I just can't wait for the day that the Coex boys and girls are on the otherside of the fence with their new contract signed. Then the likes of McPickle can finally understand that it's not easy to negotiate in our current times. People like McPickle and the rest of the people adding pilot groups to their $hitlist of airlines can add Coex to the list. Face it... nobody is going to pull a COmair post 9/11. Not right now. Maybe in the next upswing, but it's just not going to happen. Many of us at XJ were uttering the same words you all were up until the last moment and some of us at XJ are STILL ready to strike. I removed all the propaganda from my flight case except for the READY TO STRIKE sticker. Only I wrote in 'STLL' in the proper place.
As an XJ FO who proudly voted NO for our contract, it's so disheartening to sit back and watch the Mesaba bashing, the Mesa bashing and the CHaut. bashing . I did my fair share of Mesa name calling whilst in our negotiations and was a bit disapointed in the Chautauqua contract. But having been through what they went through and more, I know what it was like for those guys. I am not in ANY way comparing XJ to Mesa. The situations were very similar, but the outcomes so far apart. But it wasn't better than COmair, so it was worthy of instant ridicule. Then came Chautauqua. Better than before, but not better than Comair. So, they're losers too right? Then comes Mesaba. Fought tooth and nail, went into colling off period, past a strike deadline, shut down the airline for 2 days and got a contract. Was is better than Comair? *ell no. BUT, was it better than before? In every aspect. Now it's up to Coex. Are we going to ridicule them when they come in below Comair? Probably and probably not.
I guess my point is that every airline is dealt a different hand of cards while the world sits back and watches them all play. The fact that the world expects every airline to better the COmair contract in the current state of affairs is rediculous. Did Mesa do the right thing? I dunno... I don't work for Mesa. Did XJ? IMO, no. I think we could have done better in some key areas and that's exactly why I voted no. Did we improve things? Yes. I hardly think we're worthy of being compared to Mesa. And this sort of thread only proves how 2 faced and selfish our industry is.
During our contract drama we had the support of everyone. This board was full of "we support Xj threads." Now it's full of Mesaba vs. Mesa. vs. CHT vs the boys over at Coex. My, how things change. Same thing on the crew busses in CVG. Before our contract was settled the COmair folks were more than nice and supportive. Now they can't even muster a glance at the blue uniforms we wear at XJ. It's as if we at XJ taxiied over their cat or something.
Bottom line is that each airline is different with a different set of issues to contend with. For Mesaba it was the whipsaw against Pinnacle, Big Sky and all other airlines out there that could do our job cheaper. Then there was the threat of the avro being parked. Then there was a HUGE amount of flying done by XJ now all of a sudden being done by Pinnacle. Add to this pilot furloughs, mechanic furloughs and any other massive crap our mgmt could take on us over the last 3 years.
Good luck to you McPickle and your colleagues at Coex. I hope it goes easier for you in the end than it did for us at XJ. Trust me, the worst has yet to come. BTW, 98% of us voted to strike and were ready to do so on Jan 10th. My hope is for you all to do better than Comair, for your sake and for the sake of us all not having to listen to you bitc* about your woes being the fault of everyone else who preceeded you.
FO
Did I mention I voted NO?
