RAH Union Letter to AE MEC Chairman
 

Captain Tony Gutierrez
American Eagle MEC Chairman
Xxx xxx Way- Suite xxx
Xxx, TX xxx

Dear Captain Gutierrez,

On behalf of the Executive Board and all the nearly 3,000 pilots of Teamsters Local 357 representing the pilots of Republic Airways Holdings, I'd like to thank you and your pilots for your strong stance in rejecting your management's latest concessionary demands. We know that this is a difficult time and strongly believe that pattern bargaining amongst all pilots in the industry is crucial to upholding our profession, regardless of what Union we are in and what management we work for.

As you know, the pilots at Republic Airways Holdings, which includes pilots of Republic Airlines, Chautauqua Airlines, and Shuttle America, have been in negotiations since 2007, the last two years in federal mediation, and have gotten nowhere. Yet we continue to insist that RAH negotiate in good faith a contract that rewards our pilots for what we contribute to our Company's profitable bottom line, and not engage in some "race to the bottom" theory that has besieged our industry for the past several decades, the "regional" segment in particular. And I know you and your pilots stance is to be commended, because no doubt what your management attempting to do will be echoed by all managements in the industry if we pilots allow it to continue.

I know that my Negotiating Committee Chairman, Dan Sneddon, consults regularly with Doug Gibbs and we want to continue to coordinate our efforts when it comes to this crucial time confronting both our pilot groups.

So I just wanted to personally take the time to encourage you and your pilots, as I know your fight is our fight as well. Holding the line is holding the line for all of us at Republic, too! Thanks for all you do, Tony, and if there's anything you need from us here at Local 357 and our Republic and Frontier pilots, just let me know. We support you and stand at the ready.

In Unity,

Craig Moffatt
Executive Board President- IBT Local 357
317-xxx-xxxx

RAH Union Letter to AE MEC Chairman
 

And we look forward to taking more of your flying in the future. Sincerely yours.

Took the words out of my mouth!

AA management takes flying away, not rah pilots. No pilot group takes flying away, management farms it out to get one to low ball and then squeeze the rest. Anger or disgust should be directed to management not pilot groups.

So if 200 of your pilots at you regional realized your flying was farmed out to X regional, and left to go do it, that wouldn't be there fault? Only managements fault that pilots left your airline because they wanted to fly another airlines big jets?

Whatever helps you sleep at night. Another classy move by the IBT. Put real Eagle pilots on the street then thank them for the opportunity to transfer the jobs to Repugnant.

I think that all that is being said here is, management teams are the powers that accept or decline flying. Unions can make it easier for management teams to add or remove flying by voluntarily ratifying concessionary contracts because they fear that their jobs are at risk. I applaud Eagle's MEC for taking a stance that others have failed to take! It's nice to see that the EXCO for Local 357 has pledged solidarity with their fellow pilot brothers and sisters. We need more of this! IMHO, ALL MECs and EXCOs should embrace and support (publicly) what the Eagle MEC has done. The race to the bottom has to stop!!!

Nice letter, but wrong recipient. Moffatt apparently has no clue he congratulated the very guy who spearheaded the "B-scale" behind the scenes at Eagle and the only thing that stopped him (this time) was lack of agreement by a sufficient number of MEC members.

Moffatt's cozying up to the worst guy possible regarding this issue.

You have a valid point, but we have to look beyond whom he addressed the letter. In my eyes he addressed the letter to the MEC chairman, not necessarily Tony. In my eyes he was addressing the Eagle pilots and I am sure he is not naive to know Tony's history and the fat that he will be gone in less than two weeks.

Of course he references Eagle pilots and they DID have a hand in influencing their reps in opposition to Gutierrez's beliefs, but he shouldn't have included Gutierrez in any way if he truly knew the facts. If his contact in the future is Gutierrez, that isn't much benefit to Eagle pilots per se. I understand Gutierrez only has a limited time in office, so hopefully whenever the next significant issue for all concerned arises requiring collaboration, it won't be Gutierrez or any of his sidekicks involved with mapping this pilot groups or the regional industries future.

I agree with you as far as Tony, but when you are trying to unify a front you can't just bypass Tony. This the politically correct way of contacting Eagle, on that note by sending this to Tony he forced his hand. This letter didn't leak because Tony made it available. He did it correctly in my eyes and gave Tony the opportunity, if he choses not to then the LECs will force Tony just as they have for the last couple of week. But outside of the politically correctness, I am there with you. Tony is just a figurehead but he has no doing in all of this. It's actually a fitting way for him to finish hie term.

And the troll makes an appearance! Say cheese!

Your not doing enough...
 

I applaud your labor group leader's attempt at Unity. However, the actions of your labor group do not mirror this attempt at regional pilot unity. I understand that your labor group has voted for a strike and that the mediator has not released you into the appropriate avenues with regards to the Railway Labor Act. Your labor group has not given your management any motivation to return to the bargaining table or take your labor group seriously. Your airline obviously still operates within the acceptable parameters of the agreements with all your major airline customers that none of these contracts have attempted to be cancelled by said customers. Your on time performance is obviously still acceptable to the Department of Transportation because your airline is not having massive fines levied against it for terrible operational performance. My point is, your entire labor group has the tools available to force your management back to the bargaining table. Either do to apathy or fear of retribution your labor group lacks the wherewithal to utilize those tools as leverage to force your management to negotiate a reasonable industry leading contract for your pilot group.

I want your labor group to have the same protections and guarantees that I have in my labor contract. I would actually rather see your pilot group awarded with a better contract, one that is industry-leading. You have declared your intentions, if you truly wish to receive support from your regional brothers and sisters and no longer be considered the "Bottom Feeders," of the regional airline industry... It is imperative that your labor group take action now.

Agreed, well said!

Don't say "take action now". Be specific in what u want the RAH pilot group to do. I'm popping my corn getting ready for your proposal.:rolleyes:

Do what the AA pilots just did. Do your job and only your job. Doesn't seem that difficult to me.

Political niceties.

Tell me maybe I am wrong but didn't Craig Moffet get fired from RAH about a couple of months ago. What gives? Did they rehire him back or what. I must have been out of the loop here. Thanks for the info!

Can't believe he's still involved here. Talk about nuts.

No, the Muffin Man is still fired. He's still our Union president while things get settled in a dispute the Union filed for him. Meanwhile he has been spending his time in DC meeting with senators that oversee the appropriations for the NMB. Our pilot group has written letters to key senators and congressmen. Due to the sheer volume of letters some of these people took notice and actually invited Moffatt and our pilot group to meet in DC. Union has helped get several of our members on the hill and from what I hear they have managed to get support for a bipartisan agreement to help change language that requires the NMB to do its job. I have no clue what will come of it, but lo and behold all of a sudden the NMB and our mediator scheduled talks for Aug. 6-7 after we were put on ice several months ago. In the meantime I'll continue to write emails and if I have time go to DC.

As far as our group taking a page from AA pilots I couldn't agree more. There are many of us doing our jobs and only our jobs as safely as we can. We need everyone on board. I don't get why this pilot group is so divided.... Then again, there is a lack of leadership from a lot of the CA here who do everything to get out on time, including releasing the brake without following SOP in order to get on the clock to make a few extra minutes a leg.

Ahh the arrogance of the once mighty Eagle pilot. Scared?

Hmmm. Doesn't eagle fly airplanes for American Airlines? They fact that you fly 70+ seat aircraft for mainline means that you haven't contributed to the continued degradation of mainline pilot positions... Congrats on being the toughest fifth grader on the playground. The entire regional market is predicated upon flying aircraft cheaper than mainline. It would be cheaper to fly these routes in-house otherwise. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Mainline still views Eagle as ...... well a regional.... Just like Republic

This is true of XJT/ASA and all of Skywest, and every other regional out there that is staffed with the non-scabs that are trying to earn jobs that keep disappearing every time a union group at a major is in a position to either protect its scope or its pensions. Every union group, at every major has given up scope on every contract in the last several rounds of negotiation, in exchange for protections of the lifestyles of those already on property. The big beef most of us "RJ" pilots have with ALPA and your throwing of stones is that our union dues go to the same pot as yours, and we keep getting thrown under the bus. There is no question that pilot on pilot whinging is a waste of effort and time, and I want to avoid that, but before mainline pilots earning living wages start denigrating all of us trike driving babies, maybe a quick mirror check as to who has power on scope clauses is called for. I know that I am willing to lose my job, before I will take (any more) concessions... were Delta, or United pilots (as regards scope, the issue at hand for this conversation)? Absolutely not! Is the new and improved America West aka 'Merican going to "stand strong" and refuse to have anything bigger than 50 seats flown by us poor bottom feeders? of course not...

That being said, before mainline guys accuse RJ pilots of ruining the industry, remember where the power lies, and remember that RJ pilots would all love to be living under a mainline contract, but we can't because majors keep giving up scope, to protect the lifestyles of those already on property...

my 2 cents, from the bottom looking up (for over a decade now...)

Eagle don't fly airplanes larger than 65 seats, just saying!!!

I agree with you, all pilots have contributed to the problem, from the mainline guys letting the airplanes be outsourced, to regional pilots at all levels and the ones that don't care how much they are paid as long as they get to fly a large rj and upgrade faster.

And with engines under the wings.

Itll happen for you too man. :)

Because everyone knows that planes with engines in the front or back are for babies. Engines under the wings are for the better pilots - don't be hat'in... :-/

whoever started the engines under the wings stuff should be given some kind of medal because these tools just cant drop it, pathetic. its cool that you probably are one of the several clowns on here that took the dive a couple years back and now think you're in a position to critcize those that have to do the same. funny how that works, keep it up

Whoever started it, I love them. Sure does make you mad.

haha awesome rant!! I agree with you. The only "throwing stones" was in reference to the "it's republic's fault". I wish eagle and republic the best with the rough road that lies ahead. Management is sure there is some blood in that rock if they keep squeezing. I also served a dime at the regionals. The point I was trying to make is that any time a company believes they have a "cost effective" decision that will create a competitive advantage spreads throughout the competition (eg scope clause @ mainline). The regional airlines are also playing the competitive advantage game. No pilot career receives benefits from this struggle. That cat was let out of the bag a long time ago... Good luck to all of us trying to put it back in.

Looks like I missed yer point... and yup! I agree that it is too late to go back (and become a plumber like my dad told me to). In the end though, I will continue to climb on my soap box every time I hear the pilot on pilot domestic violence. While everyone knows my company is better than all of yours, I don't feel the need to beat other pilots over the head with that fact (hey, where is that "tongue in cheek" smiley?). I can't stand my ALPA, but I am aware of the fact that with or without those bozos who are so well paid to not fly, we line jokers need to not beat each other up. I am loving some of the great posts in the UAL/CAL merger folder, where people from both sides are telling the few vocal idiots on both sides that we need to all stand strong together.

The only thing left for me at my current position is that I still enjoy the time from "flight deck door locked" to "After Landing checklist". If we are jerks to each other, management will have taken that away as well.


Or... if I weren't so verbose, I could have just said...
Hey, can't we all jus' get along?

hahah exactly

Repeating what was posted on another site, but worth repeating; I really believe the pivotal labor battle is shaping up to be at RAH and their next contract which seems to be coming to a head. AND they seem to have pretty established agreements and job security for flying well into the future they don't have to buy with concessions.

What happens there will have repercussions throughout the whole "regional" industry, either resetting and repairing the damage done at Pinnacle, or firmly entrenching it. Every regional pilot has an interest in making RAH an industry leading pilot compensation and work rule contract.

These guys need our support, because the stage is being set such that everyone in this industry will sink or swim, slave wages or fair wages, depending how it goes down there.

I have been taking action for a long time. I taxi how the AIM tells me. I write up anything even at out stations and on go home day. I won't drop the brake until in communication with ramp. Will only call in range once. If they don't answer not my problem. I never call for ramp agents or jet bridge driver. I will just sit there until someone shows up. I run APU more than allowed.

Just letting you know some of us are doing our part and more are joining everyday.

Also I am voting NO on anything shoved in my face that is not industry leading.

You are delusional.

You think this is actually going to help your cause? Doubtful. Your attitude and actions are pathetic. Do you go home and brag to your friends and family about how you screwed hundreds of passengers over the past 4 days of work? That's who you are really hurting. Executive management doesn't give two sh1ts about your personal slow down. Do you not have any sense of morality or professionalism? With an attitude like this, you deserve to stay at a regional. You are a child.

You are never going to get something that is "industry leading." Do you live in a cave or just prefer to ignore the environment in which you operate? Republic is going to get a 9E type contract. Look at the industry around you; not the fantasy one you have created in you head.

Sorry no fantasy in my head like you think. I can vote NO on anything I want so if a contract does not live up to what I expect it to be than it will be a BIG NO!

Also I am not creating a slow down. Everything I am doing other than Running the APU is completely by my SOP so I am being a safe captain. If you don't like me being safe than that is your own opinion. That's not my fault following my SOP causes delays on pax.

V.

Which is it? We're either scabbing wusses who won't put up a fight, or pathetic whining babies. We just can't win in the eyes of our peers. I guess I'll just continue to cover my a$$ & fly by the book.

With the IBT clown show running rampant, there is simply no way there will be anything close to an industry leading contract. RAH pilots should just accept the fact the IBT has lost and the only way to get any sort of contract improvement is to get hired somewhere else. :cool:

Good advice for rah and eagle pilots-oh and anyone else at a regional.

AKA--"Highest Degree of Care" and if there is enough participation the message will be received.