Mesaba had the same sort of signing bonus in the late 90s when I was there. If I remember right that was a year or two after I was hired there. I believe that Bedford was the Mesaba CEO then. So this is just a play out of an old playbook for him. We were in contract negotiations there/then as well. Nobody back then *****ed about new hires getting the bonus, though.

If RAH wants to unilaterally raise first officer pay and give out bonuses to new hires, and those who refer them, then I think that's a great thing. I wouldn't count on those things sticking around without being locked in a contract, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

As for new hires not being welcomed at RAH- As has been repeated several times on this thread, that is just a un-true load of crap. Every new hire has been welcomed here. They have just as much right to be here as someone who has been here 20 years. There's a huge difference between opening a new hire's eyes and not welcoming them. If a pilot chooses not to come here it's not because they are not welcome, it's because they got a better offer somewhere else. I garauntee that if first year pay was raised to $40 per flight hour, all pilots got at least 15 days off per month, and there was trip garauntee, then RAH would fill all their classes without any difficulty.

The market has spoken.

The market is a much more powerful force than an obscure union website.