Originally Posted by
wt932051
While I agree completely with having passion, you have to be smart about it, and lets be honest, Rob when asked, avoided the question of wanting to volunteer. I agree with having passion and knowing you deserve more, but frankly, there are two kind of pilots. Those who are going to be at Mesa for awhile and want to be paid and treated as major airline pilots do, and those new hires who want to sacrifice that kind of contract, willing to take a concessionary contract just to get more planes. (New hires will only be here for 2-3 years max anyway, right?) They see quick upgrade as their pay raise (that's why you came here right?) but long term it is what has brought this industry down. So until you can convince your fellow pilots to stop stabbing each other in the back, we won't be able to be paid for what we are actually worth. I would hate to be a union rep in this environment because you would have two kinds of pilots to represent. Backstabbers and the guys who have been backstabbed, like Rob...lol The guys we have now in the union are the best we can get who are willing to volunteer. It is easy to bash them, but if you don't like what they have to offer when they do, vote no then. That simple.
Chasing upgrade makes you a back stabber? Many of the Mesa lifers are here because of their own actions (or inaction). Yes, there's a middle group that got stuck due to the economy and that's unfortunate, but even many of those passed up chances at LCCs, fractionals and cargo carriers to wait for a call from mainline. I assure you and the lifers that if my tenure at Mesa extends to an uncomfortable duration, I'll quit flying altogether. My apps are out, career fairs signed up for, etc., just like most of these new hires. It's a choice we all have, and for that reason I bear no responsibility for Mr. Lee or any other career Mesa pilot. We can all vote with our feet. If anything it's the ones who stick around who are perpetuating the system.