Originally Posted by
KB2QQM
I just joined the forums tonight, and happened upon this Topic.
I have been a Midwest First Officer for 8.5 years. This next month in October I will be furloughed again, for the 3rd time in 8 years.
Our 717's are disappearing and 273 out of 400 total pilots are being furloughed along with close to 300+ flight attendants.
16 of our 25 717's are being returned to Boeing. The remaining nine I believe are on temporary lease.
In June 08, our Management came to us and asked the Senior Captains that would be remaining after the record furlough to take a 50% paycut, which would put the Max pay for a Captain after the cut to $87/hour.
They asked the Junior Seniority Captains that would be downgraded to the right seat for a 72% paycut. 72% !!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOT !
How about Full pay till the last day...!!!
Management said that if we did not agree to this "Fair & Equitable" request, then Midwest would have to file Chapter 11. So the pilot group, said (FU)
go ahead and file, because NO Judge would ever grant a 72% paycut to a union group. So the final due date came and went, and then it was announced ( 3 months later) that the 717's would be leaving and that Republic would be coming in to fly our routes until Midwest could replace most of us with the Republic crews for only 8 months to a year.
This is in direct violation with our contract.
Midwest cannot have a company come in longer than 6 months and fly our routes, AND furlough at the same time.
When I found out that another company's pilots were coming in to take my job I was angry. When I found out that Republic was represented by the teamsters, I was furious.
Our Management using another Union Company to force us out of work and to take a 72% pay cut..
What is your company telling you?
What is your Union telling you?
I know you start service on OCT 1st....
While my Brothers are getting pink slips..
Maybe we can work together for the benefit of us all...
Not much from the IBT on this. Company pretty much threw this out there to us last month and it felt like a punch in the gut. I can't even imagine how it feels on your side.
I'm certainly not the spokesman for the RAH pilot group but just as an FYI I haven't talked to one person over here that doesn't think this deal stinks, is low and downright disgusting. We understand exactly what is going on here just as the Midwest pilots do. The question is what can we do? We can sit here all day denouncing this, saying we are in solidarity with the Midwest pilots, etc. but in the end management is going to do what they want, threaten our jobs if we take a stance, and based on past performance I doubt the IBT will do anything but cowtow to management just as they usually do.
SO.........whats the solution?