Mesa needs YOU!!
 

Mass Pilot Exodus, Low Morale Cause Concern for Mesa Pilot Leadership
Friday August 3, 1:30 pm ET


PHOENIX, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Mesa Air Group (Nasdaq: MESA - News) pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l, put up billboards across the country this week calling on the carriers to address pilot staffing and morale issues that are reaching critical levels and negatively impacting Mesa operations. Mesa Air Group pilots fly as Delta Connection, US Airways Express, United Express, Go Airlines and Mesa Airlines.
Mesa management's unwillingness to follow the pilots' contract has caused a mass exodus of skilled pilots making unprecedented lateral moves to other regional carriers. So far this year, nearly 400 pilots have left Mesa Air Group:eek:, creating pilot shortages which, among other things, have led to flight delays and cancellations.

"Our airline has been bleeding pilots for many months but unfortunately management has been unwilling to make any significant changes to retain the kind of skilled, professional crews that are needed to service our numerous operations," said Captain Michael Jayson, a 14-year employee and chairman of the ALPA unit at Mesa.

With increasingly low morale and unrest within the pilot group, union leaders are publicly expressing their growing concerns about the long-term viability of Mesa Air Group via billboards in its major hub cities and near corporate headquarters in Phoenix. With the following message appearing in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Phoenix, the Mesa pilots hope that management will take their concerns seriously and work with them on solutions for attracting and retaining their professional pilot force.


"Low Morale, Pilot Exodus, Disgruntled Labor
Mesa Management, Give Your Pilots a Reason to Stay."
Mesa's current pilot contract becomes amendable in mid-September of this year. Many Mesa pilots are leaving the company to accept similar pilot positions at other so-called "regional" airlines, most of which have higher pay, better benefits and superior pilot work rules. Ironically, Mesa management's refusal to simply follow the provisions outlined within the current contract is a source of on-going frustration for the Mesa pilot group. As a result, the union leadership has spent countless hours investigating and pursuing every legal opportunity available to ensure Mesa management complies with the contract. For months, the pilot union leadership has warned Mesa management that on-going contract violations, combined with the attraction of better pay and working conditions at Mesa's competitors, will continue to drive pilot attrition and discourage new pilots from joining Mesa's operation.

Absolutely Brilliant on ALPA's part !!!!
 

"Low Morale, Pilot Exodus, Disgruntled Labor
Mesa Management, Give Your Pilots a Reason to Stay."

They ACCEPTED the Crappy pay and Crappy working conditions and yet:

"THEY CAN"T ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BEING ONE OF TWO PARTIES TO SIGN THE CONTRACT"

Now they waste pilots dues by tossing up their whining messages on billboards.

Do you wonder why this career field is in the trash???

I think part of the problem is the company is not even abiding the terms of the contract that is very much in the companies favor.

Well actually the big problem over at MAG is wholesale NON-COMPLIANCE with the pilot contract (and anybody else's contract).

They don't even come close to complying with the spirit or the letter. The corporate culture over there really is Kathleen' point of view: "Take Whatever You can Grab!" (Bonus points if you understand the reference ;) )

Those people do not deserve honest compliance on the part of the pilots.

I'm sure YOUR contract has a minimum number of days off...how would you like to get exactly that many days off for the forseeable future (and that's before you subtract several junior-man days each month).

If you haven't been there recently, you probably can't understand it.

can someone post a picture of that billboard that alpa put up

go to the alpa website it is on there

The Mesa pilots accepted their crappy contract in exchange for getting Freedom back in-house from that piece of sh#t J.O. They took one on the chin, and should be nothing but respected (except for the A-listers). I understand their contract becomes ammendable this fall, should be interesting....

Thank you!!

I hope it works out for them, but don't forget the ASA guys are coming up on their 5 year anniversary of contract negotiations. Don't expect things to get any better soon.

Everybody likes to bag on Mesa pilots for accepting "a sh!tty contract for growth" but not many people know the circumstances surrounding the contract they ultimately ratified.

Only thing worse than an ignorant pilot is an ignorant pilot that isn't willing to learn...

Mesa's contract is only one of many problems that they have. They have been troubled in the management of their business for as long as I can remember. Going back a good 12 or 13 years that I can remember off hand. Everything is always in crisis mode.

Its a screwed up company. It always has been and i always will be. For pilots its always been a place to get your foot in the door of the industry. Get in and get qualified and then move on. Nobody takes a job there thinking that they are going to spend their career there.

Partly true in the sense that the NC gave up everything to kill freedom. Unfortunately it was not necessary...alpa had a lawsuit pending to shut down freedom that would have almost certainly prevailed. But it would have taken another year +

However I'm pretty sure that JO will have his way again this year. He will come prepared with multi-pronged tactics, and there are just too many spineless wonders over there. Yes I was there, and I worked some great folks, but there are too many who won't stand up for themselves. But who knows, maybe I'll be pleasently surprised....

We don't need Mesa.

We don't need Mesa. That is true. However, in every industry there is always a bottom feeder or two (i.e. Mesa and Gojets.) They will always exist. Theres nothing that can be done about that. If there isnt one in place someone will bring one in and set up business.

The China operation should be great.

Boiler,
Could you elaborate more on the circumstances of the contract. I know that freedom had a lot to do with it, but other than that I dont know any other details. Just curious, those who dont know the past are doomed to repeat it. Maybe we could all learn something from them. Doesnt have to be long, just an outline I think would do.

I'll let a MAG pilot give you the 100% accurate scoop...but the Clif Notes versions is this: non-union Freedom was up and running, and was a direct threat to the jobs of Mesa ALPA pilots (see the current TSA/GoJet situation). Mesa pilots took it on the chin with their workrules and payrates in order to end the whipsaw and gain scope over all Mesa Air Group flying. "A-listers" worked at Freedom prior to the contract being ratified...

Thanks man, thats what I thought had happened. Just wanted more info on the deal. I am going to start volunteering for union work (probationary) and I can see NWA trying to pit us against Compass, like I said only fools look past history. How is AWAC by the way, I sat next to a CA from there the other day that didnt have a very positive outlook on the future there.....In fact she stated and I quote "I dont think we will be around in 3 years" Dont have a clue what she was talking about, but I think my eyebrow went up so high that it might have chimed the FA.

The only problem with mesa accepting such a deplorable contract is it sets the bar so low for everyone else and so on............Pilots need to quit worrying about not having a job and secure their contract whatever it takes. Do not accept subpar crap. I wouldn't go to mesa if it was the only job left in the world in which I could fly. Don't make excuses as to why you signed a crappy contract there shouldn't have to be a regional that is only a stepping for and that is why "it's okay that our contract sucks, because we aren't staying here." Thanks alot ******* for the future of those coming in.

Things are going good for me...then again I wasn't forced by a company lie into a crappy transcon commute like some of our pilots were...

Our contract with Airways runs until, I believe, 2015. There might be an early-out clause in there somewhere but we are the primary 50 seat feed for Airways; even though they want to keep shrinking the 50 seat fleet there will be a need for the RJ at least until 2015.

I still know very little, but until you have flown in this industry for 6 months or so, you really don't know anything. Reading these boards and listening to buddies stories about working for the airlines don't make you knowledgeable. You have to experience it.

Some CFIs are smarter and more knowledgeable than you might think...

I did some moderating in the last two posts. Please be respectful when posting here. People outside the industry have less practical experience and they would do well to listen more than they speak. Maybe learn a thing or two here. At the same time, flames and disrespectful insults have no place. Either say it in a respectful manner or don't say it.

I know two that are (both airline pilots), so I guess the other one and I haven't crosses paths yet.

de727ups-
Bottom line, these rookies should keep quiet on threads that in no way involve them. If they don't work for a regional, or mesa namely, they have no business posting their mindless ideas on this thread. Read away, but don't waste our time, and flame people unless it involves you.

To follow suit: "We don't need cfi's here."

"To follow suit: "We don't need cfi's here."

That's going a bit too far. I agree, though, that they are held to a different standard at this forum and need to tread gently outside of their experience level.

In the past, the admins have restricted users from posting in certain areas. This happens when said users cross the line from a listening/learning posting profile to a "telling you how it is" posting profile. And they have to cross the admins line, not yours.

I would suggest that if you have a problem with a user posting in the regional forum who isn't a regional pilot, and you feel that user is posting in an inappropriate manner, that you use the "report post" function in the lower left hand corner of the screen and make your case. On the other hand, if you disrespectfully flame someone here, it's you who will have to answer for it.

To follow suit:

Do you think regional pilots should be allowed to post in the major forum?

CFI's are moving into the regionals. It's important they be allowed free speech as anyone else. If one isn't allowed to speak and decides to go to gojets because he wasn't allowed to ask his question then we failed. There are also many topics on hiring paperwork, expectations, pay scales and how they work, duty rigs, etc that they might want to post a question about in order to find which regional is best suited for them.

Sure he should be allowed to post in the Major forums, after all he is ready for that major job right? He has put in his 6 months and has surely shown he is much smarter than a CFI. :D

"It's important they be allowed free speech as anyone else"

They have free speech up to a point. It's when they stop becoming a learner and start telling you how it is, and how it should be, that the trouble starts.

I stand corrected....we need Mesa!!!

Well too bad buddy, because CFI's like me dont even read other boards.:cool:


Oh and by the way "Commercial, Instrument, Multi" are not type ratings.

I bet that comment will make you quite popular among your fellow CFI's, as well as AIM gods, and perhaps facebookers. Sweet job busting my nuts about something in my profile. You serious? I hope not.

X-treme-

I am by no means ready for a job at the majors, but I would hope I am a cut above a CFI. I believe being a professional pilot makes all of us a cut above CFI's, not just me.

CFI2007-

I didn't want you to say we need mesa, but instead to keep your mouth shut since you quite honestly don't know if "we" need any airline, much less mesa.

Understand where I'm coming from?

I want these boards to be a resource to up and coming pilots (as I mentioned in my above post), and as I said "read away."

Just don't feel the need to chime in on each thread when you don't know what your talking about.

I'm a CFI....hmmm.

I'm just curious what form the proposed China operation will be. A bit selfish on my part, but China is a key piece to the success to many of the cargo operators of this country. I can just see Mesa prove to the Chinese, Fred Smith and other airline managements that pilots will work in China for the same compensation as those who sew Nike sneakers.

And you fly for...?

Since your boiling over with CFI intelligence, why don't you simply conduct a quick search on these forums. All of the info that I have heard is availible to you, right here.

Let me help you out:
1) Click on "search," the third option from the right on the blue banner above.
2) Type in "Mesa Airlines China" into the search field, and select "show posts" and read away. The second result from the top is in relation to FedEx.

All of you think that just b/c we work for Mesa, that we have an large part in planning, and carrying out each aspect of our airline. Surely you all can't be that ignorant. As dash drivers, the airline didn't really shop this opportunity to us, as we have zero CRJ flight hours.

Perhaps you could explain to me the maintenence program and oil change intervals on your '95-'97 delivery trucks?

Just when I thought I'd already seen the height of ignorance on these forums, you go and say something like that. Such a statement is what makes you below flight instructors.
Flying something that's big and shiny and burns JetA with passengers in the back doesn't make you a professional. Doing the best job you can do, honoring the commitments you made when you accepted your job, and constantly looking to better how you do your job are what makes you a professional. Ragging on somebody because they're "just" a CFI is the antithesis of being a professional.

"I would hope I am a cut above a CFI."

What's that supposed to mean?

I'm a UPS 757/767 Capt and a CFI since 1980. In many ways, the CFI part is more rewarding than then major job.

A professional pilot is one who is getting paid to perform a service. CFI's are in that catagory.

Now, if your point is that a CFI, who has never stepped foot in an RJ or worked at a 121 airline, should be overly negative towards those who work for Mesa, then I'd agree they don't have much background to stand on. But you need to watch how you put things.

Rock on brother.

The China operation is going to kill 52 people shortly after startup due to a mechanical problem or gross incompetence coupled with CFIT or fatigue. Probably a combo of these and then some. There will be a cover-up of course. Finger pointing at Bombardier or something.

A half-asssed company in a half-asssed country. Great combo.

That's my prediction. Ok. I'm over it.

I was way more booksmart when I was an active CFI.
And by the way, not all CFIs are 500 hour kids, but some good ones are.

Mesa needs some help of course, but it looks like they are trying. Sometime's it can be hard to delienate between the cool Mesa guy, and the one with the iPod and spiky hair complete with cocky attitude because dammit.. he flies jets! They have a bad rep for hiring some real tools, but hats off to the dudes that keep it real over there- you're tougher than me. Maybe when the shortage is over they can raise the standards again for the hiring over there.

How is John Orn safe at night? You would think someone would have lost it by now. Not a suggestion by the way.

Not sure I buy this one. CFI's are professional pilots and, even better, they are PICs. Honestly I think that civilian pilots who didn't fly some significant GA (CFI, night cargo, etc) are lacking a key foundation of their professional development. No amount of time in the dash (or an RJ) is going to make up for that.

And MAPD does not count for anything...you had adult supervision the entire time.

A pilot going to mesa a few years ago can't really be blamed.... hiring was tough at the time.

A pilot going to Mesa now is VERY MUCH to blame because they enter negotations and they are fueling the ignorant management fire. CFIs have much better opportunities with first tier regionals.

Guys and girls - work for a company that treats you like AN AIRLINE PILOT. Not Mesa.