Weren't we supposed to get paid today?

 

Today's not the 1st.

 

Don't let JO and Mesa negotiators keep fooling us about money. How can Republic keep paying their pilots significantly more and renegotiate their contracts with mainline. Pilot group needs to stand together.
Republic Airways lands key deal with United Airlines | 2016-05-31 | Indianapolis Business Journal | IBJ.com

 

1. Could only renegotiate contract due to bankruptcy
2. It says they reached milestone economic concessions. It doesn't say they got more money out of ua. More likely they cut flying to match pilot numbers.

Says right at the bottom Republic is trying to negotiate down flying.

 

RAH already flies 54 EJETS for United and the article says they will keep flying those 54 and future EJET aircraft, so IF they cut any flying it isn't going to reduce their UAX fleet count.

 

You can defend the company all you want. I know how to read between the lines. And, you are wrong about the reduction of flying. Republic will continue to fly the 54 they already do. You're wrong again, mainline doesn't have to wait for bankruptcy to negotiate and amend a contract. Just like Mesa doesn't have to wait for a legal strike of the pilot group before offering a better contract.

 

I didn't say mainline had to wait. But they're not the one renegotiating under bankruptcy protection. Republic is. I took issue with the way you presented the story that all Mesa had to do is ask and they'll get more money out of their partners. That's not how contract work.

 

My point goes back to what ALPA financial people told us that Mainline DOES NOT renegotiate their contracts with regionals. Obviously they do.

 

Contracts are renegotiated when there is a need for them to be renegotiated.

Due to ridiculously low wages, among other factors, the pilot shortage is here (at the regional level). Therefore, the time has come that the majors are going to have to increase what they pay on the contracts if they want the flying done at the regional level. It's an unsustainable model long term, but if they want to squeak out a few more years while they build a strategy to bring the flying back in house, then they are going to have to pay to do that. They, the majors, know that. Republic is proof of that. The major's have known this was coming for a long time. They were just pushing off the inevitable.

It's simple economics. Supply and demand. The supply of pilots willing to work for poverty level wages is gone. The demand for pilots has gone up. Low supply, high demand = increased wages. The major airlines are doing very well financially. If they want the flying done, they will pay for it.

 

Interesting point, but let me toss in another concern that may yet rear it's ugly head with respect to pilot pay. That is to say that, perceptions count for A LOT. When American and United (or anyone else for that matter) see what the predomininant wage is for regional pilots is, what conclusion do you suppose is the one that they reach with regard to Mesa? We are at a fraction of what every other regional is paying. Our upper management sees this as, not only a win for them, but for the company as a whole in it's ability to undercost competitors. While this concept may hold some truth, I think that it only works for a while. But, when your pilot base is being paid only half as much as the rest of the industry, any rational mind would be questioning the reason for that. And, none of those questions would be positive ones. No, they would be wondering (assuming may be more appropriate), that your pilots are less marketable or less proficient than your competitors. While those of us at Mesa no better than to buy into that, nevertheless, we have to ask what kind of image that projects to our major partners? Our management thinks they're cute in screwing us over wages while hiding behind the reason of offering the lowest F-F-D cost. But, the pilot pay disparity has become so bad that our mainline partners surely must be questioning the capability of our pilot base. My fear is that we may begin losing flying not because we aren't the cheapest anymore, but because they equate 50% of the prevailing wage to 50% proficiency and safety.