Mesaba's Latest

[DLconnection]

What is the lastest on Mesaba's situation? How close is Mesaba in reaching an agreement with there pilot group?

I also remembering hearing about Mesaba's aquisition of Big Sky airlines. When will this happen and what affect will it have on Mesaba's pilot group and contract negotiations?

 

[T-handle]

The situation is rather ugly around Mesaba. so much to explain.... usual contract negotiations crap. Do a SEARCH on Mesaba and Bigsky.

We're not even close to signing anything. Traditional Northwest Airlines whipsawing the pilot groups, Mesaba HOLDINGS buys Bigsky to threaten our jobs. Nothing is in stone yet about Bigsky growing or getting any RJs. But Mesaba pilots would not be surprised if they did start receiving them.

FOs(junior and senior) are leaving or attempting to leave and we wouldn't be surprised if the company had to hire again. No one in their right mind would want to work here. Trust me, to enter this sh!tstorm is being brave.... I'd pay someone NOT to work here right now. Our amendable date passed in June, some 190 days ago. That 4 year contract was signed in 1996 with a 2 year LOA extension. And all that was concessionary. You can see why we are getting frustrated with management.

I predict a strike by end of next year. Look us up after we get a contract, if we're still around. We will probably be the place to work like it was in the late 90s..... but for now, shop elsewhere. Ciao

 

[JJJ]

Has the NMB become involved with the negotiations yet?

 

[Simon Says]

NMB us already involved, and has been for about 3 months.

 

[OakRBust]

Come on guys... Stop being so negative. We are making some real progress. All we have left is the small stuff..... Like uhhhh Pay, Scope, Retirement... we should be able to bang that out by Christmas...... 2009.


I am with T-handle.... Pull both of those t's blow the bottles and go work for a different company until we get all this crap sorted out. This used to be a great place to work for, and hopefully it will be again in about a year or so!!!



Happy Holidays everybody!!!

OAK

 

[Saabslime]

FOs(junior and senior) are leaving or attempting to leave and we wouldn't be surprised if the company had to hire again

Please tell me this was a joke. Hire again? Our fleet is shrinking. If these people weren't leaving voluntarily they would just be furloughed. In case you haven't noticed, the company is filling any needed FO vacancies with captain downgrades and word from the grapevine is there will be at least another 40 come March. This means the most junior captain will have about 5 years seniority This is NOT the place to be and signing a new contract isn't going to majically make things better. Management has forever driven a wedge between them and us with all the bull$hit tactics in these negotiations. Better stop before I get all worked up............Merry Christmas everybody.

 

[flying4food]

I heard through a friend at NWA that the ultimate plan is to eventually merge mesaba & Pinnacle into one company. It seems all their resources are going into Pinnacle right now, expanding fleet, hiring like crazy! While Mesaba is dwindling away. Once Pinnacles fleet is big enough, they will take-over the Mesaba routes, hence Mesaba goes away. She seems to think Pinnacle will take the remaining Mesaba pilots, once everything is said and done!! Sounds interesting!!!

 

[cl-65link]

This rumor has floated around almost as long as I have worked for Pinnacle(almost 7 years). It is in NW's best interest to preserve the "whip-saw" and keep a wedge between the two pilot groups. This has about as much of a chance of becoming a reality as the "one-list" between Pinnacle, Mesaba, and NW.

 

[ksu_aviator]

One more point about Measaba, we are scheduled to loose 20 more Saabs this summer when the leases run out. If we don't have CRJ's coming to replace them then we will have to furlough people. I heard 3 crews per airplane or about 120 pilots. Unless, of course, 120 pilots quit between now and the end of the leases.

 

[PDTGIMP]

Sounds like things at XJ are similar to those of PDT! We're losing aircraft and furloughing and gone from one of the best regionals to the worst regional, in terms of pay overnight. The only advantage is you're not a Wholly-Owned Sub. of USAir!

One point: It is possible to lose 120 pilots by the summer. Here, we annouced in April the loss of nine aircraft by Jan. 1st and I'd say two thirds of those effected left before the furlough.

Good Luck

 

[fly4ever]

KSU

I think your info on the rate at which saabs are leaving may be exaggerated. Unless the company has been released from some leases early (and we don't know about it) the original schedule is for all A models to be gone by Oct. 04, the straight B's by 07, leaving 51 B+ saabs. I don't think we have 20 A's left so we shouldn't be losing 20 more by this summer. This was the published schedule a couple months ago. As tough as it is right now it has been worse in the past and it will be better in the future.

Regards

 

[avrodriverj85]

I would suggest anyone that wants to work at a regional, go to Comair or Skywest or ASA. If Mesaba ever hires again in the near future due to displacements, I'd stay away. Some pilots are on their 2nd furlough here in a period of 6 months. If that's not some sort of a sign, then I don't know what is. Everyone is on there own over here and it's going to get worse.

 

[hyperboy]

pilots like thandle

Nice job thandle. Life must be impossible for you by the sounds of your constant whining. I would think you were without a job living on the streets. I can't believe ungrateful people like yourself have jobs. I am sure you smile when you go to work?! There are many out there that would love to have your job.
Why can't you be fortunate and feel lucky to be flying? Maybe your not aware of all the high time pilots out there without flying jobs working in fields that have nothing to do with aviation just to support the family.They don't have a choice but they still have to handle their business and provide . Who is making you stay? Let me guess it's the seniority number? If it's to tough why not get out and end you misery. Your complaining is hurting the dreams and hopes of others who every day strive and bust there ass to just get a shot at where your at.
T handle I envy your job (which I am sure you worked hard for) but not your poor, negative, selfish attitude. To those out there that are not as fortunate as thandle I apologize now for his ignorance when looking at the whole REAL picture. I'll smile for you and be thankful........... things could be much worse,but I am grateful. Have a great day!!

 

[ALCOHOLIC]

It is his right to bitch. He is a pilot

Hyperboy,

The real picture and the real problem is that us pilots will put up with all this crap because we love to fly. Getting hired at a regional and making the same money as a burger flipper tells us about our profession. Hell, we use to have pilots pay for their jobs. Unless these pilots at the regionals stand up for fair compensation and work rules things will never get better. 90% of new hire f/0's are happy as hell when they start class. Afrer 6 months they get a little tired. After a year they are just plain angry. Where is my upgrade? Why do I get paid so bad? Why am I never home? I have no retirement.. How long have you been at an airline?

 

[avrodriverj85]

Hyperboy,

I was sitting here wondering if you have ever worked for an airline before? Comments like "You should be happy you are just flying", is what has gotten us into some of this mess in the first place, and just being happy to be flying doesn't pay my mortgage, car payment, or my utilities. True it's fun to fly, but you have to be realistic and after the euphoria of getting an airline job wears off, you really want to get paid a professional salary for doing a professional job. Something tells me that after a few years of this, you'd feel the same way. Most of the FO's over here have been flying for poverty wages for many years and we are finally standing up for ourselves and aren't going to take it any longer. Most of us would rather see the company close it's doors FOREVER than take another year of substandard compensation and crap from our management that's run this once fine airline into the ground. We are trying to pave new ground for our future and hopefully for the regional airline industry. Or at least our share of it. It's true there are pilots on the street and they have there issues also. I wish them the best. In the end it all sorts itself out. We all knew what we were getting into when we started in aviation, and if you didn't then you either didn't ask enough questions, were sold a bill of goods, or were ignorant about the realities of the pilot/airline industry.