I think PNCL MEC sent the Colgan Pilot's a letter saying that the picket was NOT directed towards the pilots but towards PNCL Corp.

C'mon Guys!
 

9E has 1400+ pilots and Colgan around 400+ (according to APC), that’s only about 30% the size of 9E. Seeing that Colgan is strictly a mid to low tier Prop Shop their pilot group, as a hole, is extremely Jr (when compared to 9E). IMO, the only way a Colgan pilot can best a 9E pilot is by a %age based merger, otherwise 9E pilots will always come out on top.

Personally, seeing how Jr Colgan pilots are to 9E pilots, I think the fair merger would be DOH with 3-4 year fences. With a DOH merger the Colgan pilot group would still end up on the low side of the seniority list and the fences would prevent the more senior 9E FO’s from taking Colgan upgrades and the more senior Colgan CA’s from taking 9E’s FO’s upgrades. After 3-4 years it will all be a moot point seeing that the 9E FO that will lose out to the Colgan CA moving over isn’t even hired yet. As a matter of fact the 9E FO who will be affected by the merger will have to have a DOH of 2010, and when it’s time for him to upgrade then he’ll just take the B1900 or the SAAB upgrade.

Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t ALPA support DOH mergers? I think this would be a bigger problem if 9E had purchased AE or Horizon. Then 9E pilots would be screwed with a merger but Colgan? C’mon guys! They're so Jr that their not a threat as long as you have 3-4 year fences!

As for the "they're not union so screw them" mindset, that's real mature of you all!

Exactly. I would say the median pilot senority is about 3 years with Colgan. 5/6 years at Colgan would get you in the top 10% with the company.

There is so much speculation on what may happen so there is no use in playing "what if."

As far as Toilet Duck, Colgan pilots do not care about the Q400 protest, we know it was not against us and we have no bad feelings towards your pilot group. What we should concentrate on is not trying to get over on eachother but becoming a strong union pilot group for the future. PNCL pilots are better off with another 400+ pilots when it comes to union negotiating.

We are all on the same team.

I'm not PNCL I'm RAH. Secondly how are 400+ pilots better for union negotiations when they aren't union?

Because most of their pilots are pro-ALPA.

for the record- my previous reply did come off a bit selfish but i typed what was on my mind and won't hide my thoughts. darn alcohol filter...


now- however a list is merged/joined/stapled- does the colgan group as a whole decide if they will JOIN alpa or is it individual just as it would be if you were to just start off at pncl? i do not know of any 9e pilots who are not alpa but have heard there are just a couple old timers who never joined...

I do support possible fences and/or seat locks to keep it somewhat "fair". this would allow a saab guy to eventually bid the jet or a houston living 9e guy to fly the Q- goes both ways but i could see the jet being "high demand".

Even without a staple, I expect that a good enough fence would make sure that no Pinnacle guys are going to get stepped over, at least not the guys hired before the acquisition. I have no hard feelings towards the Colgan guys but let us remember that it was the fruits of labor of the Pinnacle Inc. pilots that Pinnacle Corp. management stole and gave to another airline. That's a fact and can not be overlooked. Colgan had an opportunity to vote in ALPA (which may have made the situation easier) but rejected it. Now they may have to pay the price. I wish the Colgan guys the best but not at the expense of a single Pinnacle pilot.

Some of you guys need to do some research. Post # 31 is the only one that is right. The Colgan pilots seniority is fully protected by federal law and they are entitled to mediation and arbitration.

No it is not. It is a nonunionzed list. Allegheny-Mohawk only applies to two unionized lists.

Come tomorrow you may be VERY surprised my friend.