Originally Posted by Timbo

Wayy back when Delta bought both Com Air and ASA, many of us Mainline pilots wanted to put them all on our list. We knew then, and saw later, that if we didn't get them all under our contract, that more and more of our small jet flying would be outsourced to them, as it eventually was. I was a MD88 Capt. in 1992 and lost my Capt. seat for the next 8 years, as Delta sold off the DC9 and 737-200 fleets, while Delta bought hundreds of bigger and bigger RJ's for ASA and Com Air pilots to fly.

When the Delta MEC approached the ASA and Com Air MEC's about filing for single carrier status, and a single seniority list, of course the RJ guys wanted Date of Hire, which would have put JC Lawson into the left seat of a Delta 767, at over $160,000yr. at that time. Needless to say, that idea didn't go over real well at mainline, and the issue was dropped.

Later, when Delta furloughed, JC and his boys told our furloughed guys to resign from Delta and get in line, at the bottom of their list. But when Com Air went on strike to get better pay/benefits, many of us Mainline guys supported them, I walked in circles for hours in MCO with a sign, even made the cover of the ALPA magazine.

You now see what that strike cost Com Air. Delta Management sent a message, and I think most of the RJ guys understand it now, "Strike, and we will replace you..."

Why ALPA National allows it is beyond me. They want your dues money, of course, but they don't want to take a stand. Without the leverage of a national work stoppage, the whipsawing will continue. Nobody at National has the stones for that, because they might have to go to jail, and give up that fat paycheck.

Your beef is not with the Delta Mainline Pilots, nobody at National cares what we want. Talk to the clowns in DC making $500,000yr. who haven't flown an airplane in years. When the B scales came, they didn't say No. When the RJ's took our jobs, they didn't say NO! When we all lost our retirements, they didn't say NO!, So, when do you think they will? Ever?

I expect they will eventually allow cabotage without a work stoppage as well....