I think the intent of my previous post was misunderstood by a few. (Maybe I was unclear.) I don't "need" acknowledgement from mainline pilots. What I need is for Piedmont to get treated slightly better than contract carrier regionals. Piedmont and PSA are severely limited in what control we have with our future, being wholly-owned.
The issue I have is mainline pilots relaxing scope, so bottom-feeder, lowest paying regionals can grow exponentially, all the while, Piedmont operates mostly 37 seat turboprops, sometimes at a higher rate than these contract cariers. (yes, in a perfect world, we would have 152's and caravans at the major carriers, getting paid the same rate as a 777 pilot.) Come on, it isn't realistic, and is NOT going to happen. There is a happy medium somewhere.
Piedmont flying 37 seat tp's on 50 mile legs is NOT the same as Republic flying E190's cross country.
I.e. It is idiotic that scope was relaxed to make this possible, all the while scope was upheld with regard to 70 seat turboprops, which very much has directly led to Piedmont's demise.
I wouldn't have any issue with this, if mainline pilots were trying very hard to secure 70 seat CRJ's, and Q400's for themselves. The fact is, they aren't, and they won't. They'd rather blame any and all regional pilots for the outsourcing of their jobs, when they should be blaming themselves. US Airways/American pilots: you want to fix outsourcing? Tighten your scope back up. Get rid of B-scales. YES, this will be at the price of negotiating other niceties such as higher pay, but you can't have it all. Stop blaming others for your mistakes.
Back to my original point, don't penalize your wholly owned Piedmont for operating 37 seat turboprop on appropriate routes, while you open the flood gates for Republic to operate larger jets across the nation.
As to the comments regarding not giving up something to get something . . .
A. The only thing not relaxing the 70 seat tp scope caused, was for more 70 seat CRJ's and E170's to be added instead of Q400's.
B. Only agreeing to relax this turboprop scope if you get your pensions back is ridiculous. Not even minutely realistic. The Piedmont pilots who "took your 37 seat turboprop flying," still have pensions. Whether you can admit it or not, you've helped kill a pilot group who did stick up for what was right.
C. Once again, I'd have more respect for your pilot group if you were in the process of securing these scoped Q400's at mainline. Heck, the ground work has been laid. There is already a B-scale for the 190's, might as well use this B-scale for Q400's too. You know, protect mainline jobs? Let me guess . . . no one has ever even brought it up to management? I wonder why?
D. What is USAPA getting from AE for defending them? You need to get something to give something right?
I think all this boils down to is that I don't have respect for hypocrisy, blaming others for one's own mistakes, and those that want to have their cake and eat it too. I'm a firm believer in integrity, and rarely do I see it in this industry.
-Sorry for hijacking the thread everyone. Carry on.