LOW FUEL

Mass Pilot Exodus, Low Morale Cause Concern for Mesa Pilot Leadership
Friday August 3, 1:30 pm ET


PHOENIX, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Mesa Air Group (Nasdaq: MESA - News) pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l, put up billboards across the country this week calling on the carriers to address pilot staffing and morale issues that are reaching critical levels and negatively impacting Mesa operations. Mesa Air Group pilots fly as Delta Connection, US Airways Express, United Express, Go Airlines and Mesa Airlines.
Mesa management's unwillingness to follow the pilots' contract has caused a mass exodus of skilled pilots making unprecedented lateral moves to other regional carriers. So far this year, nearly 400 pilots have left Mesa Air Group, creating pilot shortages which, among other things, have led to flight delays and cancellations.

"Our airline has been bleeding pilots for many months but unfortunately management has been unwilling to make any significant changes to retain the kind of skilled, professional crews that are needed to service our numerous operations," said Captain Michael Jayson, a 14-year employee and chairman of the ALPA unit at Mesa.

With increasingly low morale and unrest within the pilot group, union leaders are publicly expressing their growing concerns about the long-term viability of Mesa Air Group via billboards in its major hub cities and near corporate headquarters in Phoenix. With the following message appearing in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Phoenix, the Mesa pilots hope that management will take their concerns seriously and work with them on solutions for attracting and retaining their professional pilot force.


"Low Morale, Pilot Exodus, Disgruntled Labor
Mesa Management, Give Your Pilots a Reason to Stay."
Mesa's current pilot contract becomes amendable in mid-September of this year. Many Mesa pilots are leaving the company to accept similar pilot positions at other so-called "regional" airlines, most of which have higher pay, better benefits and superior pilot work rules. Ironically, Mesa management's refusal to simply follow the provisions outlined within the current contract is a source of on-going frustration for the Mesa pilot group. As a result, the union leadership has spent countless hours investigating and pursuing every legal opportunity available to ensure Mesa management complies with the contract. For months, the pilot union leadership has warned Mesa management that on-going contract violations, combined with the attraction of better pay and working conditions at Mesa's competitors, will continue to drive pilot attrition and discourage new pilots from joining Mesa's operation.

IronWalt

"Low Morale, Pilot Exodus, Disgruntled Labor
Mesa Management, Give Your Pilots a Reason to Stay."

They ACCEPTED the Crappy pay and Crappy working conditions and yet:

"THEY CAN"T ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BEING ONE OF TWO PARTIES TO SIGN THE CONTRACT"

Now they waste pilots dues by tossing up their whining messages on billboards.

Do you wonder why this career field is in the trash???

MudPupppy

I think part of the problem is the company is not even abiding the terms of the contract that is very much in the companies favor.

rickair7777

Well actually the big problem over at MAG is wholesale NON-COMPLIANCE with the pilot contract (and anybody else's contract).

They don't even come close to complying with the spirit or the letter. The corporate culture over there really is Kathleen' point of view: "Take Whatever You can Grab!" (Bonus points if you understand the reference )

Those people do not deserve honest compliance on the part of the pilots.

I'm sure YOUR contract has a minimum number of days off...how would you like to get exactly that many days off for the forseeable future (and that's before you subtract several junior-man days each month).

If you haven't been there recently, you probably can't understand it.

ghilis101

can someone post a picture of that billboard that alpa put up

Pantera

go to the alpa website it is on there

samdog

The Mesa pilots accepted their crappy contract in exchange for getting Freedom back in-house from that piece of sh#t J.O. They took one on the chin, and should be nothing but respected (except for the A-listers). I understand their contract becomes ammendable this fall, should be interesting....

LOW FUEL

Thank you!!

skyknight

I hope it works out for them, but don't forget the ASA guys are coming up on their 5 year anniversary of contract negotiations. Don't expect things to get any better soon.

BoilerUP

Everybody likes to bag on Mesa pilots for accepting "a sh!tty contract for growth" but not many people know the circumstances surrounding the contract they ultimately ratified.

Only thing worse than an ignorant pilot is an ignorant pilot that isn't willing to learn...