avi8tor4life,

There is a lot of uninformed rhetoric you may hear from many pilots ignorant of the struggles of the MAG ALPA pilot group. I would argue that the MAG pilot's have done as much or even more than many pilot groups to prevent whipsaw and gain control of their scope. The MAG pilot group is under one seniority list. This list and it's associated powerful scope was gained through years of sacrificed quality of life and pay.

"The six pilot groups had voted to unionize in 1994. In 1996, the pilot groups of the six airlines were merged into one common seniority list, and under the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) representation, the pilots and Mesa negotiated and ratified a five-year collective bargaining agreement...Mesa created a separate subsidiary, called Freedom Airlines to operate these aircraft. As the scope restriction at US Airways was removed during US Airways' bankruptcy reorganization and after Mesa settled with its pilot union regarding operating Freedom as a separate air carrier, Freedom's aircraft and pilots were merged back into Mesa Airlines in 2003....Mesa acquired CCAir and its USAir Express codeshare in 1999. It continued to operate CCAir as a separate operation. By 2002, CCAir ceased operations due to high costs and its assets and employees were absorbed into Mesa." - Wikipedia (The CCAir pilots had a very good contract and were kicked to the curb by MAG management who simply wanted their routes. They were subsequently voted in and integrated through MAG ALPA contract negotiation. - winglet).

Dispite what some may have you believe, MAG pilots have sacrificed a great deal for the betterment of the industry. Our contracts have represented those sacrifices. In any contract negotiation sacrifices are made to make gains in other more important areas. When faced with the decision to strengthen scope and integrate pilot seniority or remain divided and increase pay, many pilot groups have chosen themselves over the whole. MAG pilots have consistently chosen to look at the "big picture" and time and again defeated whipsaw and strengthened scope.

Not many will remember the battles, but those that were there will always be proud of their accomplishments against one of the most anti-labor managements in the industry.

From Wikipedia: Mesa Airlines

From Mesa Air Group: Mesa Air Group, Inc.

Interesting old article from Funding Universe: Mesa Air Group, Inc.

winglet