Man, I want to take this apart line by line...thanks mach, for putting in a format where I can.
My initial thought...management scare tactic pure and simple. Accusing PCL pilots of whipsawing YOU when its your MANAGEMENT doing the whipsawing. So, let's have a look, shall we?
"The Pinnacle pilots want your flying.
Really, how many jet pilots do you think are chomping at the bit to check out on the mighty SAAB?
Since Pinnacle Airlines Corp. acquired Colgan Air, Inc., ALPA and its member pilots at Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., another subsidiary of our corporate parent, Pinnacle Airlines Corp., have been tirelessly working to get you integrated into ALPA’s pilot membership at Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.
I love the use of half truths. Its not PCL who is working tirelessly, its ALPA National and the guys on YOUR seniority list. Why? Because ALPA wants to be the representing agent for ALL airline pilots. Granted, you could make the argument that we are just looking for you dues. But, as an ALPA pilot, I'm passionate about getting all pilots under the ALPA umbrella. Does that mean Alaska pilots want your flying? Not hardly.
They tried to get you to vote for ALPA last year and you said “No.” They have used the grievance and arbitration process in their contract with Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. to try and force Pinnacle Airlines Corp. to restrict what Colgan can do.
I could be wrong, but I think the PCL pilots are more interested in scope language for general reasons than to limit Colgan flying.
And now they are back again to try and get you to voluntarily give up the independence you now enjoy.
What's your independence worth? Your flight attendents get paid for No Meal Breaks and Security Checks. Are you? That's just a couple of the "bennies" in their contract. You don't have one, so you don't get them.
What is the grand design of ALPA’s Pinnacle pilots? Take a look at the “Parent Agreement” they have proposed in the negotiations with Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. Under the Parent Agreement, ALPA states it is trying to negotiate “job security and work preservation provisions” in connection with its bargaining for a new CBA at Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. The Parent
Agreement would require our corporate parent, like Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., to be bound by the job security and scope provisions of the Pinnacle pilot’s ALPA contract.
Which, by the way is WAY more than you have now.
What does this mean for you? The Parent Agreement would effectively impose the “Pinnacle Pilots’ Seniority List” on you, the Colgan pilots, and integrate Colgan with Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. into a “single transportation system.” In other words, in the world according to the
Pinnacle Pilots and ALPA, Colgan’s new equipment will be flown by pilots on a combined Colgan-Pinnacle pilot’s seniority list.
This is by far the biggest lie in this whole thing. Take a look at AAA/AWA and DAL/NWA if you want to know how seniority list mergers take place. These guys want you to think you're going to get stapled to the bottom of the PCL list and their F/Os are going to come over and take your Capt. seats.
This couldn't be further from the truth. If you are ALPA then your lists will be merged using the ALPA merger/fragmentation policy. Period, end of story. And if you're fair about the whole thing you get a NWA/DAL scenario. A pretty easy transition and a ratioed list.
Do you really want that? Don’t take our word for it, ask ALPA for the language yourself.
Go ahead, look at the merger/fragmentation policy. Then ask yourself who is going to make more headway in a merged/ratioed list. The junior pilots usually do slightly better. And any upgrades have to be awarded by a system seniority bid. Look at it this way. How much chance do YOU have of getting any jet time at Colgan?
And how many PCL jet Captains do you think are just chomping at the bit to take an EWR Q bid or a IAH Saab bid? Get real, boys, this is simply a scare tactic.
If there was an integrated seniority list, who would win bids on your flying, you, or more senior Pinnacle pilots? If you were on an integrated seniority list, who would be better protected in a layoff, you or more senior Pinnacle pilots? Why do you think the Pinnacle pilots have
worked so hard to get you to be ALPA members?
The unspoken threat here is that PCL will staple you to the bottom. It ain't happening, guys. For one thing the law has changed. ALPA merger/frag policy is the rule of law now in ALPA/ALPA mergers. And even if you remain non-Union, the Allegheny-Mohawk LPPs apply BY LAW.
They certainly wouldn’t be pulling out all the stops if they didn’t think it was better for them. Right now, they see you as potential
competitors. They want to eliminate the competition and create more opportunities for themselves.
Of course it will be better for them. It will be better for you as well. What gets eliminated is the ability of the Corporation to whipsaw the two pilot groups against each other. This quote is a prime example of how they do it. They threaten PCL pilots with your non-Union pay/benefits package. And they threaten you with PCL pilots bidding your jobs while YOu get furloughed. Neither will happen if you both have ALPA contracts and ideally if you have the SAME ALPA contract.
The scope proposal also limits Colgan to the aircraft that we have now by tail number with no additional aircraft to be flown by Colgan pilots. What would this do to Colgan First Officer opportunities to upgrade?
Look to your own self-interest. What is better for you and Colgan?
Well, they almost told the truth. What's better for Colgan? A bunch of pilots who are too afraid to stand up for themselves, unionize and get the contract they deserve. That way they can jerk you around as much and as long as they want.
Remember, if you want to vote “No” to ALPA, don’t vote!?
Or, "just stay home, pull the covers over your head and everything will go away."
If this letter doesn't show you Colgan's true colors and piss you off enough to vote ALPA, I weep for you guys. You'll be just another airline where an employee group made up mostly of women has more balls than the pilots.
And that sucks. I know, I work for one.