Alpa advises AE furloughs don't fly for gojet
Interesting Letter....
Fellow Furloughed American Eagle Pilots, It’s in a pilot’s nature to chase flying jobs in pursuit of the perfect job. In fact, our industry model is based on pilots’ moving from carrier to carrier seeking jobs closer to where they live and bigger paychecks. Traditionally, pilots chased lower-paying jobs from flight instructing to cargo and corporate and then on to regional airlines as they sought better pay and larger airplanes. A job at a major airline was the pinnacle of many pilots’ careers, with the pay and benefits they had sought for years. Unfortunately, airline pilot jobs are also, more often than not, subject to the cyclical nature of the airline business and poor management planning. Unlike most careers, moving backward in status and pay is the unhappy result, or sometimes even the loss of pilot employment through furlough. Some airline managers have recognized this cycle and have tried to capitalize on it by building a business model around it. One such airline is GoJet Airlines, an alter-ego carrier to Trans States Airlines, whose pilots are represented by ALPA. GoJet capitalized on pilots’ natural desire to fly larger airplanes by making itself the ultimate “steppingstone” airline: a short-term job that promised fast upgrades while piloting the latest equipment for sub-par pay and work rules. This business model, on the other hand, does not account for pilots who don’t use this job as a stepping-stone. GoJet was formed as a work-around to the APA’s scope language that prevented Trans States Airlines from flying larger aircraft for other code-share partners while they were performing flying under contract as American Connection. Simultaneously, but not coincidentally, the Trans States MEC was negotiating rates of pay for large regional jet aircraft, but those negotiations fizzled as management found a way to whipsaw the pilots and force them to accept substandard pay and working conditions. GoJet was formed by four Trans States managers who became the initial cadre of pilots. To deflect attention from the substandard working conditions and to attract pilots, these managers eventually petitioned the National Mediation Board and, with the assistance of Trans States management, voted for Teamsters Local 618 to represent them. What Is Teamsters Local 618? According to its website, Teamsters Local 618 represents freight carriers, auto dealerships, tank haulers, rent-a-car services, Part Houses, Dial Corporation, parking garages, towing companies, service stations, chemical companies, tire and rubber industries, flight attendants, and, finally, airline pilots. With 1.4 million members, the 150 GoJet pilots make up less than 1 percent of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ constituency. Local 618 airline experience consists solely of their representation of the Trans States flight attendants. Why would GoJet management desire pilot representation by Local 618 instead of the more experienced and stronger Local 747—the Teamsters local airline council that represents Great Lakes, Cape Air, North American, Gulfstream, Omni, and Republic? Current and former GoJet pilots advise that Local 618 appears too closely connected with TSA management. We seriously question whether there will be very meaningful representation from IBT 618. Yet moving to Local 747 is no longer a clear option for GoJet pilots, since Local 747 has been placed into trusteeship for allegations of officer impropriety and faces the threat of decertification from more than one member employee group. Life at GoJet GoJet pilots have characterized life at GoJet as harsh. According to these pilots, much power has been given to check airmen, who obviously have great influence over a pilot’s current and future career. Additionally, GoJet pilots tell us that many pilots end up with FAA Letters of Investigation (LOIs). We encourage you to ask current and former GoJet pilots why they received these LOIs and whether it was connected in some way to working conditions at GoJet. We encourage you to ask them why pilots have been discharged at GoJet and whether those pilots stood up to or irritated management. It appears that many or most GoJet pilots keep their heads down and hope they get an offer of outside employment while they still have a clean record. What does this mean to you? The pilots at Trans States have tried for years to recapture the flying being done by GoJet and to establish pay and working conditions that are on par with their peers. They also need to be assured of future job security as management has moved most of the growth opportunities to GoJet. As long as pilots continue to chase after sub-par working conditions at airlines like GoJet, it will be more challenging for pilots at other airlines such as Trans States or American Eagle to get the type of contract that makes flying for a regional airline a meaningful career position, not just a short-term stepping-stone. The pilots of Trans States desire to achieve job security protections for themselves while addressing the GoJet issue fairly and equitably for all, as this is in the best interest of not only the TSA pilots but the airline industry at large. It takes the support of all ALPA pilots, not just the few. Despite the fact that you have been furloughed and are looking for other opportunities, the Trans States and American Eagle MECs request that you take the time to make an informed decision prior to applying to GoJet Airlines. Your ALPA Furlough Support Committee is here for you. Please make sure that you call with any questions or concerns. You may also contact ALPA’s National Furlough Program coordinator, Larry Deist, at 678-849-6091, or visit the ALPA Furloughed Pilots Support Program Website by going to Crewroom,alpa.org and clicking the Furlough button on the left side. |
its nice to see somebody's MEC has a pair. National should have said all this a LONG time ago. Thanx Eagle!
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It needed to be said.... Thanks ALPA!
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Originally Posted by Pilotguy143
(Post 619291)
It needed to be said.... Thanks ALPA!
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well ALPA said it........let's get the discussion going!
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Originally Posted by Purpleanga
(Post 619298)
I'm pretty sure UA is a big ALPA carrier...
If they don't wake up, all the United pilots are going to be flying for GoJet at a percentage of the pay they were getting at United, flying the same routes. BTW, thank you Eagle ALPA! |
So are American Connection planes being flown by AE or TSA?
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"Connection" is being flown by CHQ only now. The Connection a/c TSA were flying are @ AE.
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Originally Posted by flyinaway411
(Post 619350)
"Connection" is being flown by CHQ only now. The Connection a/c TSA were flying are @ AE.
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Saw an American Connection EMB-145 at TUL the other day and wondered who was operating it.
Thanks! |
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