flapshalfspeed

Hey don't yew be raggin' on mah boy prior121--he got him one o' them fancy degrees from one o' them Yankee "intellectual" establishments, ya'll.

deltajuliet

I've heard a few references and allusions to this from various Captains, but never got the whole story, or at least got different perspectives of it. Would you mind delving into what happened a little?

I know Mesa started Freedom to get around scope and fly 900's for America West, but was told America West pilots felt the Freedom guys to be scabs for flying such a large aircraft. What I don't know much about were the internal politics within the Mesa Air Group subsidiaries or how Freedom affected Mesa's contract.

wt932051

Freedom affected Mesa's contract because JO was putting all the new deliveries of the CRJ 900 over to Freedom, and transferring all of the 50 seat jets from Mesa over to Freedom at a quick rate. This forced us to quickly agree on a contract with language that alter ego airlines were not allowed (scope), and thus was all JO would agree with, because he knew he had the upper hand. Doing this put us way behind the industry in pay and work rules. We became the bottom feeder at Mesa. If we hadn't voted yes, Mesa would not exist today and Freedom would be like GoJets. Scabs.

The pilots that went to Freedom were called scabs because it was a union busting alter ego airline. In the early part of 2000, a CRJ 900 was frowned upon by the major airlines pilots because they were use to 50 seats as the previous limit with a ton of props. That went to 70 and shortly after 86 seats as props went away. So those guys at the majors were not happy when they started getting furloughed and the regionals were growing. When they voted yes on the contract allowing this, they did so for a pay raise, and didn't realize in trade they were giving their jobs to the regionals. It was all new back then. Props use to be the regional airlines. Today it is like normal for 70-86 seat jets at regionals. Now the majors want 100 seat jets at regionals but those same guys at the majors now realize what happened to their jobs from before and won't let that happen again. They are firm with 86 seats and even restrict the number of them. In fact they are so upset, they are actually shrinking the regional industry back down some and getting their pay raise this time. For those of us stabbed in the back, we still remember, but as with time, people forget, tell us to move on, and think it is all ok now. We are where we are today because of the history. It is important to know so it doesn't repeat itself. So it still does matter. It is easy to refuse a jump seat to a GoJet pilot as payback. There are a lot of pilots that still remember and still treat them as scabs. However, it takes a lot more effort for a Freedom A lister to deny, because you would need a master list. So they are getting away for free for backstabbing us while we at Mesa are the ones getting all the blame for being the bottom feeder. BS!

So in summary you don't have to be a scab to be a backstabber. A scab is a union buster, and a backstabber, but a backstabber is someone willing to vote yes on a contract that makes a contract worse to benefit themselves in some way short term. This is what is going on at the regionals now. Most regionals have scope so this is the method the majors are using today. Whipsaw one regional against the other and let the pilots stab each other until the bloodbath is over. This way the majors are getting the cheap contracts they want. We are doing all the work for them. So be very aware of your fellow pilots and band together and vote no to these garbage whipsaw contracts.

The sad thing is places like Comair and Eagle that had good contracts have been picked apart by backstabbers. Mesa did help with Comair's demise because of the contract we had with such cheap pay rates to get scope. This is all thanks to the Freedom A backstabbers for forcing our hand. Once you give management a cheap contract they are going to use it to get more flying. Some of Comair's flying happened to be awarded to us. I felt bad. Comair guys were good dudes. Lifers are not the problem. It has been and always will be backstabbers. If everyone stood up and had contracts like Comair/Eagle did, you could go from FO to a major because the majors would only have those FO's as applicants because the Captain's would be lifers and wouldn't be applying. At least the regionals would be well paid and treated good during your stay. The view of a backstabber is different. They see the lifers as the problem. Won't get out of the way. So they stab them and work for less to get an upgrade eventually bringing down pay across the board. This is why we are getting paid and treated like garbage today. You are paying the dues for those that circumvented the system in their self interest.

I am impressed you are interested in the history. There is hope for pilots yet!

wt932051

Prior121 and Flapshalfspeed...you two seem a bit to close. Do you two bid together to get the same days off? lol J/K!

Kprc1

Those of you that feel "stuck" at Mesa. Try a job fair.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aero-cr...term=eventpage

deltajuliet

Thanks for taking the time, wt. Cheers!

prior121

So now three people who were there have told me at the PHX town hall meeting, JO said 7 more CRJs for AAG.

Sennant

Been there done that (twice now). And will be doing it again. Still "stuck" here

RB211

Whipsaws don't exist because of pilots. They exist in all industries where various corporations compete for contracts. The only way to end the whipsaw is to not work for a company that bids for contracts for its flying. This is also why no pilot should be comfortable as a lifer at a regional. Suppose if you had to be a lifer, Mesa would be a good choice, for no other reason than it being a "survivor".

wt932051

Same here. Unless your a minority, a girl, or a son or daughter of a major airline pilot, you have no chance as a white man right now.