Mesa starts back early negotiations in what, January 2011? It would be a slap in the face if the NMB didn't release you before then.

All of Europe has been grounded and guess what? The world kept on spinning. We need to lobby hard to drop the RLA it's ruining us. When congress is wondering why an FO was making $18k a year someone should have mentioned the RLA binds our hands to get more.

Doesn't it also bind the hands of the company's?

No, it takes the company's hand and strokes it softly saying "Don't worry, we'll never let those mean pilots get you....there, there"

Almost shot pepsi out my nose, hilarious! I'm not sure how it binds the companies hands either, I'd be interested to learn about it. I think the general idea of the RLA was that the status quo would be maintained for a short period while a new contract was put in place. What the RLA is doing now (preventing a new contract and maintaining old contracts for 3-5 years) I don't believe was the intent of the law. I guess it's just another example of law of unintended consequences.

Interestingly, I've recently talked to some non-airline friends and acqaintances about union/RLA issues and the overarching feeling of Americans towards unions is bad. Might not be able to get any traction on changing the RLA because the public only sees benefit in the law.

Yep, pretty much everybody I know out of the industry thinks unions are bad. I can see their point after the very public GM fiasco. Regular people have no clue about the airline industry so I educate them when they are curious. Otherwise, I just go about my business with the understanding that I am completely effed. On another note, I've been meaning to call you about something I heard the other day. I'll try to remember to call tomorrow after I'm done flying.

I will take a stab at it. I think it depends on the health of the industry and the economy.

If things are going great, tons of money is being made, pilot pay scale is low, then it is certainly in the best interest of the company to drag feet and maintain the "status quo" for as long as possible.

Conversely, if things are going bad, economy is not great, and pilots are being paid above and beyond the "industry average" because all the carriers are signing whipsaw agreements, it is likely that the pilots would have to sign a concessionary agreement. In that case, it would be in the union's interest to drag things out as long as possible and maintain the higher pay scales as long as possible.

I agree!! The roof is going to cave in this summer:eek: It's because of DW and his worthless staffing model that this joke of an outfit is NEVER going to hire. Seriously, can't ANYONE down at NonCaring figure out that we need pilots now???:confused:

Wait just a minute! Wasn't Obama supposed to fix everything!? I mean our message board was just PACKED with "Just wait, it'll get better [after 11/08].

Oh well!

If we hired, you would probably be off reserve, and thats just not allowed :D