I don't like that term "Pilot Trainee"--it implies you aren't an employee until you finish your checkride.

I could see Mesa arguing that these trainees were not in fact "pilots," setting their pay longevity date as the day they pass their checkride, and not enrolling them in benefits/insurance programs until after their checkride. This was how Pinnacle used to do it, and it allowed them to circumvent any Section 6 violations and unilaterally pay bonuses/extra money to new hires.

By claiming that these folks are "trainees" and paying them via 1099, they might get away with it (unless ALPA intervenes and puts it in front of the NMB as a Section 6 violation never LOAed by the union).