Mesaba Class and NWA Mechanics

[sf3boy]

I believe J.O asked Mesa pilots to give up 10% when US and UA filed. I don't think they did, though.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

The only real reason I could come up with would be if NW went into bankruptcy, the judge could do some rearranging of our contract with NW. This could MAYBE lead managment to attempt to get a paycut from us. But there's really not too much to give....

 

[sf3boy]

Bankruptcy could void all contracts, including the Airlink agreements (ASA's). Thus the bankruptcy court could change what NWA pays Mesaba, and thus Mesaba putting the screws to the pilots.

This is true, but my contract says that I work for XJ, not NWA. If I am available to work, then XJ owes what is in the contract. If XJ falters claiming some other company is the culprit, then they are in breach of contract with the XJ pilots. Now, whether or not XJ ALPA would agree or give concessions......don't know. We gave concessions before when the NWA pilots walked.

 

[Sparky62]

Although, Sparky62, you can always go to Hotjobs and fill out the app for Pinnacle.

No thanks on Pinnacle, I'd much rather be at Mesaba.

I was just wondering how risky it was, in view of a potential strike, to give up a seniority number to go to Mesaba

Sparky62

 

[sf3boy]

Not much risk, Sparky. All in all, you are going to find that each regional in total crap in their own unique way. They are all a roll of the dice.

I look it at it like this; I have a little over 30 years of flying left. Name one regional that has been around for 30 years with no furloughs/BK filings/mergers, etc...Now name a major that has been spot free for 30 years.

And the Hotjobs thing is true. Couldn't believe that they have to advertise on the internet for pilots.

 

[flap operator]

The only way I can see XJ mgmt approaching labor for give backs is if NWA guts the ASA so much that XJ cannot make a profit. XJ already has a tiny operating margin compared to Chautauqua, PNCL and the others. IF NWA comes to XJ for an even further decrease in that profit margin, there is only one place for XJ mgmt to turn and that is to labor. And they'll probably pick on the pilots the most, as usual.


FO

 

[LivinDaDream]

I'm just wondering what the XJ concessions were when the NWA Pilot's walked??

Can you help me there sf3boy??

 

[sf3boy]

I believe that the union negotiated a cut in the 75 hour guarantee to "help Mesaba in that trying time."

I could be way off though. I just remember flying with some of the captains that were here then and some were pretty po'd about it.

 

[LivinDaDream]

sf3boy,

Not too sure what they were po'ed about???

The choice was furlough for all(we shut down) OR 37.5 hours guarantee for Cpts and 40 for FO's. Pilots had the option of furlough if they wanted. I'd say that is a good deal and I was here then. It sucked that we were shut down, but since we got paid to stay home, I'd say that was better than the other alternative.

For that paid furlough, we agreed to get back to work quickly once the strike was resolved.

 

[sf3boy]

That's right. Sorry about the mix up. I forgot that it was a furlough threat.

On the other hand, I would have maybe taken the management up on their offer. I'm available to work. Contract says I get 75 hours, not one less. Contract also stated that the company had to give 2 weeks notice of any furlough, and another 2 weeks for recall. (this in our FA's contract was one of the main factors of us not going on strike)

This being said, I don't know how long those greedy NWA pilots walked for to stop $17/hr Avro FO's from stealing their -9 flying.