dosbo

MEH brought a brand to the mix.

How many people actually buy a ticket on Republic Airlines? Is it even possible to buy a ticket on a plane painted in Republic colors? I didn't think so.

pilot124

Lets just say for a minute that RAH didn't enter the picture.
How many people TODAY 12/4/09 would be able to buy a ticket on the brand name Midwest? NONE.

MD80

Give me some facts...

The total costs to restructure and recapitalise Midwest are likely to reach $35 million. From an operating perspective Midwest is currently profitable, says Bedford. But Republic has advised the market that Midwest is likely to "go back into a loss-making situation for the fall and probably January and February, although we don't think it is significantly loss making". Once Midwest finalises its restructuring in early 2010 Bedford predicts: "We're going to be profitable, strongly profitable, in the second quarter of next year and we'll continue to be profitable thereafter."

MaxQ

This reply will probably be a bit of a ramble, and is cetainly far astray from the original thread of RAH recalls.
You are correct, there is far more to a contract than pay, but for the moment I only have pay scales to compare. I also suspect that if contracts were compared to other regionals, you would find them similar.
I agree that F.O. rates are a travesty. My point of the post was that so is almost every other similar airline. (take a look at F.O. rates at Pinnicle for example) I don't think Republic deserves the special bashing they seem to get for theirs.
As to improving it, well, everyone needs to be careful. It was only a few years back that the new Comair contract was being toted as a triumph. Since then Comair has been shrinking and is even rumored to be possibly axed by Delta and its flying given to cheaper carriers. Air Wisconsin has one of the better contracts, but they were dumped by UAL and only a "pay to fly" deal with cash strapped USAir kept them going.
So, what can we do about all this? In the short term, nothing. Either commit idealistic suicide or take what the current system allows. However, in the long term, we have a tool that I think would work.(there may be others, I can't believe I'm the only one who has ideas about this paradox). That tool is National Seniority list. This would give the pilots as a whole some leverage. Close airline A down, then those guys and gals get to go to the newly expanding airline B. Problems with it? I am sure. But it would give us some protection.
The next part of the deal is get 1 or 2 day strikes allowed as they are in Europe. The current system is an all or nothing affair that makes the employees liable to be replaced, or the possible total collapse of the airline itself if the strike lasts more than a short period. This would involve a massive commitment of legislative/regulatory change by all interested unions.
The natl seniorty list will be resisted by entrenched powers. I think this is short sighted. Personal prediction: probably after I am retired, but in my lifetime, there will be no pilots employed by a specific carrier. Pilots will all be working for contract providers(such as many Asian airlines currently do) and their contracts will be subject to transfer and willy-nilly cancelation by airline XYZ. A national list could either stop such events, or at least dictate who goes to what contract. Am I right about this prediction? I hope not, but the current "haves" should think about it before dismissing a national list out of hand. Ok, enough for now. All responders feel free to "cry havoc".

blastoff

duvie

I'm recalling a legal term from Law class in college.... Puffery

Puffery consists of praise so exaggerated, subjective or claims so unsubstantiated that a person should know better than to take it seriously.

YXnot

Timeline for Section 13(b) Alternative Dispute Resolution
Process Using November 3, 2009 Effective Date
DATE SECTION DESCRIPTION
November 13, 2009 §IV(a) Each committee to submit list of
3 acceptable arbitrators /mediators;
RAH to submit list of 3
acceptable arbitrators
November 18, 2009 §IV(b) Conference to select
arbitrator/mediator
November 24, 2009 §I(a) Last date for committees to
request information from RAH
December 3, 2009 §I(a) RAH to produce information
requested 11/24
December 13, 2009 §II(a) Exchange of verified seniority
lists and CBAs
December 18, 2009 §II(b) Exchange of integration
proposals
December 28, 2009 §II(c) Beginning of conferences re
integration
January 12, 2010 §III(a) Any committee may request
mediation
February 11, 2010 §II(f) Any party may invoke arbitration
February 19, 2010 §V(a) Pre-hearing conference
March 12, 2010 §V(b) Hearing begins
May 11, 2010 §V(d) Proposed award
May 31, 2010 §V(e) Final award

I spoke to a furloughed RAH pilot the other day and he knew nothing of this agreed to timetable. Despite his impending recall. He complained about the lack of info from IBT,but I was surprised to find out he was so uninformed.

MEH council 30 keeps us updated weekly via e-mail and on the ALPA site.

Wiscopilot

If he were to take the time to go to the IBT site he would find all this information posted on the front page.

MD80

Republic EXCO will fill all the jobs with furloughed Republic pilots and new hires to help Rev BB cost labor costs.

I just hope the arbitrator sees though the actions of the Teamster Union and Rev BB to bypass the Midwest Pilots labor contract.

"All commercial flight operations (whether revenue, non-revenue, scheduled or non-scheduled) conducted by the Company will be flown by pilots whose names appear on the Midwest Airlines, Inc., Pilot System Seniority List."

mccube5

i believe the old saying you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink is fitting here.