Mesaba Pilot Letter to the Industry

[tripacer]

What XJXJXJ is not telling anyone is that the original projected cost that the MEC had figured out back in October of 03', for our 1st year of the contract, was $21.9 million. The 1st year cost of this TA is - $6.5 million.

Our company played the bankruptcy card and our negotiators flinched. They squandered a 98% strike vote and any leverage they had by extending the strike deadline.

This TA is a lemon.

 

[XJXJXJ]

The 21.9 Million per year was our "Dream" proposal that would have raised the bar well beyond Comair pay with Full Look Fwd Rigs and 100% Retro, Full DH, 1.85 Per Diem ect, ect. Obiviously, we were aiming high and we had to have expectations of not getting all we were asking for. Over the 5 year life of this contract we are gaining 43 Million Dollars Which averages out almost 9 Million per year extra going into Mesaba Pilots Pockets, Not to mention all the awesome enhancements in other areas non financial. Not bad considering everybody else is taking concessions. I think most reasonable people expected a compromise somewhere in the middle between XJ's "Cost Neutral Offer" and ALPA's "Aim High" opening proposal. No mesaba pilot was ever promised an industry leading contract and the end result was a good fair agreement that undercuts nobody when you look at the big picture. Way too many people can't get beyond what their hourly rate will be on Date of Signing.

 

[de Pez]

XJXJXJ states:

""We did get an average of 3% annual increases (2% DOS +1, 2% DOS +2, 4% DOS +3, 4% DOS+4). This is 1.2% higher than the industry average. This 3% average increase allows us to move up through the pack toward the top throughout our contract, not fall behind (please refer to the pay charts in the T.A. Powerpoint Presentation). ""



Type on "GOOGLE" and search for "average long term inflation rates." The numbers reflected above can not be considered a raise if actual "buying power" of money is part of your definition. They are, perhaps a cost of living increase.

Inflation has been very moderate recently, about 2.5-3.0% per year. Over the life of a given contract, that may not hold true, and the 2% initial yearly increases, in terms of buying power over that time frame may leave something to be desired.

 

[XJXJXJ]

De Pez....

Keep in mind that the raises that you refered to are just the annual payscale adjustments. You also get your Longevity raise on top of that. Total pay raises are more like this over the 5 years of the contrat.

Year 1 5%
Year 2 5 %
Year 3 6%
Year 4 7%
Year 5 7%

Total raises over the life of the contract are about 45% for FO's and 35 for Captains. This is why you need to look beyond just what your payrate will be on date of signing. With the higher pay raises coming during the last 3 years, it will eventually be close to industry leading pay.

 

[mesaba2425]

A fool and his TA vote are soon parted.

 

[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