DAL4EVER

No problem. BTW, I spent 10 years at the regionals, got hired at DAL in 2001, and if you ever view my posts I support whole heartedly the need to bring you out of food stamps. I defend the regional industry ad nauseum daily in the DAL cockpits. I'm not condescending so back off with your teenage slams.

That said, why are you only for industry average? How will you get ahead if a contract that has been five years in the making is only going to bring you up to contracts that were agreed to several years ago? Why aren't you going for industry leading?

aviatorpr

That's a great question that was brought up at our last picketting event to a member on the negotiating team. he said we dont want a target on our back and don't want uncle phil and co. to turn around and file for bankruptcy negating this contract we have spent 5 years trying to get. i agree we are only going to be back of the pack again 5 years down the road if we are only shooting for industry average, but i'm not on the comittee so I don't really understand their rationale....

Noseeums

Gents,

The only way we'll ever have a glimmer of hope in really improving our biz again is if our regional airline pilot contracts are too expensive for the regional airline business models to work; thus, forcing mainlines to take back all flying (CRJs and EMBs alike).

Period.

higney85

The mindset of "industry average" has come up by many who have had "enough" after continued morale beatings and no movement in paychecks, the "bankrupt" philosophy is one that I cannot even start to justify. PNCL operates Pinnacle Inc (9E) on a "cost-plus" arrangement with Delta with terms of "not to exceed industry average labor costs". This deal covers the 124 CRJ -200's (previously from the NWA ASA signed late 06/early 07 timeframe) and the 16 -900's signed exclusively with Delta. Delta must abide by both contracts in their entirety with the merger. When the ASA for the -200's was signed there was a March 31, 2007 deadline for a pilot contract OR 16 airframes could be removed (down to a minimum of 124). The company did not offer anything worth signing and subsequently 16 -200's were sent to XJ (Mesaba). The company is now operating in an area of "guarantee" revenue- we are at a minimum of airframes -Barring only 2 events; 3 months of horrible performance on either side OR a Strike can cause airframes to be "pulled" from Pinnacle. After 14 days on a strike Pinnacle Inc can have ALL airframes taken away. If we strike for more than a day with less than 50% of the fleet moving we can lose airframes as well. This keeps mgmt from just letting us strike and not having to worry about "blinking". Back to the pay.... The ASA signed was roughly a 10 year deal (2017) is the expiration and halfway through the deal the company and DL get together and figure out how much has been paid for labor costs. If DL has been paying too much, 9E can be liable and have to pay back the labor payments. 9E's labor costs are very low compared to other carriers and from my discussions with multiple MEC/LEC members and negotiator(s) the current financials from TA'd areas still keep our costs below the industry average barrier. That doesn't mean we are getting "shafted", but our labor costs are low for many reasons- the biggest one is longevity. We may have the exact same rates as the most expensive regional, but if only a small group of pilots are at the top of the pay scales, 401K match, etc the costs are significantly lower. There has been a good deal of discussion over on the company board over what we are fighting for and where we have OUR bar set. All that being said, the ALPA contracts are all seperate by design. Each contract is designed to "build" on the previous contract with reference to all the other ALPA carriers. Current language may not be bad in a certain section, but each and every section can have improvements. Think about this... We are working on a 4th generation contract at 9E, yet we have been working for a contract (and under previous terms) long enough to be working on a 5th generation contract. We cannot let the company just get away with morale beatings. Nobody is asking for fedex pay rates, but just settling for "average" when many contracts (at other carriers) are coming up for negotiations and/or are concessionary agreements just short changes us.

nicholasblonde

Great post...I've looked for the ASA docs everywhere but you've pretty much summed up what I was looking for.

I hope the NMB knocks some sense into the company. Of course I'd rather see a good contract without a release, but if that doesn't happen, it would be of great benefit to not only us, but also EVERY airline all the way up the chain if we were released...think of the implications for every other airline in section 6 negotiations now, or close to entering negotiations...the message would be clear to every management team--you can't drag your feet with this NMB, or your pilots WILL be released...which is how the whole thing was supposed to work in the first place...

There was a decent article in the last issue of ALPA's "Airline Pilot" about Chairman Puchala and the current status of the NMB...

PinnacleFO

I wish we had some sort of time frame from the nmb as to when they expect to get back to us.

Windsor

Fellas, we are a safe bunch of pilots. But we can be safer. One area of concern is the cracking in the Nav light covers, specifically around the screws. Thats a no-go item. Non MEL-able, non defer-able. The next time you or your FO is doing a walk around, have a close look at those covers. I just dont feel safe departing with cracks in the plastic.

SrfNFly227

You know, that is a very good point. I will have to pay a more attention to that. Personally, I do not feel comfortable flying unless all placards are readable. This is includes all external stickers. Somebody (cough TSA cough cough) may try to use a pitot tube as a ladder if that "No Step Danger Heated Probe" placard is missing.

flyths1

Now you guys are talking "THE RIGHT STUFF" and make sure you pay closer attention when you are some place like IDA HLN MFE CHA or ATW. Better yet since things always break at TYS out of the hanger it would be a good messure to measure twice cut once when it come's to saftey.

It's to bad these thoughts have to be posted to show just how frustrated you all are...PATHETIC.

Inbluskyz

Why don't we simply adhere to the FOM, our job description, and FAA regs?

Where does it say in our FOM regarding the use of cell phones to contact dispatch, mx control, etc...? We need to stop using them and abide by the FOM regarding preferred methods of communications.

There should only be one call to dispatch or mx control. Call once, get a response then wait. No more reminders, you've done your job. Same with any type of servicing, call once get a response then wait - you've done your job.

Comply appropriately with all mx issues and write them up accordingly. Taxi at the safest speed as stated in the AIM.