in the yearly salary isn't even that much more when work rules play a bigger role in your final W-2.

Compare us to the high and low of the others:

Now looking at the both ends of the spectrum, high and low Captain

Comair 5 year 68.00
Comair 8 year 75.00
Comair 15 year 92.00

Mesa 5 year 59.00
Mesa 8 year 64.00
Mesa 15 year 78.00

We could go on and on and on over 1, 2, 5 or 10 dollars per hour but the fact is we're all pretty much cut short from management laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Carl_Spackler]

When XJ signed their contract, PCL had higher CRJ rates. The problem now is that PCL is now only getting longevity raises, no contract raises.

 

[Mel Sharples]

When I originally made this post, all info was accurate. The announcement could still come at any time but apparently NWA is dragging their heels.

The deal between XJ and ALPA is done. XJ is ready to go, we are just waiting for NWA to award the planes. For some reason NWA got cold feet. It was a "done deal" and still could be. Not sure why NWA slowed this down. XJ hiring will continue at accelerated rates until further notice.

For anyone who cares, I am not a union rep or officer of any kind. None of this info came from ALPA sources.

Hopefully NWA decides to keep going and makes the annoucement. Something spooked them and I really wish I knew what it was.

 

[IFIxUmUBrakeUm]

Yet another Let Down!!!!!!!!

 

[DoinTime]

I don't have an actual pinnacle contract on me so I'm using what is posted at http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/content/view/78/18/ (though the website admin does round the cents up or down) and this is for 40-59 seat rates

5 year Mesaba CRJ CA 64.26
5 year Pinnacle CRJ CA 62.00

8 year XJ CA 70.21
8 year 9E CA 67.00

15 year XJ CA 86.35
15 year 9E CA 82.00

FO rates respectively
XJ newhire 23.54
9E 21.00

5 year XJ FO 35.80
5 year 9E FO 34.00

If the Pinnacle cotract posted at this website is current, Mesaba is higher and never undercuts 9E, though it's a matter of dollars and pennies which even in the yearly salary isn't even that much more when work rules play a bigger role in your final W-2.

T-handel...I think you are confusing the 4-5 year capt. rate at PCL with the 5-6 year rate at Mesaba. The current 4-5 year rate at PCL is $62.14. I don't have a current copy of your contract but by my calculations your 4-5 year rate should be $63.37. Someone correct me if I am wrong. During the period from May 1, 2004 to your DOS +1 PCL capt. rates exceeded Mesaba rates through all compareable longevities. Not that amounts we are talking about even matter.

 

[T-handle]

The current Mesaba 4-5 year CA rate is $62.37

But like I said, I'm getting my info from a 3rd part website that doesn't guarantee accuracy. Like I said earlier, we're talking dollars and/or pennies. Doesn't matter if we're fitty cent cheaper or more, it's the same.

To compare your rates, between May 1,2004 to our DOS + 1, is like comparing apples to oranges, since your contract is done and ours is beginning with 4 years left. Work rules play a big, if not bigger role, in how much really shows up in your W-2. best of luck in your negotiations.

 

[psycho]

Hold the presses

It's official !! The big announcement is out and reads as follows:

Drumroll please...

Mesaba pilots say " No more fooling around, we really are going to strike this time !! "

WORD