How's is this going to show other regionals what happens when you don't play ball with delta? Most other regionals AREN'T heavily dependent on Delta or have Delta pulling the strings.

 

To clarify, I was referring to regionals who are dependent upon Delta. Compass, ASA, Skywest, GoJet, etc. Frankly, there aren't a whole lot of regionals who don't have at least some dependence on Delta. DAL's DCI "portfolio" concept spread the flying around to just about everyone except the USAirways wholly owneds.

 

Agreed......

 

You mean the paycut that I will take anyway because the company can just refile the 1113 if we vote no?

Yes management has said they have no plans to refile, lets gamble and see if their plans change if we vote this TA down.

Delta already has plans in place to give our flying away if we vote this down. Our company will be wound down and EVERYONE will be furloughed with ZERO benefits if we vote this down. There is no bluff to call, no one is bluffing. We are not dealing with Pinnacle management, we are dealing with Delta.

At least if we vote this in if you get furloughed you will have some benefits.

However you plan to vote, don't let these people who work at OTHER regional's that have something to gain by OUR company going out of business sway your vote one way or the other. Get informed, talk to your reps and vote based on how this effects YOU, not everyone at other airlines.

 

Why would any FO pass this TA?

The majority of FOs stand to get a $4-6k payout from the "bonus" (while seniors get 26k, mind you). Payrates will go from 43-45/hr for 5-6th year to 37.xx topped out. Most FOs stand to lose a lot more than 6 grand over the next 1.5 years. They've already announced only 150 furloughs for 2013, which means most FOs will work at 37.xx hr for the future. How is that worth it? You'd be better off going to Air Wis or ASA and getting 37+/hr 2nd year pay. The bonus money received is just a bribe to get the junior pilots to sign on the TA. Losing money from 45/hr to 37/hr for the foreseeable future is losing a lot more than 6 grand. The bonus money doesn't come close to what you lose from your current CBA rate. The majority of FOs won't be furloughed until 2014 or 2015. 6 grand doesn't mean crap when you lose 7/hr for the next two years until furlough. All this TA is just an attempt at saving the senior side. A 20-26k severence payout, a Delta flow interview that only CAs are qualified for. As a RJ FO (which is at least half the pilot group), where is the next move? Exit the industry, go for a corp/91 gig, another regional or a major/LCC. Among the majors/LCC, only Spirit is hiring right now. Almost all regionals are hiring. For those who want to stay in the industry, most RJ FOs are looking at starting over at another regional. Why vote pay cuts voluntarily now, if you are considering applying to another regional? It's just going to set the new bottom that the next regional employer will use as the standard. I'm not telling others how to vote, I just don't see how this TA is even worth passing.

 

One of the arguments I've heard from the "yes" voters is that the company will just refile the 1113(c) and force it down our throats anyway. This goes against what the company has publicly stated. The company has stated that they do not intend to refile the 1113. They have also stated that we would be wound down, and the only question then is over the time frame.

It doesn't seem likely to me that the company would bother with wasting time trying to cut our costs by force when we are certainly getting shut down by Delta. What would be their justification, if the company has a termination date regardless of cost? How could a judge justify imposing draconian cuts, when doing so will not extend the life of the company? The judge does have discretion, but he needs a foundation to stand on.

 

I completely agree. ANYONE that doesn't work for 9E doesn't have a dog in this fight and shouldn't be telling any of us here how to vote.

The vast majority of us have families to take care of and bills to pay. NO ONE else has any right to tell our pilots here how to vote.

If we vote no, Delta goes to the next carrier and does the EXACT same thing. If we vote yes, Delta goes to the next carrier and does the EXACT same thing.

I'm tired of hearing "take one for the team." News flash: it's not going to make ANY difference one way or the other. The ONLY difference is that one way most of us get to keep our jobs for at least another year, and if we choose to quit we still get a bonus check and say "deuces.". If we get furloughed we still get a bonus check, plus vacation AND sick time paid out, and guarantee pay for either 1 or 3 months AND flight benefits.

The other way we are ALL on the street in about a year with jack and either finding a new job in a new industry or starting over at first year pay at the next regional on Delta's list. That is unless you go to an only USAir code share.

Vote how you feel is right for yourself and your family, but for God's sake don't listen to anyone else from outside this pilot group that is saying "take one for the team. Don't make the industry worse for the rest of us." If you feel this TA isn't worth it, vote no. If you feel it's worth it to stick around and try to keep your job afloat, vote yes.

 

I completely agree that anyone who doesn't work there should not be telling others how to vote. I will say tho, that to say it won't affect contracts in the future is false. We have been in negotiations for years at XJT and our team has completed stopped negotiating pending the results of this vote. If it wasn't going to affect the industry, I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be a need to completely stop negotiating until these results are in. Those words came straight from the union. Just my .02

 

Actually they do have a dog in the fight. You can bet that ASA/XJT will be looking very closely at this Pinnacle TA situation and if (when) it passes, they will then have a new cieling. But no one is forcing you to vote yes or no, that's your choice.

 

The only way to stop a bully is to fight back. My nose will be bloodied, but maybe the bully will think twice next time.