Mesaba came close to a strike in 2004. We ended the 30 day cooling off period with no deal in sight. The company didn't know if we would actually strike, so on the 30th day the company started shutting down the operation and by the evening was only launching flights to the bases. The company was shut down for 48 hours while everyone remained on the payroll. More progress was made in those 48 hours than in the previous 3.5 years of negotiating! No need to actually strike if you're making progress and have the company by the balls. This just proves that the company will not settle until they have to.

That's exactly what I mean. The way this industry is headed, Skyway and Comair are leading.

Funny thing, the Comair guys still get Flak from some Delta pilots because Comair dared to improve their pay and QOL. I guess that's union brotherhood for you.

Once upon a time BigSky and ACA as well.

If I remember correctly Comair sued to try and take flying from Delta pilots. In addition Comair also didn't want to support hiring furloughed Delta pilots. I'd be P/O'ed at them too. That's why Delta pilots don't like Comair pilots.

Not to mention how reluctant the NMB is to release anyone.

We never tried to take flying away from Delta, the lawsuit IIRC involved the RJDC and seniority list integration, not stealing flying. On your other point, Delta, for the longest time would not even come to the table and talk to us about a two way flow through agreement (we're just RJ trash, right?), well... once things got a little bad over at Delta, the pilots came to Comair and begged for a reverse flow through with no flow up. Of course we said no. Why would anyone say yes to that? Delta pilots should have no reason to hate Comair guys, fair is fair and that is how our MEC was playing.

ALPA Pilots from Fee-for-Departure Segment Advance Mutual Goals
Representatives from ALPA’s “fee-for-departure carrier” pilot groups continue their coordinated efforts to expand their career opportunities and implement the strategic plan they developed last April.

Motivated by their mutual goal of building career security and opportunities for ALPA pilots in this segment of the industry, this group has undertaken a number of key projects since May. Their efforts—which include monthly conference calls of the MEC chairmen, negotiating committee chairmen, and contract administrators; developing a comparative list of contract standards; and compiling a database of furlough mitigation LOAs, among others—focus on sharing information, ideas, and successes and collaborating on joint solutions to industry challenges.


As part of this ongoing initiative, these pilot groups will hold an ALPA Fee-for-Departure MEC Summit on Sunday, Oct. 19. Participants will review their ongoing efforts and accomplishments and discuss their mutual collective bargaining goals and continuing coordination of their negotiations and support activities.

You can scratch the bold one off the list. DAL was pleased to announce the "mutual" termination of the agreement.

Scratch Republic off the list as well.

Then I'd hate to be a Freedom, Mesa, or Skywest pilot...