Originally Posted by
TrevorW
I'm still trying to understand the whole GoJet issue. A few years ago there was hostility floating around when TSA started flying as American Connection. A friend of mine was an F.O. for Eagle and had a "No Alter-Eagle" sticker and TSA pilots now have the no "Alter EGo" stickers. My friend told me that TSA undercut the American Eagle pilot group and as a result Eagle lost flying and he was a 6 year F.O. on the 145. I understand a lot of things happened in that time frame that effected the industry, but he was happy blaming TSA for his misfortune. As a result of the American flying, TSA is flying with a scope clause in place that doesn't allow them to fly anything larger than 50 seats. When United approached TSA with the offer to fly 70 seaters (ERJ-170 or CRJ-700) TSA was bound by the scope clause and was unable without starting a new airline. GoJet was founded and the TSA pilots were offered the flying 3 times and a single seniority list, they rejected this offer 3 times. I understand the pay was below standard and the TSA pilots rejected the flying in an appreciable attempt to gain a better pay scale but were not successful. GoJet hired their own pilots and began operation. ALPA (Who has not negotiated a new contract for TSA in years) offered to represent GoJet and GoJet rejected that offer by selecting Teamsters. No where in this whole situation was there ever a picket line or a strike. I'm not trying to start a flame war, but I have never seen the non-biased, non-emotional truth written about this.
The flying TSA (and CHQ for that matter) have as AA connection is holdover from the two regionals' contracts with TWA. There was no whipsaw or undercutting. Also, TSA had been in business for 20 years before any of that ever happened. TSA pilots didn't undercut anybody. Sure, their contract wasn't as good as Eagle, but that was management's choice at AMR.
Some of the concessions that management gave the waterskiers included massive paycuts, loss of block or better and cuts to bennefits (which already suck).
ALPA has been in negotiations for quite a while now. Management at TSA is dragging their feet as much as they can per the RLA. The only thing that's happening is that DH and his lawyer buddies are getting rich and Hulas is going to owe a ton of retro pay. The old contract was pretty standard fare for the time that it was signed. The MEC is working hard to improve it, but management is cheap.
As far as GJ being teamsters, they aren't a member of local 747, the airline branch. A number of carriers from 747 wrote very passionate letters to national to oppose their inclusion. Instead they joined local 618. Then they preceeded to sign a CBA that was FAR below any CRJ-700 payscales in the industry. Block isn't everything. Havning worked for TSA I know their other bennies suck.
To throw the Eagle arguement into it is BS. Pilots don't make that choice. The comair strike a few years back taught the legacies that they can't rely on one regional provider. The whipsaw is happening everywhere and the only way to stop it is to not accept below average contracts. That's exactly what the GJ pilots did. As a result, it's harder for TSA, Pinnacle, RAH and every other pilot group in negotations to raise the bar.