Correct me if I'm wrong, but American Eagle went date of hire. I also believe that was through mediation.

 

And yet you felt the need to respond? I'm sorry if you took it the wrong way...merely pointing out that it was an empty statement. Why, one might ask? Because I just want what's best for the pilot group, too.

I'm just opining on an open forum much the same as everyone else, take it or leave it. I do get a kick out of the people who really do have the best interest of the pilot group at heart. They're the ones who are most full of ****. See ya on the line.

 

Yes, I do feel the need to comment. Please, don't try to save face at this point. We only need to look at your posting history to know your true feelings on this merger and how things should go: fences, save your upgrade, B scale, Colgan is getting screwed, me, me, me, me........

So yeah, I do feel the need to comment and call shenanigans on your last post. It certainly seems now, and then, wanted what's best for you and you alone. Or, did you suddenly have a change of heart/ opinion?

 

How is it a "different game?" They were all separate companies that flew airplanes coming together into one company that flies airplanes. Or are you just saying that every regional only has the career expectations of "getting hired at a major?" Personally, I don't see how a Saab/Q400/CRJ-900 would be seen any differently than a DC-9/737/757 in a seniority list integration scenario. Regionals have some pilots that are lifers, majors have some pilots that will leave before they retire for a different airline. I'm not seeing how the two are so vastly different.

 

"Because this time it hurts me!"

 

Just looking at per diem, days off, pay, work rules and quality of life it is pretty clear we are not playing the same game. Aren't you the guy that told me we aren't SWA back during contract negotiations when I was demanding 13 days off? So for negotiations we are not the same as majors but for SLI we are? Regionals play under different rules, how could you argue otherwise? Very few come to the regionals planning to be a lifer. Many end up staying but that is not the original plan. In fact I've never meet a pilot that admitted to planning on being a lifer at a Regional when originally hired. I'm not a furlough so I do't have a vested interest in what happens to them, I just want to see examples of SLIs at the regional level. It is not a foregone conclusion that the precedent set by major SLIs is as applicable as you think in our case. I would not be surprised to see the furloughs integrated with their seniority in a fair and equitable manner.

 

Why should someone who does not have a job be put above someone who does have a job?

Thats a windfall. Windfalls aren't going to happen.


All that aside, Mesaba furloughs were going farther and farther from having jobs too. With more and more furloughs put above them. Mesaba was going to be a shrinking airline with lots of furloughs, downgrades, and displacements. When you look at career future at the 3 airlines, Mesaba has the least to claim. Even by stapling Mesaba, this merger and SLI would still be saving a lot of their jobs.

The most fair and equitable SLI is one in which nobody gains anything over anyone else. If you are currently at the bottom of a list and out of a job, any change from that is a gain. That gain comes at someone else's expense. If I were a Mesaba furlough, I'd be thrilled so far, seeing as how I'm going to get to come back to work. Anything more than that should not be expected.

 

I have actually flown with a few FOs that say they came here as a lifer. Granted they also are mid life career changers (have pensions, and don't really need the money) that are too old to realistically have any chance to move on to a major.

 

I didn't know you were a Pinnacle/Mesaba/Colgan pilot?

I am a Pinnacle pilot and I would LOVE to see furloughs get the spot that they had when they were on the list at Mesaba. Sure, it's a big boost, but it'd be great to establish precedent.

FYI - as far as I know, the Mesaba furloughees that are sitting at the bottom of the Pinnacle list right now are making the pay based off of their longevity at Mesaba (unaffected by furlough, in other words)...

 

You are making a lot of assumptions... it's true that Mesaba was heading in the wrong direction, but we just don't know what would have happened if we weren't bought by Pinnacle Holdings, essecially if Pinnacle struck.