Mesaba Class and NWA Mechanics

[Sparky62]

Should a guy leave a job with security for a August Mesaba class considering NWA mechanics may strike?

Better to wait or to go? Effect on Mesaba flying and chance for furlough?

 

[LivinDaDream]

I wouldn't use that as a deciding factor. I can't see it having a very big impact on XJ in the short term. In the long term, if NWA files for bankruptcy, expect us to be hit for concessions. I don't believe that we'll give up anything, but all negotiations make for increased stress.

Now is a pretty good time to get over to XJ. I wouldn't see this situation changing any positive expectations that you may have had.

 

[RampTower]

You can also count on Junior Bush stepping in and extending the dealine another 60 days.... as he did 4 years ago.

 

[wmudriver]

Do you think all of this talk of NWA filing for CH. 11 is sabre rattling to use as leverage in talks with the AMFA and 9E pilots?

They just ordered 787s back in April. How hard up are they for money? What is the retirement schedule for the DC-9/DC-10s?

If NWA does file bankrupcy, what kind of concessions would XJ be looking at?

 

[Jimdandy]

First off if NWA mechanics strike NWA then it means increased flying for us as they try to keep operating on a reduced schedule. So no worries there.

2nd Nwa talking about bankruptcy is real they are in the hole 14 billion I think with debt and upcoming pension payments. They have 2.1 billion cash on hand but when you owe 14...well you can do the math. Plus they are losing money fast.

3rd Bush will not step in because Bush always supports big business and never the working man. Nwa wants a resolution in 30 days the mechanics would love to keep stalling so they can keep there jobs. Therefore No Bush step in.

XJ concessions maybe asked for but our contract is far from extravagent and average therefore they will have a hard time trying to get us to give up anything and I suspect we will hold fast especially since we got the one and only PL.

So I think XJ would be a great start to your airline career.

GOOD LUCK

 

[Workin'Stiff]

They just ordered 787s back in April. How hard up are they for money? What is the retirement schedule for the DC-9/DC-10s?

Can't tell ya anything about the DC-9's... But the -10's are looking like 3-4 years.

 

[noonan]

Yea
That's what I do if I'm the CEO of an almost bankrupt airline. While asking my employees for concessions or flat out eliminating their positions I paint a retiring fleet.

Oh yeah, I give myself a 28% pay raise

 

[sf3boy]

According to NWA's annual report, EVERYONE could work for free and the airline would lose only about 1/3-1/2 of what they currently are losing. With the decoder ring this reads that labor ain't the problem.

XJ management would have to actually grow a set to come to the pilots for concessions. Our current contract is good, but far from stellar, and nowhere near being good enough to be giving away things.

I would, however, not be surprised to see us XJ pilots without pay until the mechanics come back to work if a strike occurs. Of course, everyone else will be paid just like everyone else gets a bonus quarterly for performance and safety.

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

 

[blackbox]

Why would XJ and 9E have to give in to wage concessions? When US airways went into bankruptcy, did PSA, Piedmont,TSA, Colgan, or any other regional carrier have to take a paycut? or when United went chapter 11, Skywest and mesa werent asked to give up pay were they? I know ACA and AWAC ran into problems, tho.

I could be very wrong, but I dont see why NWA's regional carriers would take a hit in the paycheck. Can someone explain the reasoning behind the rumor of a wage concession?

 

[jackbo]

Why would XJ and 9E have to give in to wage concessions? When US airways went into bankruptcy, did PSA, Piedmont,TSA, Colgan, or any other regional carrier have to take a paycut? or when United went chapter 11, Skywest and mesa werent asked to give up pay were they? I know ACA and AWAC ran into problems, tho.

I could be very wrong, but I dont see why NWA's regional carriers would take a hit in the paycheck. Can someone explain the reasoning behind the rumor of a wage concession?

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.

 

[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.