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I feel now I have been at Colgan long enough to discuss this topic and educate those whose do not have enough experience to make a sound decision. Those who have been at Colgan, hopefully you will read this and once again realize we need change. To those that are just starting their career here, try and understand what needs to be done. Let our experiences, even those that you have had in your short time on the line, inform you to make the correct decision with regard to representation. Listen to people who have had to deal with management, don't just read management's empty words.

I'm tired of hearing "management cares," whether it be management visits just months before the elections and at no other time, unsigned company web posts, memos or letters. I try to find the truth behind those words, but am left still searching. Here are some of the ways management show they care:

Pay: Pay rules change with the number of memos sent out. NO consistency with your pay. Incorrect pay. Incorrect per diem. Poor pay rates, no run-up pay, poor mx cancellation pay policy, poor per diem rates, no day trip per-diem, poor hot-reserve pay policy, lack of duty/trip regs. No pay for travel if you jumpseat instead of traveling form your base? 1/2 pay for deadhead. Holiday pay not above gaurantee, only towards it. This means under block schedules do not actually reflect holiday pay!

You have NO 401k matching.

Scheduling/Lines: A majority of your lines are under guarantee, min days off, including holidays, stand-ups and reserve days. There are no rewards concerning senior lines and few reserves to cover vacation, sick calls or repos.

Inefficient planning to say the least. Continual extensions. Extensions into your days off. Failure to notify crews concerning pairing changes.
Open time is assigned immediately to reserves weeks in advance not allowing the guys that would like to pick up extra hours. This leaves no reserves when coverage is actually needed.

Reserve call outs with hot reserves activated. Reserve call outs out of seniority. Activated reserve into your days off. Reserve days- not off days, in place of trips taken from you for IOE- lost per diem as well.

Trip trades are not done objectively and only completed "if they have time." No dropping trips or periods for schedule change to enhance qol. Lack of online trip trading tool. Rumor has it Colgan will be getting this program- show us already, prove it.

Bid awards just days before the end of the month, especially concerning Holiday months. How do you and your family plan for Christmas and New Years if your bid comes out Nov. 30th?

Upgrade/Transitions: Street captain hiring with qualified FO's waiting to upgrade? No respect of seniority. Upgrades out of seniority. Transitions put before senior FO's based on the "feeling" they would resign- this is obviously more important than the FO that has been at Colgan for 2 years.

No current seniority list?

Sick Time: As per another "memo" that the company uses to benefit themselves- You will be fired, yes fired, for calling in sick. Remember, as per FARs, you are legally not permitted to fly if you are unfit.

Legal Backing: You have none.

So in summary, do you feel management is here for you? They will tell you they are, but have they showed you? At Colgan the general thought is, and will remain with out a change, you are lucky we gave you a job. This is true in respect to the economy we are in today, but in no way should be a factor in making decisions based on crew qol. They have ruled by fear long enough! The inconsistent, poor communication must stop!

I realize you may have arguements against a Union, but please weigh your options and make a progressive and informed choice. Do not let dues be your easy way out, do not let management's comical anti-union letters be your excuse. Do not succumb to scare tactics of those opposing your right for a better future, do not hinge your decision on the length of time you plan to spend at Colgan. True, you may not ever see this contract, but you would have if the uninformed pilots with the same attitude last year would have voted. I agree, you are doing this for you, but you need to understand the positive effect you can have on the rest of the industry and the pilots who come after you.