Definitely not a good thing if the company actually gets away with it. The Q is a t-prop and there are no t-prop pay rates at RAH. Nothing against the Lynx guys at all on this. Currently with the SLI not completed so anyone flying those would basically be a street captain. Not to mention the company would be simply picking which work rules/pay they want or don't want. Once again nothing against the Lynx guys they get to do it but it's HUGE violation of the RAH contract. If they get away with it once they'll do it again and again. I hope it's not allowed to happen. Just keep them separate on their own certificate. I don't really see the downside to doing that but then again I'm not a company pencil pusher.

Sure it would be. They will violate the contract (once again), we will grieve it, and 2 years down the road we *might* get an arbitrator ruling in our favor. We've had many grievances that would seem to be "cut and dry" yet somehow the company keeps winning them. The ones that we DO win somehow become "non-precedent setting" and there is no punishment for the company for violating the same thing again.

Our contract is trampled time and time again and it's gotten faaaar worse over the last 1.5 yrs.

Sounds like you guys need to start taxiing slower, writing up more things, and running those APUs a little longer

Wow, way to be supportive. I see what you mean, but it's kind of hard not to take offense at it. A handful of the Lynx folks who are trained and experienced flying the Q in the mountains get to keep their jobs another six months and you guys immediately call it a contract violation.

Your contract says Republic airplanes must be flown by Republic pilots, correct?
So Republic buys Lynx, how are Lynx pilots not Republic pilots now? They may not be on the same seniority list... YET, but that's not management's fault, that's because of the arbitration process. You guys can call it a contract violation all you want but whether or not it is, is very debatable, I'm sure you guys would love to see more Lynx employees out of a job just so you can have a glimmer of expansion out of Denver and a new airplane type. Would it be ok in your eyes if they stapled the Lynx pilots to the Republic list then instituted a seat lock, then furloughed them in April?

Maybe this is why IBT is keeping their mouths shut?

We are our own worst enemy.

Remind me, when is arbitration supposed to be finished? The sooner we can ALL get back to work the better I think.

Merging the Lynx ops and planes into the Republic certificate is a clear violation (not that the Company really cares). I personally have no problem letting you guys fly your planes on the certificate provided the Company:

1. Signs the FO LOA.
2. Pay you guys what's listed in our CBA regardless if it says "turbojet".
3. Once the SLI is finished we have a flush bid for bases.

Because it is. Street captains aren't allowed. If the company gets away with it you're shooting yourself in the foot for the long run.

Ok, yeah, you're right, that would definitely be a violation. I just please ask that when you guys talk your trash, just remember YOU still have a job. Hopefully IBT will be kind enough to come up with an LOA. It will create a lot of bad blood if they have to grieve it. Which I hate to say it they should if they can't come to an agreement. A contract is a contract.

The only other way I could see it not being a violation is in the definition of operation. They could argue that since it's Lynx mechanics, Lynx dispatchers, different routes etc, than under paragraph (c) than it is a separate operation. Kind of a flimsy argument when they are moving everybody to IND, and even more flimsy if everybody from Lynx refuses to move.

The other possible loophole I see is this (the exception to Chautauqua pilots during the period of separate operations):
They could argue that it is the transition period and that it is 1) not causing a reduction in the Republic fleet and 2) that the airplane is being retired in the course of business.

Just playing devil's advocate here. Again, the sooner we are all under one list, one contract, and all back to work, the better.

How are we shooting ourselves in the foot, this is BB's doing. TD, are you asking the remaining Lynx employees to quit and give up un-employment and possibly recall so you can fly the Q for a few months? What would you do in their situation?

I say "their" because I'm already on the street. I took a voluntary furlough in April because I had received another job offer that same day.

That was written in response to your saying how it should be allowed.

Unless I read this statement wrong. My point was I understand how you want Lynx guys to fly those airplanes regardless of certificate but if BB is given the leeway to do it now there's no telling how he could exploit it down the road. Look at how long this 99 seat issue is taking and that's on a plane where you can walk down the isle and count 100 seats. Can you imagine the battle over letting people not on the RAH seniority list fly aircraft on the cert. and doing so without established pay scales? Hopefully a good stance can be taken now and not after it's already happening.

If they really wanted these aircraft JUST for this then why not leave them on their own certificate, where you guys could fly them, instead of going through all the pains associated with moving them from another certificate especially if it's only supposed to be for a short time?

#2 would an improvement, but they want our bankruptcy pay rates to continue.
#3 what are you talking about (and who have you been talking to) Willis :D

It's happening TD, Lynx is being assimilated into Republic. What is your IBT doing about it? We are a very small group with more in common with the Midwest guys in that your company seems to care less about us, but wants the routes. Though unlike the Midwest aircraft the Q400 has its place that a 170/190 cannot replace.

I'll tell you. Absolutely nothing. When the heck are they going to get off their arse AND do anything? Seriously? Come on! (not directed to you Hawker, but the RAH IBT)