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Strike on HOLD

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Why? Because we want a contract, not a strike. In a strike everyone loses. If the MEC says they are making progress and not to strike just yet, then I will stand behind them.
My MEC speaks for me.
 
de Pez said:
Just a thought here...928 days have passed since the Mesaba contract was amendable. A final deadline to settle the issues was set, down to the minute...How is it that the management can wait 927 days, and 23 hours before making any kind of settlement offer, yet the pilot group is still not on strike?! I am all for the Mesaba pilot group emotionally, and financially also, however when you create a deadline, why not stick to it?
Click to expand...

They cannot strike because once BOTH sides agreed to keep at the table, they are not released into self help. As long as they continue to talk, they are not at an impass.
 
Just to make a point, as I have been dwelling over this all morning, the deadline was set for when we WOULD be legal to strike. A time frame and nothing more. Our MEC never said we WOULD at 12:01a EST today regardless of where we stood in contract status. It just gives the MEC the ability to legally seek self help and not be in violation of the RLA.

Its been many hours dwelling over this as I was mostly expecting a strike to occur. But I have to remember that I elected my reps and will let them do their job with due dilligence. After all, it still comes down to MEMRAT.
 
New2Flying,

You are mistaken. We were already released to self-help as of the deadline. When we choose to use that self-help is our decision and cannot be taken away from us. This has been up-held in previous court decisions. Our MEC chose to continue with negotiations because they felt we were close to reaching an acceptable agreement, one that will be ratifiable amongst the pilot group. My MEC speaks for me and when it is my turn to vote on the TA or to walk the picket line I will be speaking for myself.
 
"they are not at an impass"

By definition, the 30 day cooling off period can not begin until an impass has been reached.
 
T-handle said:
After being pissed for several hours after the deadline I calmed down and slept on it. I have concluded, perhaps this is a tactic to keep management guessing. If it is, intentionally or not, it's working I suppose.
Click to expand...

Or maybe management called ALPA's bluff????
 
New2Flying said:
They cannot strike because once BOTH sides agreed to keep at the table, they are not released into self help. As long as they continue to talk, they are not at an impass.
Click to expand...
They WERE released into self-help at the end of the 30-day period, and they still have the right to exercise self-help. The fact that the MEC has chosen to continue the "Super-Mediation" process does not revoke the right to exercise self-help.
 
impasse

New2Flying,

An impasse has already happened. It was declared on December 11th and the 30 day cooling off period began. At the end of that 30 day cooling off period the pilots are free to strike or the company can lockout the pilots and enforce their own work rules and payscale. After the deadline passed last night the union can walkout of negotiations anytime and declare a strike regardless of the progress of those talks. The RLA allows this.

What has probably happened is that the company has finally come to the table with some meaningful contract provisions. Because the Company has stalled for over 900 days the entire contract needs to be hashed out, which takes time. When the union saw that the comapny was bargaining in good faith they decided to continue, but at the same time the union probably told management that if they tried to operate revenue flights today they would officially strike. By officially striking, negotiations end for a period of time (probably weeks or even a month) and pilots are free to scatter to all parts of the world. Other employees would be furloughed. To start up operations again after a strike has been called and then settled would take probably over a week. By doing what they are doing today, if the negotiations can be settled today, everyone is still in position to start up again tomorrow with relatively little loss of revenue. As long as the company continues to bargain in good faith the negotiations will continue, but at the same time there will be no revenue flights. I am sure as soon as the comapny tries to operate without a settlement, a strike will be called. So what we have is a virtual strike, that can easily be called off or it can easily made official. Either way, it sounds as if the company is finally starting to negotiate and this is a good thing for everyone involved.
 
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Furoughed:

My impass comment, in quotes, referenced a statement made by New2flying.... Read the other messages before jumping in. The fact that an impass had already been reached was my point, although you restated it very well also.
 
Dude how many hours of sleep did our negotiators get last night???? Any? Is it smart to pull an all nighter and still negotiate with a clear mind? How "limited" is 12 hours and 39 minutes past the deadline..... Not even a cold cup of coffee from the Saab could keep me awake. This one will be one to tell the kids some day......
 
anyone talk to crew scheduling?

if they announce a TA, they are planning on ferrying planes to outstations andflying as close to a full schedule as possible tomorrow. But, it depends on if a TA is reached by 3pm.
 
So it's almost like being on strike, but getting PAID for it! Well, fair to mention pulling all the hair out of your head and calling that 800 number every 5 minutes. I haven't hit redial that many times since I was a kid trying to be the lucky caller for a radio contest. And how many cups of coffee have YOU had today!?!
 
Cups? Were way beyond that--im 3/4 down to the SECOND pot! Except its Folgers, not that "Northwest Blend".

So when did NWA start getting into coffee anyway?
 
The MEC made it perfectly clear that the strike would happen as planned, unless there was significant progress from Mesaba management. So far, I see this as a good thing for all Mesaba pilots involved, just frustrating waiting for a good TA. I think this MEC committee has a very good understanding of what the pilots will accept, and what will not accept. Good luck.
 
As of 12:30 pm cst the negotiations are ongoing. Today's flight schedule has been cancelled, no decision as of yet on tomorrow. Everyone is in a wait and see mode right now which is a good thing. This is what negotiations are for and the deadline was to bring everything to the table which it has apparently done. We all hope for the best outcome but are ready to fulfill our right to strike should that call be made.
 
Re: impasse

furloughed said:
New2Flying,

An impasse has already happened. It was declared on December 11th and the 30 day cooling off period began. At the end of that 30 day cooling off period the pilots are free to strike or the company can lockout the pilots and enforce their own work rules and payscale. After the deadline passed last night the union can walkout of negotiations anytime and declare a strike regardless of the progress of those talks. The RLA allows this.

What has probably happened is that the company has finally come to the table with some meaningful contract provisions. Because the Company has stalled for over 900 days the entire contract needs to be hashed out, which takes time. When the union saw that the comapny was bargaining in good faith they decided to continue, but at the same time the union probably told management that if they tried to operate revenue flights today they would officially strike. By officially striking, negotiations end for a period of time (probably weeks or even a month) and pilots are free to scatter to all parts of the world. Other employees would be furloughed. To start up operations again after a strike has been called and then settled would take probably over a week. By doing what they are doing today, if the negotiations can be settled today, everyone is still in position to start up again tomorrow with relatively little loss of revenue. As long as the company continues to bargain in good faith the negotiations will continue, but at the same time there will be no revenue flights. I am sure as soon as the comapny tries to operate without a settlement, a strike will be called. So what we have is a virtual strike, that can easily be called off or it can easily made official. Either way, it sounds as if the company is finally starting to negotiate and this is a good thing for everyone involved.
Click to expand...

Furloughed and others..

Sorry - my bad. I was writing after an all nighter! What I meant to say is that as long as they are negotiating, (from my understanding) that the general workforce cannot just strike. (please correct me if I am wrong on this too)

I think it is sad that companies have to wait till the last minute to do anything. It just makes for bad morale all around and is so unnecessary. They should bargain in good faith from the beginning and see their employees as valuable resources.
 
New2Flying,

If/When the MEC decides that enough is enough they can call for the strike regardless of the fact that negotiations are happening. The negotiators for us answer to our MEC. Right now the MEC is trusting(and rightfully so) in the negotiators and their ability to bring this to a conclusion.

We are still in a holding pattern and waiting just like everyone but the time is getting shorter. Patience is important.
 
"Negotiations continue with the primary focus on job security and pay. Your MEC is waiting for the next briefing from the ALPA negotiators. Once again, thank you for your patience."

As of 7pm EST

My Guess is what to do about Big Sky has something to do with the moping up of the last fews issues.

I Think MAIR is set aginst them being on our List. and it was one of the bigest strikeable issues for the mesaba pilots

And how much retro pay.

Only guessing But that is my 2 cents
 
Othello,

You have summed it up nicely. Without getting the Big Sky pilots on our list the contract is ALL smoke and mirrors and our jobs could be gone. It is THE strike issue.
 
Not that I think it would happen, but let's hope that this doesn't take the same route of Mesa. Rock solid scope and meager improvments that are hardly noticeable in every other area.


Frustrated but hopefull...


FO
 

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