Pilots of Eagle, ASA and Expressjet:
12-22-2013, 09:17 PM
#31
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Posts: 294
Here is the exact email from the Eagle MEC with the bullet points of the proposal, for those who do not know. And since they sent it to all eagle pilots, and I did not sign an NDA, it's fair game for me to post it.
December 20, 2013
Message from the Chairman
Fellow Eagle Pilots:
Yesterday we received a formal proposal from Eagle Management regarding the placement of large RJs on our property in exchange for additional concessions to achieve the company’s structure objectives. The proposal is extensive and touches a number of sections in our collective bargaining agreement. We briefed the MEC immediately following the meeting and engaged in a very spirited debate on the merits of the proposed changes. The MEC debate on a response will continue up through our meeting on January 2nd when the MEC will determine how to respond to Eagle management. To allow you the opportunity to advise your LEC representatives, the following is a general summary of their offer:
Potential Upside
The company would agree to increase the "metering" commitment under the existing 824 agreement from 20 to 30 beginning in September 2014. They would still send 20 per month or 50% of the AA new hire classes until then (subject to metering and ALPA’s grievance)
They would increase the percentage of new hire obligations under the "protected pilot" agreement to 50% from the current 35% and send a minimum of 30 per month if AA hires 60 or more that month.
The amended terms of the protected pilot agreement would be extended to all pilots hired after October 11, 2011 and to any Eagle new hires.
Downside
The agreement would extend until 2024 with little opportunity to amend it.
We would have to transition to a compensation model that incorporates wage caps for Captains at 12 years and 4 years for First Officers very similar to what the pilots at PSA recently agreed to. The transition would occur over roughly a four-year period.
Per diem would be reduced by $.20 on the date of signing with some incremental increases.
The employee contribution for medical coverage would increase by 5% in about a year.
We would accrue vacation at a slightly different rate and would lose the fifth week altogether.
Allow the company to train crews on the EMB 175 months before we receive it and then return them to their previous equipment until the deliveries begin.
We would adopt a 401k plan and sick accrual system that mirrors the current PSA contract.
Our current profit sharing plan would be suspended.
The proposal only guarantees a fleet of 60 aircraft
We plan to post the details of PSA's provisions on the Eagle ALPA website as well as a contract comparison of other regional airlines that are more similar to our operation.
The company indicated to us that, without what they consider to be a cost competitive agreement, they will place the aircraft with a competing carrier and we would become "Comair II".
It's important to be patient while the MEC digests the offer and determines how best to respond to management. It is equally important that you engage your LEC representatives to provide the perspective they will need to make that determination. There are many moving pieces in a process like this, so the details are likely to change. While the MEC has committed to working in an expedient manner, if there is an agreement with the company, it will be subject to pilot ratification.
I'll keep you updated as we proceed toward a response.
Fly safe.
December 20, 2013
Message from the Chairman
Fellow Eagle Pilots:
Yesterday we received a formal proposal from Eagle Management regarding the placement of large RJs on our property in exchange for additional concessions to achieve the company’s structure objectives. The proposal is extensive and touches a number of sections in our collective bargaining agreement. We briefed the MEC immediately following the meeting and engaged in a very spirited debate on the merits of the proposed changes. The MEC debate on a response will continue up through our meeting on January 2nd when the MEC will determine how to respond to Eagle management. To allow you the opportunity to advise your LEC representatives, the following is a general summary of their offer:
Potential Upside
The company would agree to increase the "metering" commitment under the existing 824 agreement from 20 to 30 beginning in September 2014. They would still send 20 per month or 50% of the AA new hire classes until then (subject to metering and ALPA’s grievance)
They would increase the percentage of new hire obligations under the "protected pilot" agreement to 50% from the current 35% and send a minimum of 30 per month if AA hires 60 or more that month.
The amended terms of the protected pilot agreement would be extended to all pilots hired after October 11, 2011 and to any Eagle new hires.
Downside
The agreement would extend until 2024 with little opportunity to amend it.
We would have to transition to a compensation model that incorporates wage caps for Captains at 12 years and 4 years for First Officers very similar to what the pilots at PSA recently agreed to. The transition would occur over roughly a four-year period.
Per diem would be reduced by $.20 on the date of signing with some incremental increases.
The employee contribution for medical coverage would increase by 5% in about a year.
We would accrue vacation at a slightly different rate and would lose the fifth week altogether.
Allow the company to train crews on the EMB 175 months before we receive it and then return them to their previous equipment until the deliveries begin.
We would adopt a 401k plan and sick accrual system that mirrors the current PSA contract.
Our current profit sharing plan would be suspended.
The proposal only guarantees a fleet of 60 aircraft
We plan to post the details of PSA's provisions on the Eagle ALPA website as well as a contract comparison of other regional airlines that are more similar to our operation.
The company indicated to us that, without what they consider to be a cost competitive agreement, they will place the aircraft with a competing carrier and we would become "Comair II".
It's important to be patient while the MEC digests the offer and determines how best to respond to management. It is equally important that you engage your LEC representatives to provide the perspective they will need to make that determination. There are many moving pieces in a process like this, so the details are likely to change. While the MEC has committed to working in an expedient manner, if there is an agreement with the company, it will be subject to pilot ratification.
I'll keep you updated as we proceed toward a response.
Fly safe.
12-23-2013, 06:20 AM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2012
Posts: 539
This all sounds good, but there clearly isn't any unity at the regional level. It looks like ASA/ExpressJet just might vote no, but they will pay for it with stagnation as fleet drawdown keeps pace with pilot attrition. ASA & ExpressJet pilots would turn on each other in a second if given the opportunity. SkyWest only has the illusion of a choice right now and will not likely unionize after SKYW, Inc makes an example of ASA/ExpressJet. Eagle will sadly fall over themselves for a chance to get to AA faster, but will blame PSA pilots for forcing them into that decision. You will never find anyone that admits to voting YES, yet it will magically pass. I really hope to be proven wrong on that, but I'm not holding my breath.
The last big player, Republic, has been awful for a very long time. They are at least trying to improve, but the NMB will apparently never release them so management has no reason to ever finish a new contract. Comair was executed, Endeavor caved, PSA gutlessly traded pay for aircraft, and Mesa sucks. GoJet really sucks and their existence will continue to prevent TSA's contract from being much better. Compass's arbitration system was designed to curtail leverage and ensure Compass never becomes industry-leading overall.
The only hope seems to be that the pilot shortage will solve our problems, but lets face it, new 121 pilots are mostly not making decisions based on pilot contracts. They will mostly still choose the place with the quickest path to the left seat and/or shortest time to get to a real airline. The wholly-owned regionals will use mainline flow or preferential interview programs to attract pilots despite poorer pay & working conditions. Meanwhile the independent regionals will get squeezed relentlessly until the labor groups buckle or the airlines simply fail. This has all been expertly played by mainline management and won't change until enough pilots are no longer willing to toil in the minor leagues for a chance at being called up to the majors.
The last big player, Republic, has been awful for a very long time. They are at least trying to improve, but the NMB will apparently never release them so management has no reason to ever finish a new contract. Comair was executed, Endeavor caved, PSA gutlessly traded pay for aircraft, and Mesa sucks. GoJet really sucks and their existence will continue to prevent TSA's contract from being much better. Compass's arbitration system was designed to curtail leverage and ensure Compass never becomes industry-leading overall.
The only hope seems to be that the pilot shortage will solve our problems, but lets face it, new 121 pilots are mostly not making decisions based on pilot contracts. They will mostly still choose the place with the quickest path to the left seat and/or shortest time to get to a real airline. The wholly-owned regionals will use mainline flow or preferential interview programs to attract pilots despite poorer pay & working conditions. Meanwhile the independent regionals will get squeezed relentlessly until the labor groups buckle or the airlines simply fail. This has all been expertly played by mainline management and won't change until enough pilots are no longer willing to toil in the minor leagues for a chance at being called up to the majors.
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