Be first to freeze, Comair pilots told
Be first to freeze, Comair pilots told
By John Nolan Associated Press Comair pilots whose 2001 contract raised the bar for wages among regional airlines are now being asked to lead the way among union employees in accepting pay freezes. The Delta subsidiary says that, without mid-contract pay freezes from pilots and flight attendants, it cannot afford to buy up to 35 new jets that management says are needed to win business that is going to its competitors. The Comair pilots are voting through Tuesday on a new contract proposal that includes a pay freeze in exchange for other improvements that the Air Line Pilots Union requested. "Somebody has to be first. You'd like to think it would be the pilots," said Doug Abbey, a partner at the Velocity Group, an aviation consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Comair is still negotiating with its flight attendants, who are paid between $20,000 and $40,000. Comair's pilots went on strike for three months in 2001 to obtain their contract, which made them the highest-paid among regional airlines. It pays a senior captain up to $109,000 -- and helps make Comair's operating costs higher than rivals. That makes it critical that the pilots -- as the highest-paid among Comair's union employees -- lead the way in accepting pay freezes, analysts said. Even though Comair is owned by Delta Air Lines, Delta recently bypassed Cincinnati-based Comair and awarded a contract for regional flying to Chautauqua Airlines, a low-cost operator. Chautauqua pays a senior captain $90,720. Atlantic Southeast Airline, another Delta-owned regional carrier, gives its pilots top pay of $98,484. Comair will suffer if it continues to be bypassed, said analyst Ray Neidl of Calyon Securities in New York. "They won't go out of business, necessarily, but they'll have limited opportunities for growth," Neidl said. Comair president Fred Buttrell has appealed to the unions by promising expanded business could mean creating hundreds of jobs for pilots, flight attendants and mechanics. Comair also imposed a pay freeze among nonunion employees and 10 percent pay cuts starting Tuesday for Buttrell and other top officers. Comair says it needs cooperation from all its 6,200 employees, not just the pilots. Comair's nearly 400 mechanics rejected a contract proposal last week. No new date has been set to resume those talks. |
I'll Never Vote Yes!
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that article should say what the first year pilots make. its pathetic that alpa wants them to take a pay freeze
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Why bring something up from 3 years ago?
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That's what happens on ready reserves..i like to see how many people bite
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Originally Posted by TristarJS30
(Post 449523)
Why bring something up from 3 years ago?
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Besides, you never know what's going to happen here..maybe they'll try again!
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Andy stop reviving three year old threads full of doom and gloom. :eek:
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Haha, it's just threads that could be relevant now!
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What a load of horse manure.
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Interesting subject though. Delta comes to Comair and says pay cuts are needed, or they will give our airplanes to someone who can operate them cheaper. They can't afford to pay us what we were making. Then we accept the pay cuts and they turn around and give our aircraft to ASA and the like. Look at what ASA employee costs are compared to Comairs. Go figure. Not a stab at ASA, but just another blow from Delta
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Nice to see this glimpse into Comair's recent history...
Originally Posted by SWAjet
(Post 87)
Be first to freeze, Comair pilots told
The Delta subsidiary says that, without mid-contract pay freezes from pilots and flight attendants, it cannot afford to buy up to 35 new jets that management says are needed to win business that is going to its competitors. Even though Comair is owned by Delta Air Lines, Delta recently bypassed Cincinnati-based Comair and awarded a contract for regional flying to Chautauqua Airlines, a low-cost operator. Comair will suffer if it continues to be bypassed, said analyst Ray Neidl of Calyon Securities in New York. "They won't go out of business, necessarily, but they'll have limited opportunities for growth," Neidl said. Comair president Fred Buttrell has appealed to the unions by promising expanded business could mean creating hundreds of jobs for pilots, flight attendants and mechanics.
Originally Posted by fjetter
(Post 449538)
Andy stop reviving three year old threads full of doom and gloom. :eek:
Big Sky, Pinnacle, XJet, and Freedom/Mesa were not yet part of DCI. The doom and gloom was if we voted down the freeze, but the freeze passed (61% to 39% IIRC) so what we have now is best case. Comair management is simply incapable of doing any better. Delta is incapable of keeping promises. Since ALPA stepped up to help the company, we've lost/are losing around 50 planes and 650 pilots, give or take. Hey Vage, tell me again how I can help out? |
Why Andy do you do this?! Resurrect old threads just to scare us. :)
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No scaring involved...it actually is kind of interesting..a then and now
what was promised..and where we are now...i think in this current environment...all pilots need to be privy to this kind of info. You NEVER know when mgmt will ask for more, and this is the kind of stuff that will make someone who's leaning towards voting "yes" to changing their vote to a resounding "no". And it's funny to see people go OMG NO FREAKING WAY ARE YOU SERIOUS, DIDN'T WE JUST TAKE ONE LIKE 2 YEARS AGO?!??!? |
I hope this will be a good lesson for those of us who came on property after the cuts and freezes. Management is trying to get our union to agree to all sort of concessions using the same old argument today that was used back then. Well look at what we got then......Does anyone think it will be different this time around?
To my union representation: Don't give an inch. They already violate our contract by letter and spirit. I'd rather be on the street than see our work rules written by J.O. :mad: |
Originally Posted by Boomer
(Post 449567)
Nice to see this glimpse into Comair's recent history...
At the time we had 165 aircraft and 1850 pilots on the list. Big Sky, Pinnacle, XJet, and Freedom/Mesa were not yet part of DCI. The doom and gloom was if we voted down the freeze, but the freeze passed (61% to 39% IIRC) so what we have now is best case. Comair management is simply incapable of doing any better. Delta is incapable of keeping promises. Since ALPA stepped up to help the company, we've lost/are losing around 50 planes and 650 pilots, give or take. Hey Vage, tell me again how I can help out?
Originally Posted by The Chow
(Post 450130)
I hope this will be a good lesson for those of us who came on property after the cuts and freezes. Management is trying to get our union to agree to all sort of concessions using the same old argument today that was used back then. Well look at what we got then......Does anyone think it will be different this time around?
To my union representation: Don't give an inch. They already violate our contract by letter and spirit. I'd rather be on the street than see our work rules written by J.O. :mad: I for one am counting down the days until the current contract is up and the wrath of the pilot group starts the new negotiations. |
Omggggggggggggggg
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What's up with the necroposting?????:D
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You can always tell when Andy is having a slow morning.
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Why do you resurrect this thread every year?
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My friends from Comair, VOTE NO ON A PAY FREEZE.
I'm a furlough from 11/08. I understand that voting no would mean a much longer furlough period. I DON'T CARE. Do not sacrifice your financial well being, nor your family's comfort on a very long shot of a possibility. There will be no guarantee at all if you were to pass a pay freeze, of any growth at all. All that's going to do is increase their profit margin. People like me will survive, maybe even go to other airlines/places. Do not drink their cool-aid in the hopes/dreams that it may help the furloughs. Actually a revision to my statement, here are a few suggestion to a pay freeze I'd find acceptable: freeze the pay of the top 5-10 % most senior pilots (but increase everyone else's), and stop/cancel any and all "performance" incentives/bonuses to all management teams -salary should be enough for them-. Thank you!. |
Nice play Andy. Mesa sucks..... Oh wait... this isn't FlightInfo.
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Originally Posted by evilboy
(Post 744021)
My friends from Comair, VOTE NO ON A PAY FREEZE.
I'm a furlough from 11/08. I understand that voting no would mean a much longer furlough period. I DON'T CARE. Do not sacrifice your financial well being, nor your family's comfort on a very long shot of a possibility. There will be no guarantee at all if you were to pass a pay freeze, of any growth at all. All that's going to do is increase their profit margin. People like me will survive, maybe even go to other airlines/places. Do not drink their cool-aid in the hopes/dreams that it may help the furloughs. Actually a revision to my statement, here are a few suggestion to a pay freeze I'd find acceptable: freeze the pay of the top 5-10 % most senior pilots (but increase everyone else's), and stop/cancel any and all "performance" incentives/bonuses to all management teams -salary should be enough for them-. Thank you!. |
Mod Note:
Yeah, time to say goodbye to this venerable thread. The original poster would have been so proud of its continued resurrection and interest. |
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