Originally Posted by 24/48

I was merely pointing out to the folks who bash Mesa for having a crap contract, comparatively speaking to other regionals, that in fact the Mesa pilots had an opportunity to cave and didn't. In return J.O. started Freedom. That is all.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. When I left ASA for CAL back in '06 several of my peers questioned the move because of the crummy first year pay at CAL ($29/hr, and no healthcare for the 6 months, that's what scabs do for ya!). I told those folks that contracts are negotiable and the majors actually have leverage unlike the regionals, of course I got a few sideways looks but whatever. Now some of those same folks are hitting me up for LOR's because first year pay is just under $70 an hour and second year pay is just over $100 an hour. For me, my hourly rate as a 777 FO is higher than the 756 CA's I flew with back under the old contract back in '07.