Pinnacle is done; let's bow out with dignity.
 

Before reading further, let me say that I have quite a stake in this fight, and a lot riding on the future of this company.
Today's MEC letter made it clear both sides (company/union) are desperate to complete a TA. It will leave no one surprised when this TA is presented to the pilot group for voting consisting of substandard wages and work rules. The letter consisted of time-tested scare tactics bent on persuading the 9E pilot group to 'vote yes or else'.
Enough is enough.
Delta has already made its decision on the future of the DCI fleet structure, i.e., Pinnacle's fleet breakdown has been decided, independent of the outcome of a TA. We may have 100 or ZERO aircraft by 2014. Delta and Pinnacle management are hedging their bet that we will be scared into voting yes.
Let's do something this industry desperately needs by telling Pinnacle (and Delta) management to go stick concessions up their derrieres. I AM SICK AND TIRED of the state of this industry. I'd rather see Pinnacle pilots be remembered for having a pair of brass than to have handed them over to a bunch of suits.

Well said. Short term pain for long term gain. Agreeing to concessions will just see a worse deal for all of us in the long run. You guys have a lot of power to make things better for regional pilots countrywide right now. If you cave in and take concessions we'll all be fighting an uphill battle.

I really hope it works out ok for you all. After the news today it sounds pretty bad.

I also think you are 100% correct that the fleet for DCI has already been decided. I doubt this scare tactic by your managment will buy the company more than a few months.

PM me if you are interested in coming to XJT.

Is pride going to my bills and insure my family. I would rather leave on my terms. And for those that want this place to burn just quit and let me be in charge of my own destiny.

While we are at it everyone that works a for a regional should turn in their letter of resignation. And everyone that flys for less then Delta and Southwest pay should quit too. You are all lowering the standard for pay and work rules.

I would gladly shut this place down if I believed it would help. But It will not help the industry as a whole. It will "help" specific companies that pick up the flying but will not raise pay. It will Help those pilots because thay can now see movement at their company. Instead of telling us to burn it down to help the industry. How about the pilots at the companies that have sub pinnacle pay all quit today. That would help. You guys work for a sub par contract when you are not even in BK or have not gone through one. Shall we list a few of the places that should all quit based on work rules and pay that is less the 9e: TSA, Compass, GoJets, PSA, Piedmont, Mesa, Republic......

You are all quick to say this will help the industry by saying we will not take pay cuts any more. But how will 2000 pilots out on the street help raise pay. We will only be adding 2000 pilots to other crappy companies at year 1 pay. That will sure show management. Have a full seniority reset vs taking pay cuts.

I hate to see what is happening at 9E, it turn out to be a good shelter for me after 9/11 and I met many outstanding professionals there while I served as a line trainer, I wish you all the best.

Believe me when I tell you that I have the same problems you do. If you don't think the same type of problems facing Pinnacle won't follow you for your entire airline career, then you misunderstand the industy.

Exactly!! I have not followed lately but look at what happened at hostess. Dont forget there are 2000 pilots but there are also many other employees that count on pay checks from pinnacle.

Will mainline pilots see our stand and be inspired to take their own stand on scope; That's all that matters. GoJets has a much worse contract than the 9E 1113(c) term sheet.

All the more reason to be mad at Delta. How many companies rely on Pinnacle?

I didnt say companies i said other employee groups.

Ummm...have you actually READ the GoJet contract; because you are dead wrong. It's not stellar but it's NOTHING compared to what is being offered to you.

No, sorry to say it won't. Those are the cold hard facts. But the alternative is being a puppet in a play between DL mgmt and DALPA. Personally, I'm sick of it. DALPA sold all ALPA regionals out with their latest contract. [I hope one of them doesn't come on here and with violins playing tells me how this is *all* so good for the industry. Spare me - it was their own wallets that they were concerned with.]
The writing is on the wall for Pinnacle. There is nothing that can be done. Take the TA and see your company go bust anyhow. That is what is going to happen. DAL can give any of it's flying now to the non-union, substandard QOL airlines that are out there. And you can sure bet that is what the intend to do. DAL pilots got a pay raise, that means everyone else needs to take pay cut. How does that happen with ALPA regional carriers - get rid of ALPA regional carriers. Pinnacle is next.
It sucks no matter how you look at it. You will have to find a way to provide for your family. All of us Comair folks are doing it. It'll be rough for most, but you'll make it.

Very true.. actually "Republic" started the downward spiral when they purchased the assets of MidAtlantic from USAirways and told all the mainline crews they will get "preferential treatment" in the interview process.

All those nice NxxxMD planes were once flown by a mainline captain and mainline copilot staffed with two USAirways mainline flight attendants. The only thing "Express" about this plane was the paint on the side and the folks working below wing.

Just because I support the RAH guys in their endeavor through rahcontractnow.org does not mean I work for them. Try again.

As have I but I've never appreciated arrogant people like yourself spouting uselessness comments on anonymous boards. Your comments don't make you any better than the person you're talking to. How about make yourself useful and maybe give suggestions, how about companies that are hiring or someone you know looking for employees. There are multiple ways of approaching the conflict and your way is just a butt way of doing it.

What most who want to give in and take concessions are not understanding is that the decisions have already been made. You may think that there is a chance by giving in to the company that there is hope that you'll keep your job, but you won't. Our fate has already been set. The only thing you'll accomplish by being frightened by this scare tactic is cutting your own pay before they show you the door. You can either A) keep what you have until a judge takes it away and we close down, or B) voluntarily give it up and we close down anyway. Either way, the doors will be closing. Don't be naive.

I'm not disputing your post, I'm simply expanding the implications.

Some might say that if you support RAH then you are part of the problem. Some might also say that RAH has become a cancer in the airline industry. Why the support for RAH if you don't work for them?

I do apologize. I do not keep track of everyone and where they work. How ever if yo do not work for Delta, Southwest or a few others that statement still rings true. People could support that United is holding back Delta and their negations. I would never tell United pilots to burn it down. I just do not believe that if we turn the contract down if it will help the industry. Someone else will take the flying for a lower cost. And now everyone has lost their seniority/longevity. The comair shut down has not helped the industry raise pay. Why would Shutting down Pinnacle do anything. I will make more under what the unions last offer was then if i go start over at skywest or any other regional. To tell you the truth if me making a decision on what is best for my family then I will be a selfish prick.

Provide some facts to support that babble. Tell us how the contract specifically hosed ALPA regionals. There is NOTHING in the most recent DAL pilots contract specific to ALPA regionals. DALPA has no control over the DCI shuffle game. Give me a specific example of a pilot group that does control that.

My current monthly pay under the three contracts:
9E now: $6393.75
9E term sheet: $5847.75
GoJet: $5460.00

Gojet is worse in every way, sorry.

Dont feed into Meesq. I have pity for 9e folks. I hate their mngmt with a passion. A Larry Risely or Ornstein type mngmt breeds this ignorance and hatred.

As for Meesq, he is lucky for D/N ALPA. Without D/N ALPA, Pinnacle woud have never existed in the first place. What this Meesq seems to forget is that shiny RJ he flies was a direct job transfered to him from a mainline pilot that got furloughed.

Meesq never paid his dues, he just was lucky enough to get hired a lowbidding and growing airline like Pinnacle, while his Mainline counterparts were getting sacked.

TEN

Mainline pilots got furloughed so you can fly a shiny jet for substandard wages, never forget that.

TEN

You can place the blame where you want however you hit the nail right on the head, without Delta/NW there never would have been a Pinnacle in the first place. Pinnacle pilots would have gone straight to Delta/NW or other career carries and this mess would have never happened. It is what it is now and it would be nice if ALPA could come up to some solution to the race to the bottom. What kind of backwards world do we live in where experience in the cockpit is a liability?

Good post.

This is not limited to aviation. It's business, & it sucks. Outsourcing to the lowest labor cost to maximize profit is a cancer that exists in many, many occupations.

What the heck are you smoking?

My point was that it doesn't matter what happens at Pinnacle, not one bit. Sad but true.....

That's a scab like mentality if I ever saw one...

You gotta look beyond pay rates! I can't believe this has to be explained to pilots. Your paycheck is not a reflection of your hourly rate. It's a reflection of work rules. You can work min days off a month, 16 hour duty days, every day and the figures above won't reflect any different. However, I guarantee your QOL will...

he sure is trying to take care of his family. His company is not on strike but he must be a scab because he thinks bout his family. Dont throw out the scab term so lightly. Someone that is willing to take a low paying job or pay cut at a company that is not on strike or not flying struck work is no where near being a scab.

I would rather leave on my terms as well, and my terms include keeping my pride.

We both will have a vote on a TA. Assuming significant concessions, my vote will be 'no.'

I agree on on this. He's not flying struck work, nor did he say he would. If he wants to leave and opt for something better, that's his deal.

Delta pilots were some of the first to sell out scope years ago, this is when "commuters" spawned into "regionals". Just imagine what life would be like if those pilots wouldn't have voted to sell out the bottom half of the seniority list and future pilots...

Now is the endgame and after ALPA tries to force feed us some BULLCRAP agreement in the next few days, the fate of all up and coming pilots and other regionals will be in the hands of the Pinnacle pilots. Unlike the Delta pilots of years ago, I will vote to restore this once cherished career. Hopefully, over 51% of 9E pilots will realize this is a very old and wounded dog that needs to be poisoned with lead.

Real easy to cast dispersions from the right seat of your ERJ. Which is ironic because you work for one of 4 companies

1. Eagle (Voted on concessions)
2. XJT (Voted on concessions)
3. Republic which basically match the above
4. TSA

Someone gets it...

I hate to say it, but I agree. Don't know how I will pay my bills or how I'll explain to my son why I'm not flying anymore, but at some point, enough is enough.

How crazy would it be if they voted on 12/21. :/