J4J Question - Chip

[DakotaHC8]

Cisco,

True, it is sad that such a large portion of the Airways piot force is on furlough, esp. the pilots who have endured a furlough beforehand and/0or have over a decade invested in the organization. I have been furloughed twice myself, and unemployed due to a airline closing so I can understand your situation.

But...

I have to laugh when you claim that the Airways pilots were not able to leverage anything with their contract.

The Airways MEC was able to protect and secure most of the pay and work rules for the majority of it's membership. The US Airways pilots were also able to demand a variety of financial returns for the concessions that they have given. And the Airways MEC was able to force unheard of changes even outside of it's own jurisdiction/authority in the name of furlough relief.

So dont sit there and tell me the Airways MEC has nothing to show for it's efforts just because you yourself have yet to notice anything. Sorry to be cold, but my sympathy runs dry after a certain point.

You see, I'm betting that I have more senority with US Airways Group than you Cisco... I'm real sure many of my coworkers do. But Im looking at a probable downgrade/possible furlough just to make room for junior furloughed pilots like yourself on our property.

Yeah, Jets For Jobs makes it REAL tough for me to agree with you that the Airways MEC has been unable to utilize it's contract language to protect it's interests. Just because you feel lonely and forgotten because of your situation doesnt mean the rest of the world has to revolve around you.

 

[ex-u pilot]

Dakota - From the wording of your post, I gather that you work for one of the WO's of U group.

We are all in the same boat here. I realize that the WO's have been treated like junk yard dogs by the company. ******* stepchildren. You, like us, have had to deal with crappy management for the past 14 years. The only thing that could have possibly changed where we find ourselves today is if our MEC's could have come to some kind of flow through agreement in exchange for letting the WO's fly some RJ's. The problem was and is $$$. Why in the world would U spend $30+ mil on an rj when they can buy new airbus aircraft for not much more? And of course, the WO's had mature contracts for the turboprops, and they would have likely demanded more $$$ for flying the rj's than the MESA's, the CHQ's, and the Trans States of the world. And now, with the BK and the furloughs, a flow through would be a living hell for you guys right now.

You and your comrades have a legitimate *****. But don't ***** at the pilot group of U. We are along for the ride just like you are.

P.S. One of my biggest *****es is that the company, when they did hire 1100 new pilots in the late 90's, only saw fit to hire @ 50 from the WO group. This was to save $$$ on training. Another benefit of belonging to a UNION, huh?

 

[ex-u pilot]

Another thing Dakota. Not one U pilot expects to see you guys furlough in order to get J4J. That is why only 50% of the jobs go to the furloughed guys.

 

[Cisco]

Dakota,

I agree with you that the MEC is leveraging some things with the contract, but they are all the wrong things. They are going to use their own alter-ego carrier (MDA) to put the WO's out of work so that the furloughed mainline guys can fly new RJ's and that is WRONG! You may have more time with U group, but I am betting I have been sailing under the U flag in one form or another long enough to know the whole story.

What has the U pilot group done for me? Well, first they placed me at the first alter-ego carrier which was MetroJet. Lower pay, lesser work rules, which made it an alter-ego but since we paid dues it was OK. Not only did we pay dues, but the MEC secured lots of stock options for us in lieu of pay which were lost when BR was declared. However due to the clout of the mighty U MEC the company re-issued those stock options for distribution by the all knowing and generous MEC. Now, my stock options and those of 1,300 others are going to be given to......you guessed it, the pilots who are currently still flying U aircraft and who really need it and not those losers who were furloughed and would have no use for the income.

Am I bitter? You betcha! Not only did the MEC take mine and hundreds of others stock options but they are now going after my job. Yea, yea, I work for Freedom Airlines scourge of the airlines and deserve to be on the street or even better hung publically for the other devout followers to see. However, if you are a WO pilot, you know that Freedom is a lessor evil than Mesa has been to either U or the WO U-express airlines. There are lots and lots of blue RJ's flying routes formerly flown by U 737's, F-100's and Dash-8's, and are those guys scabs? Is the U MEC threatening them for anything? Nope......

How would over 500 furloughed mainline pilots working for Freedom affect the WO pilots? Would that be good or bad? How about if once Freedom ran through the list of mainline pilots they were to offer preferential employment to the WO guys who are displaced by MDA? Just a thought...

I am not anti-union, I am just anti-hypocryte and that just seems to fit with the practices of the U MEC and that of ALPA national and how they are chasing their tail now that pilots aren't so hard to come by and can't demand unrealistic things and get them in the interests of keeping the fleet in the air. I am for free enterprise. I am for the rights granted us by the constitution which allow us to worship a chosen god, live where we chose, travel freely, and the liberty to choose our profession and who and where we practice our trade. I am a proud American and therefore Freedom is very important to me and most citizens of this country!

My soap box is back under the desk..... Flame away.

 

[us10]

Cisco,


These are unprecedented times in our industry.Black and white has given way to many shades of gray.I for one won't presume to judge you or any furloghed pilot facing impossible choices.We are all first and foremost responsible to provide for ourselves and our family.

Best of luck to you!