Originally Posted by
FlyASA
I know you stated you had reasons for choosing Mesa over Skywest, but if one of those reasons was because Mesa had union then that is a very weak reason.
Skywest has far better pay, work rules, and QOL. If my 2% union dues got me that last Mesa TA, I'd be ****ed.
...there is no way I'd ever point out the Mesa MEC as an example of what unions can do for you. I'm sure Skywest pilots look at Mesa as a reason for not having a union.
I respect you for being pro-Union. A lot of the discussion will come down to how we define "far better." I have not seen or heard anything that convinces me that pilots at other regionals have it far better than I did.
I respect current and past members of the MAG Pilot Group and its leaders. They have fought with an employer that is as hard-nosed as any in the industry. They forced the abolition of a non-union alter ego, prevented JO from establishing a B737 operation based in PHL, and have steadily improved work rules. This last has occurred during a time when other pilot groups have signed concessionary agreements. Everyone wants to castigate MAG pilots for not leap-frogging to an industry leading contract. This view is simplistic and unrealistic.
Everyone's situation is different. Here is why I am glad to have worked at Mesa rather than SKW;
-Flew the Dash instead of a plane that belongs parked among the King Airs and Cheyennes at an FBO. (I'm teasing...relax Bra pilots).
-At SKW I would be a very junior E120 FO in FAT with a vicious 2 leg commute utilizing an airplane that is often weight restricted. I might be upgraded in the middle of the next decade. I would probably still have stars in my eyes about being an airline pilot and think, 'someday when hiring starts again, I'll get off reserve and move to a better base. In the distant future, I might even get to sit in the left seat!'
-At Mesa I was given an opportunity to work hard and rise to a challenge. In exchange for successfully completing training, I was given the privilege of commanding a 37 seat airliner at some of the world's most challenging airports. I trained and flew with tremendous people who patiently mentored me; I would not have been successful without them. I am now furloughed, but with a much clearer idea of what the industry is about. I have learned that for me, being a regional FO is not worth commuting. I would not want to sit as an FO for more than a couple of years, even without a commute. Being a regional CA for an extended period is probably not worth my commute.
Thanks again for being pro-union.
The Dash Whisperer