Some highlights to the TA as a CJCer:

Pros:

Scope protections that eliminate the ability for PNCL to outsource our jobs or purchase another airline and whipsaw the two. Management didn't merge CJC with Pinnacle Airlines b/c they didn't have to. The only thing forcing their hand with Mesaba was the successorship clause within their contract.

Ability to bid all domiciles and equipment at all 3 airlines.

Split F/O rates. The Q rate had always been the same as the Saab rate on the Colgan side, and the awful part about that is it wasn't even "blended" it was unilaterally implemented by management.

Above average payrates for every seat in every piece of equipment.

Min day pay of 4 hours except for the outstations. To be blunt here, the outstations are what ruin productivity. They are the reason why guys at hubs get stuck with long sits and low pay credit while the outstation guys come in for 8 hours a day and fly four legs for 7 hrs block and then go home and sleep in thier own bed. I don't agree with the carveout, but it's not going to make or break my vote.

Block or better per leg.

Block or better per leg cancellation pay.

Ability to refuse extensions/junior man's.

Extension pay (over guarantee). At Colgan they have always looked at you as something they own on a day you work, they've never had to pay for disrespecting your footprint.

At a minimum 8 hours over guarantee if you are junior assigned on your day off.

150% premium pay (over guarantee) for voluntary open time pickup (No more of Jackie/Leroy treating us like we should be so grateful to fly a Final Four Men's Basketball team, we are professional airline pilots)

Ability to solicit taxi 30 minutes after block in. This is huge for some of the current hotels.

Training pay in ground school of 4 hours instead of 2.

Guaranteed "behind the door" rest of 7:45.

Per diem increase from $1.40 to $1.65. Per diem paid on day trips and ready reserve assignments.

Company paid moving expenses. Two weeks hotel accomodations if you change base and don't move.

Flexibility in vacation usage.

75% DH pay instead of 50%.

Prohibition of test flights. If you are at a MX base this is one less way to be used on reserve.

Sim training conducted at normal hours and ability to bid on short term training events. We've always had our PC schedules thrown at us arbitrarily before.

11 days off.

No checkout for lineholders. You finish your trip and you leave.

14 hour duty days scheduled and rescheduled. 15 hour max actual. We currently have a 15.5 hour limit.

Increase in uniform allowance.

Permanent grievance process. Probably the biggest achievement of them all.

Long call reserve/Long call available

Restrictions on scheduling if you are pulled for IOE.

Compensatory days if you are Junior assigned more than once per calendar year or less than 11 days off in the month. This is huge b/c we not only get the 8 hours above guarantee but also get a day off. It used to be up to scheduling whether we'd get 3.75 hours or a day off.

Reduction to health insurance costs.

Commuter policy in the contract.

Match on 401k.

Line improvement period. Have to see the actual TA for this, but they have something at XJT that makes it very easy to manipulate your schedule after award.

Cons:

Not sure if our current CDO practices are more restrictive or not, I'd have to see the final TA.

Saab payrates below Mesaba Saabs and Q rates below CRJ2. (although still well above industry average by the end of the deal, so it's really only the principle of it)

Carveout for no min day pay for outstations.

Loss of holiday pay (I'm sure some people will be furious about losing that 3.75 hrs towards guarantee on 6 days of the year)

 

there was talk of a new open enrollment, not sure if it was just for flex spending or insurance, but for those of us with families it's kind of a moot point since our spouses already had their open enrollment and declined their insurance for ours.

personally my pay will go up a min of $600/mo while insurance goes up approx $140/mo for perspective..

 

From the above summery it is FAR from industry leading. Most of that stuff ASA, Skywest, Expressjet etc. have had for years. Other than a little more in hourly pay rates.

 

Gotta love that rock solid Skywest scope.

 

ALMOST nothing...except for those precious, precious upgrades.

Hey guys, if pay is not such a big deal, why don't Mesaba guys take a cut and come down to Colgan rates? The fact of the matter is that hourly rate is what makes the contract. Most of the "soft money" is based off hourly rate...so yes, I'd like to see Mesaba rates for Colgan Saabs. One contract...one voice, right?

But....it's a moot point to try and make the case...the choice is now in the hands of the 9E and XJ pilots. Can you guys at least buy the higher quality anal lube for your brothers at Colgan??? (None of that management stuff with the sand in it...)

 

Honestly since you are so concerned about your upgrade the payrates form an artificial fence.

 

I believe Great Lakes is hiring if you are solely interested in precious precious upgrades.....

 

everyone is talking about the B scale but for Ca's its only like a dollar differancefor most of the years...the fo pay has a higher difference but its still not that big....so i don't know how big a deal it really is....

 

I guess that really is the crux of it, isn't it. There are at least some colgan guys who would give up any amount of quality of life improvements for a quick upgrade, an upgrade they would get by Pinnacle corp buying them airplanes with Pinnacle Inc money... I guess maybe the Mesaba SAAB pilots SHOULD take a paycut so they can be assured all future growth won't go to Colgan to allow quick upgrades.
The whole contention is that the negotiating committee somehow COULD have gotten the old Mesaba SAAB rates for everyone and didn't? Or that the Mesaba Saab pilots should take a paycut? I want some clarification there....

 

Overall I am thrilled with the TA based on what I have read so far and after a talk with a member of the MEC. Colgan pilots would be crazy to say no or even think no towards this.

As for my pay rate...you could see why I was confused since some here are confused as well. I have completed 3 years of service here and am working on my 4th year. Because I have completed 3 years I am on 4th year pay. The way I read the TA is it is under years of service. Since I have 3 years of service I am assuming that I am reading the 3-4 years of service rate. After next November (lets use December) I will have completed my 4th year of service and they Dec 11' rates come into effect so I would be paid the 4-5 scale on the second column over.

I think ive got it...I think.


As others have said....doesnt really matter, its everything in the TA that we get that make it so good for me and the other folks at CJC, the payscale is just something to look at to do some quick math. As for the Q rates the great thing about this new SLI is that if I am that unhappy with the Q rates I can just bid CR2 or CR9 CA and when my seniority can hold it (who knows when that would be) I will no longer have to worry about the Q rate.