Originally Posted by
DMEarc
You seem to be quite new in this industry, so let me educate you!
The Q400 payrates are insulting to the pilot group here. The ALPA drive failed by 4 votes. It is our own fault because there was a mentality here that it would pass without question...So people thought
"Well hell, why do I need to vote? I want ALPA but I don't have the time to vote".
That is a terrible attitude to have and we're suffering for it, so we understand that.
Secondly- because we lack representation, we didn't have a say in the Q400 payrates. They are TERRIBLE. And it is the MAIN reason why VERY FEW of our pilots want to go to that airplane. We have underbid NO ONE. We have stolen NO ONES flying. We didn't ask for it. When most of us came to Colgan we were an EAS/At-Risk company threatening NO ONE. Within 2 years we have become "bottom feeding, scum sucking, scabs" of the regional industry. None of us asked for the new flying or airplanes.
I thought we were in this together, considering we are an ALPA-driving carrier right now, but I guess not. You're solution is sticking them in with scabs.
ALPA will pass in August, we will negotiate better payrates. CERTAINLY not Horizon rates, but certainly deservable payrates and continue growing the Q400 operation. Unfourtunately for you it will be in IAH next.
DONT FORGET- EXPRESSJET UNDERBID AWAC and SKYWEST for the DELTA CONTRACT.
But- I guess thats okay, isn't it?
Good to hear that is the prevailing attitude over at Colgan. However, I do take issue with your last statement about ExpressJet "underbidding" AWAC and SkyWest.
There is a difference between "UNDERbidding" and "OUTbidding" someone. In the case of XJT and Delta there were several things that made XJT's bid more competitive than others. I think Delta realized that AWAC would not be able to get the operation up and running quickly enough due to the lack of airframes, crews and a presence West of the Mississippi. As far as SkyWest, there is a clause in SkyWest's contract with UAL that does not allow them to serve another carrier out of a UAL hub (such as LAX) unless that service is to/from the other carrier's hub (ie LAX-SLC for Delta). Delta wanted a carrier that could operate flights all over the West Coast and to Mexico from LAX so that would not have worked for SkyWest and United.
So what it came down to was that ExpressJet provided the airframes, quality of service and flexibility of operation in the time frame that Delta demanded. I would get your facts straight before you go accusing us (XJT) of UNDERbidding another pilot group. Now, if you want to accuse us of being more competitive with a reputation of flexibility and excellence, that is fine by me
