Mesaba Pilot Letter to the Industry

[de Pez]

"You also get your Longevity raise on top of that."

Incremental increases due to longevity at a company have nothing to do with this TA...Those raises were not negotiated under this contract, and will be received by the pilot group regardless of what happens with the TA...Do you really believe that counting a raise negotiated under another contract as if it were part of this one is to your advantage? Rhetorical question...do what you will...best of luck..

 

[saabservant]

XJXJXJ says:

"but we did not have the leverage to do so"

B as in barbara, s as in streisand!

How much more leverage did we need?

Isn't a 98% strike vote, an extremely unified group, positive media support, and the support of alpa national and our peer group carriers enough?

 

[WWEfan]

While there may be short falls in some areas, Mesaba definitely got industry leading scope. That is worth alot to me being from a DCI wholly owned and watching a bunch of our flying get farmed out to ACA, Skywest, Chatauqua and who knows who else could be added.

If it was me (my opinion DOES NOT count) I would take the scope carrot. Go for they money next time.

Its a tough choice. Only the Mesaba guys and gals know whats best for them so the best advice I can give is to stay informed on the facts and vote the way that is best for you and your family.

 

[DoinTime]

But don't forget the company had the ultimate leverage point - bankruptcy or liquidation.

I can see the executives proudly standing up after the liquidations proceedings were complete and proclaiming that "they won."

 

[efiscompmon]

I guess I don't understand the big deal in being "wholly owned".

I was at PCL (then EXA) when we were wholly owned by Mother-One in Eagan. Big deal. NWA bought us to clean up our act we were so sorry. DL bought ASA for the same reason--they were an operational mess. DL bought CMR to avoid giving a bigger piece of the pie to its founders when the contract was up. So I fail to see the divine right of the WOs.

All we at regionals are doing is taking the flying and JOBS from the mainline--the relative pay and work rules for which we all became airline pilots.

True, someone will always come along and be willing to fly for less. Scope will always be meaningless as long as senior captains at the elephants are willing to trade it (and screw their own junior pilots) for better widebody pay. It's been going on for thirty years, it's not going to change.

Get involved in your own MEC and fight for your contract. It's all you can do.

 

[mesaba2425]

I think most non-aviation people look at this TA as a success. Mesaba pilots had constantly harped about the FO's making such little money. Billboards were put up near the airport advertising that. The pilot group got what they asked for - higher FO salaries. I personally think they put too much emphasis on that and it bit them in the ass.

 

[Mesabi Miner]

There was no good way to vote on this matter. I found myself feeling one way upon first looking at the TA. Shortly thereafter (after working in our strike centers, and talking to my fellow XJ peers, etc) I found myself swinging the opposite way. Following the union road shows, I found myself back in the middle. For everyone watching from the sidelines, I must say that this was one vote that I wish offered a "maybe" option. In the end, I made a choice. And whatever the outcome of the vote is, I will fully support the majority of opinion. I will walk the curb in 12 inches of snow, or I will live with the TA. For everyone not working under the oppressive, labor-fighting management of Northwest Airlines, be thankful. These barbarians have not and will never leave their dark ages management paradigm.

MM