Originally Posted by mesasurvivor

I certainly have to agree! As a new F.O. at Mesa (Air Midwest), I flew out to CVG and walked the line in solidarity with the Comair pilots during their strike. Saw a fair number of Mesa/Air Midwest guys out there doing the same (as wells as pilots from every ALPA airline...and even some pilots from non-union airlines as well!) We contributed monetarily to the strike fund as well. Both time and money are both in very short supply as a regional airline pilot. It wasn't easy to do....but we did it because it was the right thing to do.....for the Comair pilots and the profession.

Always felt that when the time came, we would get some help from the others in the ALPA family. Boy was I wrong!

The same guys who were patting us on the back for our solidarity back then are the same ones who have badmouthed the Mesa pilots all these years for the lousy contract that we had. These pilots did not understand the whipsaw of the Freedom A list scabs that had to be defeated at all costs. This was the opening salvo in the alter-ego battle and the Mesa pilots traded QOL and much, much more to make sure that these worthless scabs were not allowed to win. Without the lousy deal that ALPA struck to get rid of the scabs, every one of your airlines would have created an alter-ego carrier to destroy your contracts and wipe us all out. You would all be working for a fraction of what you are now, with no union or support to fall back on. I know that Mesa and ALPA would be nothing but a footnote now. The Freedom scabs would have won. DISASTER!

NO.....it wasn't a good deal. NO....it has been a living hell to live with. BUT...it stopped the Freedom whipsaw and now it is time to get what is deserved. The Mesa pilots have lived and suffered the most and have been trashed every day by low IQ pilots on these boards who are too lazy or too "limited" to research and to understand the industry, the union and the history of the argument. IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DANGER TO THE MESA PILOTS DURING THE LAST CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, ASK ANY CURRENT TRANS STATES PILOT how their company and their futures are being decimated by the new scabs over at GO Jet. The Mesa pilots have paid the price of drawing a line in the sand with the scabs for years with a miserable lifestyle, low pay, and constant sniping by fellow pilot groups.

The other pilot groups should look around, get educated on the issues and possibly even thank the Mesa pilot group for stopping the alter-ego runaway freight train that was about to roll over every pilot group right after 9/11. If you are ****ed at anyone for all this, take it out on a Freedom "A" pilots who prostituted themselves and teabagged an entire profession. (lists are easily found).

In the years that have passed, the sweet deals that were negotiated prior to 9/11 at other regionals have been greatly reduced and/or completely eliminated in endless string of bankruptcies, threatened liquidations, etc. During this time every Mesa pilot stood beside our brothers at other carriers in support. You didn't find Mesa guys trashing other pilot groups for making concessions, etc. We would never second guess those at other airlines who know their individual issues and are trying to just limit the damage to themselves and their pilot groups. It would be nice for a change if the favor were returned.

I know that life at the regionals sucks terribly right now. While it is always easy to blame someone else for the problems at your carriers (furloughs, terminations, reduced pay & benefits, reduced QOL, etc.), it is truly not reality. Truth be told...this whole industry sucks right now and it isn't anyones fault beyond a lousy economy, high gas prices, and very shortsighted and in many cases corrupt management at every airline. It is time as pilots that we quit trying to "crap" on other pilot groups and realize that we all suffering and will continue to suffer until we close ranks as professional airline pilots and stand up for one another. There are a lot of very nasty battles to be fought in the near future as managment locks horns with the pilot groups at every airline. We can go through it together, or we can do exactly what your managment groups want us to do...fight and divide and cut our own throats.

Many of us were willing to walk the line in the past & most are willing to do it now. It is what is right.

The Mesa pilots are keenly aware of how absolutely morally bankrupt J.O. and his band of criminals are who run the joint. They are aware that every promise made and agreed to in the past in good faith has been broken. It is the Mesa pilot group and ALPA that has had to struggle to try to wrest even basic contract compliance in the past & it is these same parties who will be evaluating the T.A. to insure that Mesa pilots do not have to continue in the living hell that they have had since the Freedom "A" days. They could use some support now...not the monotonous B.S. sniping and petty crap that comes from some other pilots with regularity.

Help your brothers out.....because your management group will be knocking at your door real soon with a hard luck story & you will need all the support you can get from every other pilot group.

Normally don't post a great deal on this forum...just got sick of the constant ignorant static.

Just my $0.02