Comair MEC telling the RJDC to "Pack Sand?"

derg

Apparently a "terse" writer
Staff member
Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

I am by far the most outspoken of the 4 voting members of our MEC. I know each
person on our MEC personally and they are good men and women, not one of them
is associated with the RJDC. We have been walking a political tightrope at
Comair for 3 years because of (RJDC President) Dan (Ford); we support Dan's
constitutional right to LEGALLY do anything he has the money and willpower to
do. Do we think he is right? Not really, but we have always told our pilots
that if your actions are legal and just, we have no problem with what you do.

The times have changed, our neutral position has changed because Dan could not
leave well enough alone and pursue his court case while leaving the MEC out of
it. He filed a grievance against the company claiming the same crap; our scope
clause isn't protecting us. Both the MEC and Company looked at Dan and said,
Huh? When we wouldn't support his grievance he turned on the MEC.
JC (Lawson, former CMR MEC Chairman and current ALPA Executive Board member)
threw Dan out of his office back in June and told him not to come back. The
RJDC has ever since been slowly positioning themselves and their supporters in
a manner that has forced the MEC to take a side. Once we did, the fireworks
started. We called in the ALPA big guns at legal and even got DW (Duane
Woerth) to come to our LEC meeting, of course the RJDC claims that was some
sort of master plot against the locals. We are in separate directions, and Dan
is furious. Last week they put up a front man to formally file a motion for
recall of all voting members.

Yes they are trying to hijack the CMR MEC.

Our pilots are on the line, they fly the same routes, same altitudes,
sophisticated aircraft and we are Part 121 airline pilots. But we want to be
equals and we want that strike to mean something, By far the average CMR pilot
has a degree, walks tall and is VERY PROUD, we are just like you guys.
But we do feel like we're pissed on sometimes, so that's where the frustration
comes from. I think we can pull them together (minus the RJDC) and they will
support us. But we need meaningful discussions, and I think we will.
JC talked to John (Malone, I presume) and Bob(?) last night in DC. We are
getting really close here guys.
We are on the brink of finally coming together and working out a plan that just
might do some good for all the parties involved, Delta, ASA, CMR pilots, and
certainly the company.

Actions speak louder than words, and you will shortly be hearing from the CMR
MEC on issues that concern your group. But when it comes out, if the mainline
pilots don't support us and put pressure on your own MEC to help us at ASA/CMR,
then the RJDC will spin it like the Communist Party they are.

Guys, here's the deal. In the past we haven't made headway because of
attitudes and preconceived ideas. Both sides had deal killers, and both sides
wanted the upper hand (and yes, the CMR MEC has made mistakes in the past in
the way we talked with you guys). We have finally agreed that nothing to this
date has worked, so we're throwing everything off the table and saying, let's
talk substance. Lets talk about investment and return, and most importantly
lets talk about what is right for this union and its members. So we don't have
a plan, other than merging ASA/CMR with one list and one contract, our ears and
eyes are open. We're looking to you for guidance and a plan. We have the
utmost respect for a Delta Pilot; we just want that same respect. And that's a
good thing.

For the sake of this union, please help me in starting a grass roots campaign
on your property to get our MEC's together and hammer something out. We get
big wins no matter what.

1. Furloughed pilots off the street
2. Comair/ASA pilots get a choice in their future
3. Delta gets to fly what ever the hell it wants
4. And the grand damn finale, FORD v. ALPA goes into the history books as a
failure.


The minute we ink a legal deal among the 3 groups, that judge is going to tell
Dan, "Sorry, it looks like your union solved its own problems, case dismissed".



[Name omitted because of a lack of permission to repost]
CMR MEC
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

any thought's on this doug? i know let's combine all three list's together
grin.gif
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

I think the Comair MEC is willing to recind their decision on the preferrential hiring of Delta Fuloughees without dropping the seniority. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what it sound like. They want there pilots to be able to move on to Main Line Delta, when things pick up again. I think the CMR pilots have been grumbling to CMR MEC that it might have not have been in the best intrest of the company not to accept Delta's proposal. Maybe Doug has a better take on it.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

Yeah well they are catching hell on the line for that little decision. I was almost denied a Delta jumpseat the other day because the guy thought I was Comair. (I fly for another connection carrier)

Then he sees my wings and says "Oh ok, you are one of the good guys."

The back was full so I needed that jumpseat!
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

As far as I know, there isn't a captain that I know of that would deny a jumpseat to anyone, even Comair.

I'd say only about 25% of the captains know we're being sued! Perhaps even less.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

This was out of SLC to ATL a couple of days ago. Maybe he wouldn't have been denied the jumpseat but I bet he would not have enjoyed that PRETTY LONG flight!

These guys had nothing good to say about comair.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

You can still jump on another carrier? We got a letter from the TSA saying that only our own company pilots can jump on us, we used to jump with all of the freight dogs, but not for the past 2 months since we got the word.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

Technically we are the same carrier in TSA's eyes, since I work for a Delta Connection.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

[ QUOTE ]
You can still jump on another carrier? We got a letter from the TSA saying that only our own company pilots can jump on us, we used to jump with all of the freight dogs, but not for the past 2 months since we got the word.

[/ QUOTE ]

We can take DCI carriers and our own on the Delta jumpseat. If an airline can electronically verify employment, the TSA allows them to take an 'offline' jumpseater.

However, the TSA and the ATA DO NOT WANT TO ALLOW JUMPSEATING so the TSA has made the process as arduous as possible (similar to the FFDO program) and the ATA (basically the airline's union) is saying how many gazillion dollars it's going to cost and are delaying it to the point where the 'test program' reaches the expiration date.

At that date, since there's been no progress or success, the jumpseat stays gone.

Makes me want to pull my hair out.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

You got that right Doug! And sadly, there are TOO MANY airline management types who also hate to see pilots jumpseat. That Selvaggio guy, for one - he told one of our ALPA reps that if he had his way no pilot would ever be allowed on a jump seat except for company business.

If ALPA can do just one thing, I hope they restore the jumpseat (and the rest of the cockpit) back to the captains!

At least they are letting Connection and Express pilots jump on their mainline and vice versa.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

That was the first time I've ever had any trouble with Delta. Usually it's welcome aboard, here's your seat, here's the briefing card heres how to open the door in an emergency do you have any questions we can always use another pair of eyes are you ex-military or ex-navy etc.

I got some grief from a Comair captain once, though.

I'm not clued in to the story with Comair-Delta but there must be something sucky going on.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

[ QUOTE ]

However, the TSA and the ATA DO NOT WANT TO ALLOW JUMPSEATING so the TSA has made the process as arduous as possible (similar to the FFDO program) and the ATA (basically the airline's union) is saying how many gazillion dollars it's going to cost and are delaying it to the point where the 'test program' reaches the expiration date.

.

[/ QUOTE ]

Stupid mil pilot question.....but is that TSAs purview to allow/disallow jumpseat, or is it up to the airline itself?

TSA is trying to sound like they're the first ones to EVER come up with the concept of pilots jumpseating! Not like it's been going on for over a number of decades already!

F%cking MORONS!!!!!!! No wonder I never fly on the airlines anymore.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

Ya know what pisses me off? I saw a TSA official fill out a cockpit jumpseat/fourth FA seat form on SWA yesterday. If the pilots lose jumpseat privileges, then they should, too.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

As far as I know, the feds allowed the TSA authority to shut down the jumpseat program whether or not the airlines wanted to or not.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

The Captain still has the right to refuse the TSA jumpseater. When the memo came out most of the Captains in the lounge said they wouldn't take anybody from the TSA. What came up was that the Captain may not be able to decide who can Jump, they can certainly say who can't.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

[ QUOTE ]
As far as I know, the feds allowed the TSA authority to shut down the jumpseat program whether or not the airlines wanted to or not.



[/ QUOTE ]

So, that makes it for Delta....what.....4 total years that the jumpseat was open?
cool.gif
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

I think we got it in 1996 and the TSA took it away in 2001, so about 5 actually.
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

Hey whatever happened to that trial program that the TSA/FAA was working on? The open jumpseat deal?
 
Re: Comair MEC telling the RJDC to \"Pack Sand?\"

The TSA told the airlines that there would be "startup" costs (compatable equipment to access the new database) and most airlines have not yet decided to cough up the money yet.
 
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