New Furloughs 4 Mesaba

[othello]

Just anounced today, 17 FO positions to be furloughed effective NOV 10th.
Stupid considering Mesaba just spent How much to train the 20 or so newhires late summer.
They did put out a Voluntary Furlough notice form that gives the new hires a chance to stay.

More games?
I know which box Iam checking when my Strike ballot arrives

 

[SpocksBeard]

Well I guess I'm f*cking screwed. Well at least I won't be fired for striking while on probation if it comes to that.

 

[Mdojet]

mesaba

I used to work for Mesaba from '90-'95. It was a fantastic place to work. Actually considered one of the best regionals that pilots could work for. Its a shame the state they are in right now. I understand the pilots gripes about not having a contract. But its very difficult to negiotiate a contract when mesaba will be losing 40% of thier revenue without the Avro. And if NWA was planning on replacing the AVRO with something, those orders would have had to be in months ago. You guys deserve a pay raise and better work rules but try to look at the overall picture if a strike happens. First no jets.....next is no pilots(on strike)=no airline. Just hope that if you guys strike, you have an airline to go back to. I have been on the street after flying with UAL for 2yrs and it really sucks. I finally got hired to fly again and have a better perspective of this industry. Just look at all your options. I hope for the best for you guys!

Mike

 

[belchfire]

Many companies have furloughed in
the face of a strike. And if the Avros
go away, there won't be much left...

I have met a few of the Mesaba guys
and gals, and all y'all seem like good
folks. I had considered going there
from where I am, and might still if things
get figured out.

Good Luck!!!

 

[Gator1999]

I can't say that I'm surpurised, however I hope that we can get you newhires back online in record time. You're part of the family and you can count on us to go to bat for you. Hang in there!

 

[mesaba2425]

I feel sorry for those FOs. This is at least the 2nd furlough for most, if not their 3rd.

 

[Jeepman]

Disclaimer: I AM IN NO WAY BRAGGING ABOUT THIS RUMOR

I heard another rumor the other day that we are getting 32 CRJ's for Northwest. After reading this I hope it is a just a rumor and dies as one.

 

[General Lee]

Jeepman,

Who do you fly for? Skywest?

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[fracwashback]

Re: mesaba

I used to work for Mesaba from '90-'95. It was a fantastic place to work. Actually considered one of the best regionals that pilots could work for...............Just hope that if you guys strike, you have an airline to go back to. I have been on the street after flying with UAL for 2yrs and it really sucks.

I totally agree about the history Mike. I worked there for 5 years until I got my shot (and subsequent furlough) at a Major. I have to say, I'd gladly carry a picket sign with those guys. When you go on strike, you have to be ready to NEVER go back to that job. That's how serious it is. The place isn't what it used to be... and probably never was what it could have been. Foley is an ignorant puppet. At least Bedford had the "connections" to make XJ one of the permier regionals of the late 90's. They were simply left in the RJ-dust so to speak.

I wish the best for the employees of XJ. Unfortunately, I don't suspect good times are ahead for them.

 

[xjavro85]

IMO this is the beginning of the end. The pilots (me included) are going to drive the company down. If and when we strike NWA has the right to void the contracts with mesaba leaving us with nothing to fly. Very sad really. I was talking about this to a MX guy in MSP today and he was very upset, he said that if mesaba goes away he is never going to find work in the aviation industry. I never really thought about the impact a strike would have on the rest of the people at mesaba. I am sick of mgmt's games as much as the rest of us but think about all those mechanics that will lose their jobs. With all the recent layoffs at NWA there are no jobs left in the MSP area for AMT's. Just something to think about....

 

[cl-65link]

Disclaimer: I AM IN NO WAY BRAGGING ABOUT THIS RUMOR

I heard another rumor the other day that we are getting 32 CRJ's for Northwest. After reading this I hope it is a just a rumor and dies as one.

Not likely if you work for Skywest, unless NW management has found a way around the agreement they have with their pilots that states that all 'Airlink' flying will be done by 9E/XJ. Plus they have allocated all their firm orders to 9E. Don't know about the options, they have 175.

 

[mesaba2425]

IMO this is the beginning of the end. The pilots (me included) are going to drive the company down. If and when we strike NWA has the right to void the contracts with mesaba leaving us with nothing to fly. Very sad really. I was talking about this to a MX guy in MSP today and he was very upset, he said that if mesaba goes away he is never going to find work in the aviation industry. I never really thought about the impact a strike would have on the rest of the people at mesaba. I am sick of mgmt's games as much as the rest of us but think about all those mechanics that will lose their jobs. With all the recent layoffs at NWA there are no jobs left in the MSP area for AMT's. Just something to think about....

Great point.

A lot of people are going to lose their jobs but at least the XJ pilot group can say they didn't lower the bar. Everyone in the unemployment line can hold their head high knowing that. ALPA should be proud.

 

[acapilot2003]

I'm glad I dropped my seniority # when I got hired at ACA. I was furloughed from Mesaba in 2001, and furloughed from ACA in May this year. I would have gotten a call back from Mesaba probably about the time I got furloughed from ACA. Then I would have gotten furloughed again, making 3 furloughs in 2 years!

 

[Jeepman]

General,

As much as you & I have been on this board & you haven't figured out that I work for SkyWest? Well, I do.

CL-65 link, I hope your right. The person I talked to said they heard it from a "Senior Capt" who was talking to one of our mechanics. We'll see.

Good Luck to all at Mesaba.

 

[cathal]

mdojet,
So, please share with us your new perpesctive more explicitly. The way I read your post, you're saying we should consider lowering the bar, taking concessions from a profitable company that steals its worker's profits, and continue to whore ourselves out. Did I hear you correctly?
If I did, thanks for your perspective. I'm glad you don't work here any more.
Hey guys, maybe Mdojet is right. Since they threatened us, let's just knuckle under and give them some more bonuses. I'm even considering paying them for training me on two airplanes, just so I have a job. Think $15,000 ought to be enough? I should be able to pay that off in only about 20 years on what I'm making now.

 

[xjmnpilot]

The main thing that Mesaba pilots need to concentrate on are unity, solidarity, and education. The negotiators are running roadshows in all the domiciles to make sure every pilot knows what the remaining issues on the table are, and the ALPA reps are getting into the crewrooms talking things up. I am totally okay with voting to authorize a strike IF the MEC deems it necessary. These guys bust ass to make sure that we get the proper education and message, rather than the crap we hear through the rumor mill and the managment tools.

We may make it through this w/o a strike (i hope), but it sends a clear message to King Richard @ NWA and Foley @ MAIR to have everyone vote YES to the strike ballot. Make sure you vote!!!

As far as the furloughs are concerned, I feel horrible for our "new-hires" who were promised personally by the Chief Pilots and the DO that they were not going to be furloughed. Maybe that's why the DO left the company this week...he was sick of lying and playing games with peoples lives?

 

[fly4ever]

To any XJers out there - VOTE YES and vote now. We need 100% participation and a 100% "yes" vote to make it clear to our management how we feel.

To all of you that support the pilot group at Mesaba - Thank you! We appreciate it. To our Pinnacle brothers and sisters - we know from the past how the game has been played with you and now we face the same thing. We can't let our managements win this game of trying to pit our groups against each other no matter how bad it gets. All of us need to stay professional and stay informed.

I'll step down from the box now.

 

[General Lee]

Jeepman,

No, I figured it out. I also said awhile back that a Skywest jumpseater told me that he heard they were going to provide CR7s to Northwest, and then everyone slammed me. Maybe the guy was right. I don't know how Skywest would get around the NW scope---only Pinnacle and Mesaba doing the flying. The AVROS might be really nice planes, but they only carry 54 (?) passnegers with the first class seats included--and NW probably wants more seats and less hassles (with the 4 engines per airplane). Who knows?

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[OakRBust]

I had a great 6 years at Mesaba and I really hope that things turn out well for all the employee groups at MAIR. It is so sad to see how things have been on the downward slide for the past 3 + years. When I first got hired in 97 it truly was the regional that most people wanted to work for. It really bums me out to see things now.



Good luck to you all I wish you all nothing but the best.

 

[T-Gates]

Jeepman,

No, I figured it out. I also said awhile back that a Skywest jumpseater told me that he heard they were going to provide CR7s to Northwest, and then everyone slammed me. Maybe the guy was right. I don't know how Skywest would get around the NW scope---only Pinnacle and Mesaba doing the flying. The AVROS might be really nice planes, but they only carry 54 (?) passnegers with the first class seats included--and NW probably wants more seats and less hassles (with the 4 engines per airplane). Who knows?

Bye Bye--General Lee

General,

Even if NWA wanted new 70-seaters, there is absoulutely no way to get them with current scope language. Even if they get rid of all 35 Avros, per the contract, they can only be replaced by a "Regional Jet". The definition of the regional jet in the NWA contract is 55 seats and under. Plus it is very clear that they would have to negotiate with thier pilot group to allow Skywest to become a new Airlink carrier. Every indication has been made that one of the only ways that the pilots at NWA will relax scope is if we get one 9E/XJ/NW seniority list.

And the Avros has 68 seats with the 1st class section.