February 17, 2011
PCL, MSA & CJC Pilots Ratify Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement
The Pinnacle, Mesaba and Colgan pilots ratified a 5-year contract today in a demonstration of unity and unwavering support for their collective goal of achieving one contract for all Pinnacle Airlines Corp. pilots. With nearly 87 percent of eligible Pinnacle Airlines Corp. pilots casting ballots, the joint collective bargaining agreement (JCBA) was ratified by a convincing 90.5 percent affirmative vote. Following are the breakdowns by pilot group:
Colgan: 86.93% of eligible pilots voted
93.64% voted for the JCBA
Mesaba: 85.32% of eligible pilots voted
90.04% voted for the JCBA
Pinnacle: 87.51% of eligible pilots voted
89.90% voted for the JCBA
The agreement ensures that all current and future flying done by Pinnacle Airlines Corp. and subsidiary airlines is performed under the JCBA and by pilots on a single integrated seniority list. The new contract provides significant increases in pay and benefits as well as provides for rock-solid job protections that eliminate any whipsaw threat for the pilots under the Pinnacle Airlines Corp. umbrella.
The new contract incorporates many of the best items from our current contracts, and every pilot will realize gains with no pilot taking a pay cut from their current position. The JCBA includes pay scales above industry average for all four of the company’s aircraft types as well as across-the-board increases of 12 percent over the life of the agreement. Work rules in the JCBA will drive the airlines to staff appropriately and discourage involuntary work assignments while incentivizing pilots to pick up open flying on a voluntary basis.
ALPA President Lee Moak, the three MEC chairmen, members of the JNC and senior executives from Pinnacle Airlines Corp., Pinnacle Airlines, Mesaba Airlines and Colgan Air will take part in a contract signing ceremony at 5:30 p.m. today in Memphis, Tenn.