how is life @ colgan?
01-15-2010 | 06:46 AM
#41
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Switch, Lever & Light Specialist
True....it's the people involved donating time and effort (ask me how I know...
). However, the large picture is the infrastructure provided by ALPA. Regardless, things have improved; and on a side note, I only see this trend continuing. Someone said (Juice perhaps) the Colgan today will not be the Colgan tomorrow....I think that's spot on!
The haters can talk all the smack they want now.......their opportunities are waning.
Last edited by Cruise; 01-15-2010 at 07:55 PM. Reason: spellign......duh! :D That's what happens when you type faster than you think. D'oh!
01-15-2010 | 08:17 AM
#42
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 98
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From: Left seat...of my Jeep
This is the exact reason our industry is crap right now. I have always been of the opinion that if we improve pay and QOL for instructors then that will force the 121, 135, etc. operators to raise their wages and improve their work rules.
If they would have kicked in benefits, I probably wouldnt have left
There are schools offering 30k+ salary with benefits, and paid time off.
Man it is time to stop taking a major cut in pay to move forward.
01-15-2010 | 03:39 PM
#45
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Suggest you get your facts straight and stop taking crap just for the sake of talking crap. There are many regionals with less pay for the equiptment than Colgan, Great Lakes, Lynx, Gulfstream, CommutAir, and Mesa to name a few. I know those airlines are not the "gold standard" of airlines but lets not act like Colgan is the worst, you just like to bash Colgan.
Colgan is improving by the day when it comes to scheduling and work rules, although we have a long way to go and continue to make strides in negotiations.
Since our union has been working with management we have been able to totally revamp our scheduling/bidding practices. No more are the days of upgrading and not knowing your base assignment untill after upgrade, we now know the base before hand and have the option to turn the upgrade down for a later date. This was never before the case, you either took the upgrade or you were blacklisted.
We can bid build up line with preferences and all lines are reviewed by the scheduling committee before being sent out to the pilots, no more 9-10 leg days. Base changes are now done through a vacancy bid, whereas before it was done by whomever kissed the most butt and then got the base they wanted. People senior to others always got stepped over for base changes because of this. This is no longer the case with vacancy bids.
The schedules are better as well. Before, your schedule would be a mix of 4 days, day trips, morning shows, evening shows, and reserve with a possible standup in order to keep the credit down. This is no longer the case as our schedules are reviewed beforehand by the union. We also now have online trip trade/open time.
These are just a few things we have acheived without a CBA. This was done with the hard work of our scheduling committee and others.
Out MEC is working hard to improve things for the pilot group and I believe the Colgan in 2 years will not resemble the Colgan we know today.
Colgan is improving by the day when it comes to scheduling and work rules, although we have a long way to go and continue to make strides in negotiations.
Since our union has been working with management we have been able to totally revamp our scheduling/bidding practices. No more are the days of upgrading and not knowing your base assignment untill after upgrade, we now know the base before hand and have the option to turn the upgrade down for a later date. This was never before the case, you either took the upgrade or you were blacklisted.
We can bid build up line with preferences and all lines are reviewed by the scheduling committee before being sent out to the pilots, no more 9-10 leg days. Base changes are now done through a vacancy bid, whereas before it was done by whomever kissed the most butt and then got the base they wanted. People senior to others always got stepped over for base changes because of this. This is no longer the case with vacancy bids.
The schedules are better as well. Before, your schedule would be a mix of 4 days, day trips, morning shows, evening shows, and reserve with a possible standup in order to keep the credit down. This is no longer the case as our schedules are reviewed beforehand by the union. We also now have online trip trade/open time.
These are just a few things we have acheived without a CBA. This was done with the hard work of our scheduling committee and others.
Out MEC is working hard to improve things for the pilot group and I believe the Colgan in 2 years will not resemble the Colgan we know today.
01-15-2010 | 03:40 PM
#46
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Seriously, that time I checked, everyone required a training contract. Majors, 135 outfits, Fractionals, hell even freight haulers are requiring a 1 year contract. Good to see your to goodto work for anyone.
01-15-2010 | 03:42 PM
#47
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Maybe places that are hiring right now require a training contract, but that may be because they have somehow managed to avoid keeping a full staff despite thousands of qualified 121 guys on the street (not to mention qualified CFIs and laid off 135 guys).
01-15-2010 | 03:59 PM
#48
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01-15-2010 | 04:16 PM
#49
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From: ERJ145 Captain
I agree with you there. I have all the faith in the world in the MEC and the pilot group at Colgan, but the management team is a piece of work! I will go as far as saying that Colgan's management team has instilled such a poor company and safety culture, that ultimately it is management who should be blamed for the tragedy of 3407. If SMS would have been in full swing last January, management would have been accountable for their contribution to the accident, but I guess we'll have to wait 'til 2012.
01-15-2010 | 04:37 PM
#50
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Back in school.
True....it's the people involved donating time and effort (ask me how I know... ).
However, the large picture is the infrastructure provided by ALPA. Regardless, things have improved; and on a side note, I only see this trend continuing. Someone said (Juice perhaps) the Colgan today will not be the Colgan tomorrow....I think that's spot on!
The haters can talk all the smack they want now.......they're opportunities are waning.
). However, the large picture is the infrastructure provided by ALPA. Regardless, things have improved; and on a side note, I only see this trend continuing. Someone said (Juice perhaps) the Colgan today will not be the Colgan tomorrow....I think that's spot on!
The haters can talk all the smack they want now.......they're opportunities are waning.
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