PSA recalling furloughs

[WSurf]

First off, I am glad to hear that PSA is recalling. I hope everyone is as fortunate.

Second, if Airways wins the large small supersized mini-jet grievance, it will be close to two years until a solution is worked out, minimum. IF Airways wants those sized aircraft, they WILL keep them around. There are plenty of legal delay tactics that will postpone the process until the Mesa contract expires. At worst, RAH will shuffle a few airframes over to United or Delta, perhaps exchanging a few 175's for 170's. I hope Airways PILOTS do win their grievance, as it would show a turn towards court respect for the labor positions. I am willing to lose a few airframes to help unionized pilots everywhere.

Third, almost every company has furloughed. Regionals have furloughed between 5 and 10 percent of their workforce. RAH has furloughed. We have never been immune.

Finally, RAH pilots would love to have their FO's make more than 23/hr the first year. We all worked for that or less, depending on when we were hired. Just keep it in context. At the time the present rates were negotiated, it was 2003. AWAC was under pressure to cut costs by United. ACA was dropped and going solo as Independence Air. RAH was only CHQ then, and there were no 170's. It was long enough after 9/11 that the real crunch was setting in, and no upturn had showed up anywhere in the industry (unless you were at SWA). In light of all the negativity, CHQ pilots were able to negotiate pay raises all around while fending off an attempt at an alter-ego airline. It was not an industry leading contract, and at the time CHQ was no where near industry leading. Times have changed, and now RAH is one of the industry leaders in terms of work force size, age of equipment, range of equipment, number of major partners, and number of operating certificates. We want to negotiate an appropriate contract. negotiations have been going on since May 2007. Again, the economy is not on our side for improving pay as much as possible, and again other carriers are accepting concessions or relatively neutral new contracts to get by for now. Last time CHQ raised the bar significantly for itself, much like a runner from Argentina setting a personal best in the Olympics. While it wasn't a world record, and maybe not even a national record, it was a significant achievement at the time. Now, four years later, that same runner has returned (and waited for two more years so far..). This time that runner is no longer just some faceless competitor that is there to fill a preliminary starting grid. This runner now has a real shot at qualifying for a final. But even if this runner makes the final, he will likely not lead the pack across the finish line. You all will remember him as the runner who finished 6th out of 8th in the final, but his fans will remember him as the runner who finished 6th out of 120 who arrived to compete.

RAH is evolving, and is not the same company it was when the last contract was agreed upon. In fact, those pilots who ratified that contract only make up 25% of the current seniority list. The significant majority of RAH pilots now had no say in the current contract. Let's see how they vote before you bash them as a whole. Sure, you can say they agreed to those wages by taking the job, and that they should have held out for a better airline. But in truth, over 1400 pilots have been hired at RAH since the last contract. What other regional airline with a better contract could have accommodated all those pilots? PDT could not, PSA no, Xjt somewhat. Even so, those RAH pilots would have taken the spots of your current junior pilots, and your junior pilots would have ended up here. People go where the jobs are, and at some point 1400 people wold have taken the job at RAH. NOT EVERYONE CAN WAIT FOR THE HIGHEST PAYING JOB. There just aren't enough openings. Flight instructing didn't pay enough to cover most people's bills, and Home Depot doesn't help you keep current (remember when that mattered?). Let the RAH pilots speak with their votes. Once a new contract is out, then you will know the minds of the majority at RAH. Maybe they will disappoint. Maybe they will impress. Who knows. Just have a little faith for once....

Well said......

 

[MATHEWS]

Great post minimaniac. Finally, someone put some thought into their response before pushing enter.

 

[ex j-41]

The new rumor on the street is that the word "express" is going to be taken off the RA airplanes. (175's). And will be flown by mainline pilots, but RA will supply the pilots.

 

[WSurf]

The new rumor on the street is that the word "express" is going to be taken off the RA airplanes. (175's). And will be flown by mainline pilots, but RA will supply the pilots.

And then we ate the worm!

 

[ex j-41]

Thats what i love about rumors is that they never ever make any sense. But they are good stories...

 

[buxflyr]

Who cares about those sperm garglers who fly that happy meal sized 737, lets get back on thread. 6 upgrades announced at psa. woohoo!!!
And no more TK!! Woohoo!!!

Hate to say it, but TK was never the real problem. KH was the bear and now that they are not filling TK's job, Houk has even more power to play with all the puppets in management and make life even worse during negotiations.

Take the recent trip trade announcement. Done with a stroke of the pen.

Using "operational necessity" to violate the contract.

Continually hiring and keeping underqualified dispatchers who make more mistakes, and put our certificates on the line having to double and triple check every single release.

Its not going to get any better unless 1. Contract negotiations go quickly and a new contract is approved or 2. PSA gets a lot of flying and needs everyone back on property which would mean more upgrades.

The chief pilots have had to ask personal favors of the pilot group left and right lately, and if everyone decides to take a stand and refuse to help the company, and people quit picking up open time with 70 on furlough, only then will we become a stronger group.

 

[WSurf]

The chief pilots have had to ask personal favors of the pilot group left and right lately, and if everyone decides to take a stand and refuse to help the company, and people quit picking up open time with 70 on furlough, only then will we become a stronger group.

Nothing worse then flying with someone that just picked up some premium pay while the company has just furloughed and downgraded.

I am sure we are have a few at Piedmont do it after our first round of furloughs.

 

[Sailor Malan]

Actually, PSA thoughtfully jettisoned 6 senior FO's a couple of months ago just so that they can make room for a few more low paid FO's to come back off furlough.

 

[Grey Ghost]

Will Netters be back?

 

[bgaviator]

Hate to say it, but TK was never the real problem. KH was the bear and now that they are not filling TK's job, Houk has even more power to play with all the puppets in management and make life even worse during negotiations.

Take the recent trip trade announcement. Done with a stroke of the pen.

Using "operational necessity" to violate the contract.

Continually hiring and keeping underqualified dispatchers who make more mistakes, and put our certificates on the line having to double and triple check every single release.

Its not going to get any better unless 1. Contract negotiations go quickly and a new contract is approved or 2. PSA gets a lot of flying and needs everyone back on property which would mean more upgrades.

The chief pilots have had to ask personal favors of the pilot group left and right lately, and if everyone decides to take a stand and refuse to help the company, and people quit picking up open time with 70 on furlough, only then will we become a stronger group.

What is an under qualified dispatcher in your mind? Where do you think most dispatchers first start out getting their experience? Do you think any dispatcher just lands their first gig at Southwest or US Airways mainline? Sure there might be some relatively new people to the field at PSA dispatch, but people have to start somewhere. I'm sure you weren't a perfect pilot when you started out flying for an airline, and can almost be certain that you're still not perfect. But all of the dispatchers at PSA now have over a year experience alone at PSA, and half of us have been in the field for 3 or more years. Most pilots at PSA are cool, but there are the ones that all of us can name off that never seem to want to be team players, and always find a way to b!tch about something, regardless if it's valid or not. You try being in our shoes, where you have computer systems that don't work half the time, short staffing levels because the company won't replace dispatchers we lost, thus we all have an enormous amount of flights to release in any given block. You come sit here and do our job on a day with thunderstorms everywhere, PHL and LGA on severe flow programs, and every flight crew calling you wanting to know what you're going to do about it, RIGHT NOW!!!!! CAUSE THEY'RE PRIORITY AND THE ONLY CREW THAT EXISTS AT THE COMPANY THAT HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE......I NEED AN ANSWER, RIGHT NOW.....CAUSE I'M HUNGRY, AND I WANT A CREW MEAL.....A CHEAP A@@, COLD CUT SANDWICH CREW MEAL....AND I'M NOT GONNA FLY UNTIL I GET MY CREW MEAL......AND WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH!

Yeah, I can probably take about 5 guesses as to which PSA pilot posted this and I'd most likely get it right.