Pinnacle Buying Colgan

[ChoadSnazz]

Vector,

I think a secondary reason might be the Saab certificate. It will be very easy to relieve Mesaba of some of their routes when Pinnacle Corp. has a Saab certificate.

Uh, let me see ... NWA has agreed to purchase Mesaba. "Very easy to relieve ..?" - please explain.

 

[redflyer65]

Here the deal. It's just speculation, but Mesaba just signed a new contract in bankruptcy that has nice snap back provisions if they receive a certain number of planes. They are poised to get a batch of ERJ's and/or CRJ's. Move the Saab flying over to Colgan slow so that the snap back provisions never get paid out, and the Saab feed stays under a Airlink partner.

Like I said, it's just speculation but a possible scenerio none the less.

This purchase of a NON-union carrier by this management group is a huge red flag.

 

[beechcowboy]

Whassa matter? AWAC didn't work out either? You were a crying biatch when you were here, not much has changed. A commercial ticket and 3 airline ground schools and you still don't know the purpose of the MEL. Feel free not to check back. But if you do, can you post the exact reference in your contract where ALPA limits the number of MELs on the aircraft?

I know who you speak of, but I never went to AWAC. I never interviewed at AWAC. It was never in my plans. You obviously have the wrong person in mind. The fact that you can respond to well intentioned post with this kind of garbage show just how concerned we should all be about our futures. I still have buddies at Colgan; and though I am very glad to be gone, it is still a part of my career history and I hate to see a group of good pilots placed in a bad positions. Because Colgan's labor is cheaper than others, and because Colgan is non-union, I would suspect there is a play to me made by PCL management. I would just hate to see more discontent created by union versus non-union. By having all our pilot groups in ALPA, we can weaken a valuable management tool, using non-union labor to undercut the union labor. Give it some thought, it is good for everyone to consolidate our voice.

 

[beechcowboy]

Beechcowboy you are a sellout. Why would you leave that close to upgrade? You are obviously a moron. PIC time is what is important. I think the problem is there is nobody in this company who has the balls to stand up and talk union stuff. It would be very interesting to see union talk start around here. I just don't see it happening without some serious outside intervention. We all need to be informed big time as well and not just through flight info. If a vote would happen today I bet the union would be turned down. I don't know if ALPA plans on approaching us somehow and at the same time majorly informing us but that is the way to go. Posting stuff on flight info and threatening us that we will be the next GO jets isn't going to work with this pilot group. We didnt ask for this crap. Most of us think who the hell cares change won't happen that quick and by the time it does we will have moved on. So if there is anyone out there who is really serious about this you better start moving now and find a way to educuate us all quickly.

Let me take these one by one. I left b/c Colgan was hosing me, in addition to other personal issues. Colgan chose to continue to change the requirements for upgrade on a monthly basis. Upgrade became a moving target at the will of management. Eventually they skipped my # and went to a less senior pilot for upgrade, admitted they shouldn't have done it, and refused to correct their error. The next month several more senior FOs, who had completed pay for training programs, finally reached what management determined was an acceptable amount of total time 1700 hrs, versus the 2100 hours they were holding me and others to. They were scheduled for upgrade over the next two months. The quality of life was poor, about to get worse, and I decided to say no.

As for threats, there are not threats. The facts are simple, Colgan remains a non-union carrier. We all know from experience that non-union carriers are a favorite management tool used to whipsaw one pilot group against another. Nobody can truly prosper from such games. Join 1000s of other ALPA pilots in an attempt to create one voice for our futures. There are many issues that need to be addressed other than whipsaw games and consolidations. United we are in a better position to address all of these challenges. It may not happen today, tomorrow, or next month; but I am sure PCL managment will utilize Colgan in some way, shape, or form to influence negotiations on Pinnacle's contract. Its BS, and it can happen to you. Are you your brother's keeper, or not? Get in the game and be a player. Don't assume that just because your goal is to use Colgan as a stepping stone, that others might not want to remain there. Don't assume that your desire for quick movement should exonerate you from being an active participant in improving your profession. You may leave Colgan behind next month, but what of your buddies who are left behind, who choose to stay, or who are not ready to go yet? Are you doing everything you can to be a good ambassador to our profession.

I'm no sellout. I enjoy my job, I enjoy the company, and I am engaged in the game, for better or worse. I'm not standing on the sidelines, are you?

 

[GEORGE DUBYA]

Let me take these one by one. I left b/c Colgan was hosing me, in addition to other personal issues. Colgan chose to continue to change the requirements for upgrade on a monthly basis. Upgrade became a moving target at the will of management. Eventually they skipped my # and went to a less senior pilot for upgrade, admitted they shouldn't have done it, and refused to correct their error. The next month several more senior FOs, who had completed pay for training programs, finally reached what management determined was an acceptable amount of total time 1700 hrs, versus the 2100 hours they were holding me and others to. They were scheduled for upgrade over the next two months. The quality of life was poor, about to get worse, and I decided to say no.

As for threats, there are not threats. The facts are simple, Colgan remains a non-union carrier. We all know from experience that non-union carriers are a favorite management tool used to whipsaw one pilot group against another. Nobody can truly prosper from such games. Join 1000s of other ALPA pilots in an attempt to create one voice for our futures. There are many issues that need to be addressed other than whipsaw games and consolidations. United we are in a better position to address all of these challenges. It may not happen today, tomorrow, or next month; but I am sure PCL managment will utilize Colgan in some way, shape, or form to influence negotiations on Pinnacle's contract. Its BS, and it can happen to you. Are you your brother's keeper, or not? Get in the game and be a player. Don't assume that just because your goal is to use Colgan as a stepping stone, that others might not want to remain there. Don't assume that your desire for quick movement should exonerate you from being an active participant in improving your profession. You may leave Colgan behind next month, but what of your buddies who are left behind, who choose to stay, or who are not ready to go yet? Are you doing everything you can to be a good ambassador to our profession.

I'm no sellout. I enjoy my job, I enjoy the company, and I am engaged in the game, for better or worse. I'm not standing on the sidelines, are you?

Yes I am standing on the sidelines as many of my fellow soilders are at Colgan. We don't know what the hell is going on. We are quite sick of Pinnacle pilots infiltrating our posts. We were very happy in our misery before you union talking annoying people came along. It's very simple if they intend to keep us seperate we don't give a crap about pinnacles pilot group and union. If they intend to use us in some way to screw the pinnacle pilots then yeah we will listen about this foreign to us union stuff. Until we see something change in our everyday lives however we don't care.

 

[WildBlue]

They will not lower pay with republic and skywest hiring so fervently. that would be just about suicidal for them.

Our work rules were pretty much bottom of the barrel but to tell you the truth, you don't screwed around with much here. but with out station basing it isn't very easy to exten or junior man someone. When outstation basing is changed it can and probably will be j. man/extension HELL!

That is exactly what happened to Pinnacle pilots under Trenary and his merry men. EXACTLY! Jr. manning and extension Hell!

 

[redflyer65]

Your quality of life and pay can change at the stroke of a pen and your aren't worried?

People have been bypassed for upgrade just because the management wanted to, and you aren't worried?

Phil can change your working environment after a bad Thai meal and what can you do?

Nothing.

These things don't happen at an ALPA carrier.

 

[Lear70]

It's very simple if they intend to keep us seperate we don't give a crap about pinnacles pilot group and union. If they intend to use us in some way to screw the pinnacle pilots then yeah we will listen about this foreign to us union stuff. Until we see something change in our everyday lives however we don't care.

Head... meet sand.

 

[BirdCatcher]

It's very simple if they intend to keep us seperate we don't give a crap about pinnacles pilot group and union. If they intend to use us in some way to screw the pinnacle pilots then yeah we will listen about this foreign to us union stuff. Until we see something change in our everyday lives however we don't care.

It's not so simple, it's a Catch 22 if we wait until we see they are to use us against pinnacle pilots it will be too late by then to get something started. But if we start now, we could prevent such problem though it may have never have been a real problem in the first place. Oh and a lot of us do care.

 

[suupah]

Head... meet sand.

don't worry, we have it under control. we are a tight group and are not going to talk about it with you.

 

[Godfather]

don't worry, we have it under control. we are a tight group and are not going to talk about it with you.

This is getting delicate now and let's not get into a p*ssing match over this. This is the last thing we need right now and this goes to both sides.

Can't we all just get along like Rodney King?

 

[vectorvictor]

I have no desire to move to Detroit and fly a jet. quote]

You could always commute. No wait a second, no you can't.

Managment doesn't need to use any of us as a whipsaw against anyone else; we are perfectly capable of handling it on our own.

 

[Godfather]

Managment doesn't need to use any of us as a whipsaw against anyone else; we are perfectly capable of handling it on our own.

As the evidence shows on this very thread...

Now everyone simmer down and go to bed...and think RODNEY KING !

The world is one big Sh*t Sandwich and we all have to take a big bite out of it.

 

[Lear70]

don't worry, we have it under control. we are a tight group and are not going to talk about it with you.

"Don't ask me no secrets, and I'll tell you no lies."

In other words, it's no skin off my back, buddy... just trying to help you out. Take it for what it's worth.

Cheers,

 

[vtchaz]

You're kidding right?

Your quality of life and pay can change at the stroke of a pen and your aren't worried?

People have been bypassed for upgrade just because the management wanted to, and you aren't worried?

Phil can change your working environment after a bad Thai meal and what can you do?

Nothing.

These things don't happen at an ALPA carrier.

I'm happy to know you all are so concerned about us. However, a little too concerned. You really should just be honest about this with yourselves and us and say what you're really worried about, YOU. That's fair and valid but don't veil your concern for your own job security with fake concern over what happens to all us good old boys and girsl at Colgan. We'll take care of ourselves.

And you must be kidding about "these things don't happen at an ALPA carrier" right? Did I miss the sarcasm?