Thank you! I think a lot of people forget that even though the 9L guys haven't had a contract they have still been working under similar or worse conditions and pay for just as long. The XJ guys have had their contract taken away in part. Everyone involved wants this to happen just as bad as everyone else.

 

wow... As far as National, their services will be used for JFK and possibly 1 or 2 other bases where we need to ensure good turnout. MEM has a good number of "live here" folks and we know there are now issues with the picket from 9L and XJ. \We haven't had any issues. As a matter of fact I received emails from DL and FDX from out of the country in the middle of the night offering support from halfway across the globe. National actually pulled out legal stops with our permit. For some reason MEM didn't want to give it....

Come Friday night, if the JCBA isn't done (which I sincerely hope it is to make all this stop), we will be announcing picketing next week. I sincerely hope that this all stops and all pilots (9E/9L/XJ) realize we are all involved and this IS our future.

 

Why does it seem that "unity" is a one way street with the PCL MEC? You want the unity of having all three airlines walk and support the picketing but you do not want to show any unity at the table by putting aside your past issues with the company for the betterment of all three pilot groups.

This is not Section 6 negotiations however your MEC continues to treat them as if they were. This is a JCBA which has made great progress in its limited time and they continue to make progress, 2 more sections TA'd yesterday and the word is there were some TA'd sections today as well.

Does the PCL MEC ever take a second to think that they are putting XJ and 9L's pilots at risk when the PCL MEC decides on their own for unilateral action without the support or joint agreement of all three airlines?

To me this picket event seems like some in the PCL MEC are feeling the heat and enjoy their position and will give the pilots what they want without regard to what is best for the 3000+ pilot group. What unity has the PCL MEC shown?

 

Are you kidding me? This is about 3000 pilots, 1250 of which have dealt with this mgmt group and know what they will do to 3,000. You want to put those issues out in the open and see the response?

 

Contrary to what the PCL MEC may think, the 1250 does not control the 3,000. Also, the PCL MEC does not control what the other MEC's will do. No pilot from 9L or XJ voted for any of the PCL MEC mebers so they do not speak for us. Also, do not act like the PCL MEC is acting on behalf of all the pilots at XJ and 9L, they are acting on their own frustrations and anger caused by stalled labor talks over the years. I can understand the frustration of the PCL pilots and everyone would agree that after 6 years they are due but this unilateral action by the PCL MEC does not serve the best interests of the 3,000 pilot group.

 

I don't understand why they are picketing when serious progress is being made and a TA is imminent and very likely just days away. It's like firing a shot across the bow during a cease fire. I understand the frustration of the long drawn out process that this has been for their group but stand down for a few days and let them finish things up.

 

Pinnacle management has been known to give the impression that "serious progress is being made and a TA is imminent" for years.

Everyone involved must take that into consideration. This isn't a management team that negotiates in good faith towards a fair deal. They sure make it look like it though.

 

If Pinnacle Corp wanted us (9E,9L,XJ) to have a contract, we would have had one on November 15th. There is no TA on the horizon, they are not even close to getting a deal done. In fact, management wants to combine the worst of the 3 contracts, not the best.

I remember back in May of 2005 the company put out and email saying they were very excited because they were close to getting a new contract with the pilot group done. Weeks become months, months become years, and all the while Pinnacle was saving nearly a million dollars a month. Now, six years later, nothing has changed, except the fact that Corp now owns three airlines...

 

Pretty brave on the part of xj/9l and pretty stupid too. So much for unity. I wouldn't want to be an xj/9l pilot trying to jumpseat on a 9e plane after this goes down.

 

This isn't the same ballgame. The rules changed when Mesaba was purchased and it seems the PCL pilots refuse to acknowledge it because of their history in Section 6.

This would be a different story if there was no progress and more importantly if PNCL Corp. had no incentive to finish joint negotiations. They want an integrated seniority list to move jets. This motivation for them to get the deal done wasn't a factor pre-Mesaba purchase.

PCL pilots want to picket because they are 6 years amendable on their OWN negotiations, not because we are only a few months into joint negotiations and seeing TA's on the regular. That's picketing for the wrong reason, and that's a disservice to the 3000 pilots being represented at the table.