If it isn't better than Mesaba's pay......it won't pass.

 

so the pay must be better than mesaba's?...and if it doesnt pass..what happens then..

 

The merger will drag out for years and no one wins. Pinnacle has bought multiple airlines and bought numerous airplanes, they have the money to pay their employees. I would rather shut the place down than work for crappy wages. The fight for better wages and work rules has to start somewhere.

If you are not willing to walk....you will never get a better contract. The investors in Pinnacle would rather make some than nothing.

 

Welcome back, I'm still hanging on to the the SAAB in MSP, but not for long.....

 

This is really a worst case scenario...

Have some faith that the negotiating team can get us a good TA. Pinnacle wants it done so they can move the planes to Pinnacle as well as merge Colgan/Mesaba into the new Mesaba. I think it will get done, perhaps not Nov. 15th, but I am sure we will be voting on a TA soon.

 

No one wants to shut the place down but you must be willing to. I will not vote to work under a crap contract either. I keep hearing just give us the XJ rates and that is not gonna work for us. Both Colgan and Pinnacle pilots would get raises as well as pinnacle getting a signing bonus while the XJ guys get status quo.....a concessionary agreement.

I think the big push is to get it done before December 1. That is the day XJ guys get a 4% raise across the board plus on December 31 we get a per diem jump and restoration of our yearly uniform allowance, I think it is $235 If I don't see current rates + 4% + some, it is a no vote.

If anyone wonders why the XJ concessionary agreement is so much better than most, it is because the pilot group put it all on the line. Shutting the doors was a better idea than accepting huge pay cuts in the bankruptcy. That is why the mentality of shutting down the airline (strike) is so powerful. We forced management to work with us instead of accepting whatever they gave us.

 

I wonder if it will be a blended rate like at Mesaba or fleet specific for FOs.

 

You do have to remember this is not just about XJ though. There are two other pilot groups negotiating here as well. If we are to get something passed as 1 pilot group we cannot expect so much. Mesaba plus is a great idea but to expect Mesaba pay at all three carriers + 4% + even more is a bit much and most likely wont happen. Trust me I want it just as much as you do, but I dont see Pinnacle giving the Colgan/Pinnacle Inc guys such a huge raise. If it happens I will be pleasently surprised but I do not expect that to happen. I will personally be happy if we even get the XJ contract at this point.

Also keep in mind its about more than just pay rates, work rules and benefits are also important. Colgan has no work rules right now besides FAR's.

 

Way to go, that's the spirit.

 

Mesaba plus is a great idea but to expect Mesaba pay at all three carriers + 4% + even more is a bit much and most likely wont happen

WRONG!

I would have been happy getting up to Mesaba's rates when Colgan was by itself. Pinnacle CORP knew when they purchased Mesaba, they would be paying no less than Mesaba wages. We must negotiate as if we already had Mesaba's contract and push for appropriate increases.

A 7th year CA and 3rd year FO (Saab) at Mesaba earn a combined $90 pre hour. A 4% increase is $3.50 total for both crew members.... or about 20 CENTS per hour per passenger assuming 17 pax per flight. Certainly, that ticket increase would NOT stop many people from flying.

It WILL happen IF we push hard enough!