New Furloughs 4 Mesaba

[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.

 

[General Lee]

OOOPS, I didn't know how many seats were in the Avro---I thought there were less. So, what would NW replace the Avros with in a relatively short amount of time?

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[T-Gates]

Most likely, without change in scope language, they'd convert some 44-seat orders into 50-seat orders....

 

[phishhman]

HOw about this: XJ strikes, NWA voids their contract because of labor unrest, they are removed from the scope clause, and Skywest is then allowed to jump into the mix. Just a thought.

 

[Cargoboy]

I guess I can stop sending my resume in to Mesaba for a while.
good luck all!!!


Hope they can work something out I always use to hear good things about Mesaba. Being from the home based city in MPLS. I was hoping to get on with them.

I really feel for those poor guys who got hired on over the summer. Talk about being lied to.

T-gates great icon by your name!!! Classic.

 

[norskman2]

Cargoboy,

Who do you dog freight for in MSP?

I love your avitar! I can tell which one's management and which one's the pilot!

 

[Cargoboy]

Priority Air.
Being doing it for to long and I need to make the next step. flying 310's out of Anoka. 14 hour days and up at the butt crack of dawn to get home in time for a smoke and a pancake. and a quick pickle tickle with the wife to start the process over 8 hours later.

 

[Mdojet]

Mesaba - to Cathal

What I am trying to get at is, of course I think you guys need a contract with better pay and work rules, etc. In the current airline enviroment, an industry leading contract is a tough sell. Thats reality. I am all for striking to get what you deserve but at what costs? I read a thread that someone started feeling sorry for the mechanics. Hey, if they were in the pilots shoes, they would strike in a minute and not think twice about the pilots..believe me! A plan could be that you negiotiate a payraise, and sure it might match another regional's pay but not industry leading but have the contract be amendable in 2yrs or 3yrs and by that time things should have time to recover. Take a look at Eastern Airlines. Those pilots literally shut down the airline and they had a tough time getting jobs elsewhere. Not sure if you want that in your history. All I am saying is weigh all your options, look at the recourse of those options, and see if it makes sense. Lets not destroy everyones livelyhood by making hastey decisions. If I was in your shoes, yes, I would vote to strike. It will send a message to management that you guys mean business but most of all that the pilot group is unified. But with the games that NWA is playing with Mesaba, I think Foley is more interested in maintaining a partnership with NWA than settling a contract at this point. In my opinion, this week is not the time to strike but maybe in a few months, the timing could be in your favor. Best of luck

Mike
www.webjetcareers.com

 

[SpocksBeard]

I'm no expert but I don't think the union reps are going for an "industry leading" contract. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the MEC is trying to exceed the highest paid guys out there.

 

[bluesky3]

"Take a look at Eastern Airlines. Those pilots literally shut down the airline and they had a tough time getting jobs elsewhere."

MDOjet,

I am sure you know the facts about the EAL strike so I won't bore you too much. However, for the rest of the pilot family----the Eastern pilots did not shut down that airline. The whole employee group shut down that airline because of one mans greed and geniune disregard for those that labored for him.

The EAL mechanics were the first to strike. The pilots and flight attendents followed with a sympathy strike. I understand MDOJET might be making a point, but it appears as a lack of knowledge as to what happened. Too many people I fly with spout of facts about the EAL strike and have no idea what they say.

MDOJET, again I understand what you are saying---just trying to set the record straight.


Fly safe!

 

[T-Gates]

"Take a look at Eastern Airlines. Those pilots literally shut down the airline and they had a tough time getting jobs elsewhere."

MDOjet,

I am sure you know the facts about the EAL strike so I won't bore you too much. However, for the rest of the pilot family----the Eastern pilots did not shut down that airline. The whole employee group shut down that airline because of one mans greed and geniune disregard for those that labored for him.

The EAL mechanics were the first to strike. The pilots and flight attendents followed with a sympathy strike. I understand MDOJET might be making a point, but it appears as a lack of knowledge as to what happened. Too many people I fly with spout of facts about the EAL strike and have no idea what they say.

MDOJET, again I understand what you are saying---just trying to set the record straight.


Fly safe!

Good Post, not everyone realizes that all 3 big unionized groups at EAL went on strike. The airline would have been gone in late '89 if Lorenzo had not gone and used scab labor. It was the scabs that allowed Frank Lorenzo to further dip into pension funds to keep EAL running until he was finally removed.

Don't let fear of what's gonna happen affect your ability to affect what you WANT to happen. If going on strike is what you want vote yes....

The reason many ex-EAL pilots had trouble getting jobs, is because that was one of the WORST hiring situations ever.... Pan Am had just gone TU, as well as Braniff II... Such a glut of pilots existed that it was tough for anyone to get a job. Most of the scabs had to ex-patriate themselves to far away countries to find work, while the strikers began to trickle back into the US Airline industry.... (Along with some scabs...)

Give em' hell guys!!!