Got a nice "call us back or we will sue you" phone call today. I tell you these people have no soul. If you are considering working for this place...DON'T!!!!!!

Anyone else have luck getting out of it. For those who did settle, what seems to be the majic number they will settle for? 50%?? Thanks.

They sent me a settlement letter for $1500... the original amount I owed (after they kept my last paycheck) was $2800. Goodbye tax return :rolleyes:.

Haven't heard of anyone actually being taken to court yet. I've managed to drag this out for months now, each month they take the amount lower. $1500 is supposidly their "last offer". I'm going to send it in pennies coated in a pound of dog feces.

I have heard they have now filed suit against lot of people. Anyone know if this is true?

This used to come up a lot with the Gulf of Mexico helo pilots. They found that the companies really couldn't do anything to you because it's a form of indentured servitude or something (they had a few cases go to court and support that finding). I'll try to find something more substantial than just my cruddy memory.

When receiving collection agency calls, use the following phrase, "Under the Fair Credit and Collection Act, do not ever call me again regarding this matter."

If they do call, keep a record, then sue 'em in small claims (or superior) court for the harrassment. They may end up paying YOU the amount of the debt.

In some states it is not legal to keep a last paycheck to satisfy company debts. One might want to do a little internet research on the topic.

Yup,

Here is a current list.

http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.go...Mesa+Air+Group

You can use the search function to find specific pilot names as well.

Did you have an employee number when you were one week into indoc? Were you getting paid? :confused:
At Lakes you don't get paid (when I was there) until after you finish your checkride, so you are not an employee when you signed the letter. :cool:

BTW...may not be an issue in the future...but I know guys who signed the CA contract with a note at the bottom:
"This is VOID if I am downgraded or do not finish upgrade."

Its not all bad (sorry about the format):
Case InformationCase Number:CV2000-012780Judge:Barton, JanetFile Date:7/10/2000Location:DowntownCase Type:Civil Party InformationParty NameRelationshipSexAttorneyJonathan Ornstein Plaintiff Male PAUL NALABANDIAN Mesa Airlines Plaintiff None PAUL NALABANDIAN Daniel Defendant Male Pro Per Case DocumentsFiling DateDescriptionDocket DateFiling Party7/19/2000 AFS - Affidavit Of Service 7/24/2000 NOTE: P3 SERVED 07-12-2000 7/12/2000 IPH - Injunction Prohibit Harassment 7/14/2000 7/11/2000 RRR - Req Restrict Release Address 7/12/2000 Plaintiff(1) 7/10/2000 PIH - Petition For Injunction Of Harassment 7/12/2000 Plaintiff(1)

Word on the street is that 50% seems to do the trick. I hate to say it but that might be cheaper and simpler than attorney fees and bad credit.

Uhh, Lakes has the most ironclad training contract in the industry. There is a set precedence in case history. GLA pilot tried to claim duress and failed, miserably, to prove his case. Since you sign the contract prior to employment at GLA you cannot claim duress, well you can, but you don't have a leg to stand on in court.

http://wyomcases.courts.state.wy.us/...?CiteID=448863

GLA is unique in the fact that they put a notification of the training contract in the pilot application, which you have to acknowledge (think, paper trail). They are also quite unique in the fact that you are not an employee 'till completion of the checkride. You sign the contract prior to employment. There is NO way you can claim duress.

At MAG, you sign the contract after you start work there (after you quit your last job), you will be fired from MAG if you refuse to sign. You have no choice. Couple that with the fact that MAG is completely unable to prove (on paper) that you knew about the training contract prior to employment.

With all that said,