Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Pinnacle Management sues Pinnacle ALPA, the REAL version...

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

Flyer1015

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 13, 2004
Posts
4,502

MEMPHIS, TN, Jan 08, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Pinnacle Airlines Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ: PNCL: 13.04, -0.23, -1.73%), has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against the Air Line Pilots Association International (ALPA) citing bad-faith bargaining in contract talks that began in 2005.


"We regret having to file this lawsuit, but the union left us with no choice. On more than one occasion, we agreed to terms that the union said would result in an agreement, and then they moved the goalposts and made additional demands," said Clive Seal, Vice President and General Manager of Pinnacle Airlines Inc.

"I really have to commend our lawyers at Nonconnach," added Clive Seal. "This lawsuit will undoubtedly delay the pro-offer of arbitration by ALPA. As long as the NMB doesn't release any group into a 30 day cooling period, we can continue to line our pockets at the expense of the pilot group," continued Seal.



"We need them to come to the table and deal fairly in a genuine effort to get a fair contract for our Pilots and their families."

"We at Pinnacle management always attend meetings with Pinnacle ALPA/MEC. It's not like we continue to postpone or delay meetings, why would we do such a thing?" added Seal.




"I believe we would have an agreement already if our Pilots had been told the truth about our offer and been allowed by the union to vote on the company proposal as we requested."

"Yes, our 'last and final offer' was truly "Simply the Best! It offered everything those greedy Pinnacle pilots could have ever wanted," added Clive Seal.



Seal said one result of the union continuing to move the goalposts is not being able to compete for new regional jet service. "The failure of ALPA to reach an agreement with Pinnacle resulted in the loss of 17 of our 50-seat jets and a chance to fly 76-seat jets for Northwest Airlines."

"You see," added Seal, "When our management incompetence causes us to lose flying, we find it much easier to just blame the pilot group. I mean, why hold ourselves accountable? That would actually make too much sense for my comfort."




"On another occasion, one new customer removed Pinnacle from consideration for 25 new regional jets. We let the union know what was at stake on both occasions and that it was imperative that we achieve a new contract in a timely manner."


"Again, our management team doesn't have the time nor the brains to deal with the real problem at hand. Putting the blame on the ALPA members takes the pressure off from us, and puts it on those greedy-good-for-nothing union leaders," added Seal.

"You see," continued Seal, "Blaming someone else for our incompetence just makes everything so much easier."


"The union's response was that 'it's your problem.' We have a different view. This would have meant hundreds of new jobs for all of our People, including 200 new pilot jobs and immediate upgrades for 110 first officers."

"And of course, we can completely staff all of that flying. It's not like we have to pay quarterly $1.3 million dollar fines to Northwest airlines because we can't staff our flights," added Seal.



"We want a new contract for our Pilots. We want to be at the table and bring these negotiations to a close."

"We have bargained in good faith and have repeatedly responded positively to requests from the union. We have been more than fair," said Philip H. Trenary, President and CEO of Pinnacle Airlines.

"I mean, come on," added Phil Trenary. "It's not like we've dragged out negotiations for 3 years now. It's not like we're dragging out negotiations simply because we have the cheapest paid CRJ pilots in the country."


"Of course we want our pilots to get a new contract," added Trenary.


"It's just that right now, we have to take certain actions to drive down the Pinnacle stock price. Then, when the price is low, us upper management types need to buy thousands of options. Then, after a positive news release regarding Pinnacle, we plan to excercise/sell our options to rake in the cash."




"All of us built this company together under the premise that we are a team, and we think it's unfair that our pilots are the only employee group that has not had a raise since 2005."



"It is unfair," added Trenary, but isn't it unfair when I don't get big bonuses? Isn't it unfair that I can't get personal monetary growth at the expense of the pilot group? I think any rational person can see that *I* am the victim here," concluded Phil Trenary.





About Pinnacle Airlines Corp. Pinnacle Airlines Corp., an airline holding company, is the parent company of Pinnacle Airlines Inc. and Colgan Air Inc. Pinnacle Airlines Inc. operates a fleet of 139 regional jets in the United States and Canada as Northwest Airlink and Delta Connection. Colgan Air Inc. operates a fleet of 49 regional turboprops as Continental Connection, United Express and US Airways Express. Pinnacle Airlines Corp. operating units fly over 1,000 daily flights and transport more than 10 million passengers a year to 134 cities and towns in North America. Visit www.pncl.com for more information.
 
What a bunch of scumbags you guys are stuck with.

Does anyone remember the hoary old phrase "emboldening the enemy"?

Do you think maybe greedy, dishonest, unethical, immoral management groups are emboldened by two recently failed ALPA drives and one decertification drive? It seems like it's the decade of blaming ALPA.

Let's hope pilots can muster up some unity and resist the drive towards wage-slave airline labor.
 
Last edited:
99%+ agree think so.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top