todd1200

A "No" vote may not be justified by some kind of Kumbaya or quid pro quo collectivism; however, I think it could easily be justified by rational self-interest. You won't get a standing ovation as you walk past other regional crews in the airport, and no one is going to refuse to fly airplanes transferred during a bankruptcy, but a year or two down the road, after an unfortunate lateral move, you may find RJ wages a little more livable if you're working under a contract that was negotiated under more favorable conditions instead of a concessionary deal that was influenced by the downward pressure of this TA. No one has a crystal ball, but I would try to take a long-term view and ask myself if the passage of this TA would be, on the whole, beneficial or detrimental to my career in five or ten year's time.

CheckPower

Lets try to break this down. You say, "you may find RJ wages a little more livable if you're working under a contract that was negotiated under more favorable conditions instead of a concessionary deal that was influenced by the downward pressure of this TA."

We (meaning all regionals) are all screwed.

1) The concessionary deal is voted in, the industry suffers.
2) The concessionary deal is voted down, our planes go to the lowest bidder and Delta has made another example of another regional. The industry suffers.

There is no winning this fight for 9E or the industry. Delta win's, checkmate. Another possible winner will be the recipient of our planes. Will anyone look down on them for taking them? I will not. We, the pilots, dont get to make the rules, we just get abused by them.

The favorable conditions are non-existant, we're in bankruptcy.

The downward pressure on the industry will occur regardless if we vote in the TA or not. That is the big picture that seems to have been missed by some of you.

8hourrule

^^^^^^^^^^This.

trip

Delta will have to re-evaluate the hardline stand they have taken in regard to shutting it down if it's a no. The other regionals are not cheaper or "lower bidders". This will likely cost them long term if you call their bluff, just remember they need you to fly those airplanes for street walker wages in order to start reaping the profits.
A modified TA acceptable to the Pinnacle pilot group would be offered before things really go south.

todd1200

You're going to have a hard time getting very many people to believe that refusing paycuts and accepting paycuts will both have the exact same effect on the industry.

CheckPower

I agree with your premise the effects are different but I am not ready to give up my paycheck for you just as you are not willing to give up your paycheck to a furloughed 9E guy or a Comair pilot for that matter.

If you were in our shoes would any of you non-9E No Voters honestly be willing to go on unemployment and food stamps for the good of the industry? Just curious...




You guys still crack me up

CheckPower

Delta has already evaluated both outcomes. If it is a "yes", we get more 900's and the top 800 get to stay employed. If it is a "no" we get shut down. Delta already has a plan in place in the event of a no vote. They put our flying out for bid already to the other regionals that are willing to fly cheaper than us.

Delta doesnt need us. They got at least three other regional carriers that are willing to fly for less than we can, even with this TA. Why is there not more of an uproar about those companies? They are the reason we will all be working for a discount regional in the near future.

Let me pose another question. If you were making $75K to $120K per year, would you be so eager to give that up for the good of the industry. The senior FO's and junior CA's like myself dont make that much but its better than starting over at $18K per year.

Remember, if we get shut down the bulk of our flying will go to a carrier that will fly for less than our concessionary TA. Who is that helping? Not me, not XJT, ASA and Skywest.

There wont be a TA that is acceptable to the pilots. If we vote no and Delta lets us stay in business, the BK judge will allow management to impose this TA on us without any of the benefits this TA provides.

And for what its worth, I think a street walker still makes more than I do. LOL




You guys still crack me up

Sniper

+1



Here's Mesaba flying a plane just last month that was originally Freedom Airlines' plane. Look around your fleet, Pinnacolaba pilots. Every CRJ-900 that ends the registration with "LR" was once Freedom's. "LR" stands for 'Larry Risley', the founder of Mesa Airlines.

Funny thing, all the planes were (still are) owned by Delta, Freedom just operated them. One day, Delta decided they didn't want Freedom flying for them anymore. Delta killed off Freedom in a legal maneuver, and all the Delta owned planes went to another carrier - Mesaba, I believe . Same thing with Commair, just Commair pilots didn't have any other certificate on property that wasn't shackled to Delta to use as a lifeboat (Freedom pilots had Mesa). Now Delta's doing the same thing to Pinnacle/Mesaba/Colgan.

So, if you've flown one of these planes at Mesaba (or will fly one, since you're being told the 900's are staying if the vote is 'yes'), I've got to ask, "where's your commitment?"

---
*this whole post is meant to be in jest to the concept of refusing to fly a perfectly good plane for any labor related reason other than supporting a NMB certified strike

CheckPower

I am commited to keeping as many planes from ending up at the cheapest airline. Im commited to keeping a roof over my families heads and putting food on the table. Im committed to doing everything possible to stay above the poverty line and off of food stamps. Three carriers have submitted bids to fly our planes if the TA is voted down. Those three carriers are willing to fly them significantly cheaper than we can, even with our TA in effect. Hell, even XJT is taking our planes. Everyone in the regionals are culpable in this debacle.

When this TA passes we will be industry average in cost, pay and QOL.

Im not blaming any pilot for flying the planes we lose. That is the nature of the regional business. The pilots dont get to make the rules we just get screwed by them. Its always been this way, always will.

I understand your post was made in jest but, 1900 pilots will soon be out of job. Thats not funny but I appreciate you trying to keep things light hearted during a difficult time. We need all the laughs we can get right now.





You guys still crack me up