squawkoff

You are correct. However, the email distancing yourselves from that letter was quick and now, after 3 days after the threatening letter from JS, the MEC is still silent. I don't understand your priorities.

MagPBS

I can tell you it's not made up. I talked directly to the Spirit MEC Vice-Chair and was part of the email chain between the Spirit MEC Chair and our own.

There was also a job fair in Chicago recently with Spirit there. And Mesa pilots were asked directly about the letter.

It had impact across a wide range of avenues. Feel free to ask EL about his meeting with the CEO. He was pretty candid about it at the LEC meeting, so I feel safe in mentioning that it happened.

The problem wasn't the message, but the words he chose. The 3 reps have worked out our problems with it and moved on. The follow-up apology has smoothed things over with the other ALPA carriers and they have moved on. All we can hope is HR departments will move on from it here soon.

And with that said, this thread should move on from it also.

MagPBS

1. I'm not the MEC, in any part.
2. It hasn't even been 48 hours since the letter came out.
3. I have no advance knowledge of todays hotline, but I bet it will be in there.

Not to start a fight, but an honest discussion. What would you like them to say about the letter?

deltajuliet

Thank you MagPBS for always keeping this line of communication open. We vent here often about almost everything, and while I think it's generally justified I know in your position it could be easier to just ignore it. So, for not shying from the tough questions, thank you. Everybody here has a lot of respect for you personally even if the union is criticized.

Acknowledge it as a clear and tangible threat against the pilot group during negotiations, consult our ALPA lawyer(s) on if it could warrant legal action, and bring it up often and frequently with the mediator. Furthermore, we can all see that our staffing is being set up to fail by management, and when our operation inevitably starts canceling flights just like Spirit, it should be on record with the mediator that this was a long time coming and not some alleged job action. Management will likely run the same playbook Spirit did, but we can preemptively neutralize that threat by showing A.) They're not properly staffed, B.) They're taking delivery of a dozen new airplanes while they're not properly staffed, and C.) They're now pressuring the pilot group with thinly veiled threats to fly when sick, fatigued, and on days off.

Even if that letter can't legally be construed as a threat, the mediator should be smart enough to see it for what it is.

Out Of Trim

Fair enough. Thanks for the enlightenment.

MagPBS

I'm not speaking from any kind of knowledge, but how do you know it wasn't brought up with the mediator?

And before you say its because we haven't gotten an email about it. I remind you that mediated sessions get handled just like regular negotiating sessions. There's going to be a lot of information that is being dealt with, but can't be publicly discussed.

squawkoff

The thing that bothers me is the MEC was so quick to respond to EL letter but here we are just a little over 48 hours(yes I was wrong about the 3 days) after JS letter and still crickets from the same MEC. Since you had a problem with not what was said but the message in EL letter, I have a problem with the timing of the response from the MEC. I would have been happy with a response time close to that of ELs letter. I noticed an update came out from the MEC and nothing about JS letter.

MagPBS

There were legitimate legal reasons why they had to respond to the LEC hotline the way they did. There's nothing in the company email that warrants the same kind of response.

For that matter, they can't tell you not to do what it says (show up to work and be available) because that would be construed as a potential work action.

I personally don't see the need for anyone in the union to respond to it. It's a typical company email from a company in trouble. They do have a point with regards to being a professional pilot.

If your sick, call out. That's what your suppose to do. But its not professional to use a sick call just because you don't want to do a turn to LBB. Also, if you miss your commute use the commuter clause (that's what it's there for). And god forbid, just deciding not to show up at all is way not the way to work it.

I see scheduled company meetings for pilots in LEC 85. You would be shocked at some of the things pilots have been doing lately that just plain stupid and unprofessional (and no, don't ask for examples because I can't give them).

There's a lot wrong here, but if one wants to be a professional and treated like a professional and paid like a professional. ONE HAS TO BE PROFESSIONAL.

I still have the question out in the open, what exactly do you want the MEC to say about the letter?

squawkoff

No response? How about the veiled threat that if you're not a team player and accept JAs then when a potential future employer calls them you won't be recommended. His exact words were "we are pleased to recommend those in good standing.....Again, please continue to help the Company and then by doing the job you signed up for, and we will do our best to advance your career with Mesa or others in the Industry." IMO that sentence says you play ball with us and and accept JAs and we'll help you. Don't, and we can't make any promises. That sentence there, IMO, absolutely should have a response from the union. I don't think they are allowed by law to give details other than position, dates employed and are they rehirable. No where does it say that I have to fly extra because their pay is so low they're having trouble getting quality candidates. If they gave us more than 11 or 12 days off then I might give them a day or two.

I just don't understand how you personally can see that as a benign letter. Apparently I'm not alone. Actually it made me want to resign when I read it. I don't take kindly to hollow threats.

What do I want them to say? I want them to put out guidance that says what information the company can legally give a future employer about you. What legal remedies you have if you suspect the company violated the law in concerns to personal information. How the union is making sure management is not sabatoging future employer with illegal information. That just because you are met at the jetbridge by someone you are either obligated or not obligated to accept the JA. What punishment by the company is there for not accepting a JA. A refresher on what is a proper notification for a JA. What is a UJA and how long does it stay on your record? What is the code for accepting a JA? That JA stand for Junior available and not junior assignment. How do you know you are actually the junior available? How's that for a start MAGPBS.?

MagPBS

See the March 17th hotline. JA covered right there. How much hand holding do we have to do for our pilots to get them to read the contract and know it?