Future Colgan Payrates

Toonces

Well-Known Member
What kind of pay increases is the Colgan MEC trying to get? What is to stop them from dragging out negotiations for years like Pinnacle?
 
Well there Rob, it was a sincere question. Thanks for the timely and informative response.
 
What kind of pay increases is the Colgan MEC trying to get? What is to stop them from dragging out negotiations for years like Pinnacle?


When I worked there, I was told that the goal was a modest, respectable pay increase, as well as improvements in several other key areas.

The immediate goal was to get a contract in place because of the wide range of issues that having something in writing would address.

You're right, though- what's to stop management from dragging its feet? Not much, from what we can do as pilots. What we CAN do is lobby Washington to help change the laws regarding negotiation.

The political climate and our industry are both at a huge turning point. Turning it around will take a large amount of collective effort... and a little time.

Patience, diligence, and attention to detail are our biggest assets right now.
 
Our MEC is temporary right now. After July we will have our permanent MEC and the ball will begin to roll (not that it hasnt already, Seggy is awesome.)

The union is going to put out a questionnaire on what we want, and I think youll find that work rules and QOL to be a big thing. Pay isnt just your hourly rate, its the rules that build up your pay. I flew with a street captain who came from eagle who said that he was paid more as an FO than he was as a CA at CJC simply because of the work rules.

If we can get things like holiday pay, working under minimum day pay, better reserve credit, 100% deadhead, 100% hot reserve etc, then our pay will go up.
 
rob is 100% right. I've read a lot of regional airline contracts / working agreements. Horizon has GREAT pay rates but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see other people gross more based on their work rules and soft pay.

I'd suggest you guys work on duty rigs and minimum daily credit. Thats what I wish my MEC had negotiated for.
 
There's a few things I'd like to see spelled out clearly and fixed. Aside from more pay, I'd like better more clear work rules. MX cancellation pay, minimum daily rate, full deadhead pay, etc. What I also would really like is protection if they alter your schedule for training purposes.

IE: If a FO is paired with a check airmen and they remove him so he can do training/IOE, FO should be given those days off with pay. As of right now we are put on reserve with pay. That pilot did not bid reserve, he bid and held a line. I have been running into this problem nearly every month when we were hiring. It's worse for commuters who pick their schedules so they can commute, only to be put on reserve later on.

I would also like to see something like, any planned or non scheduled sits for over 3+ hours and we get a hotel.
 
I hate to be a dick, but I think you guys are shooting too low. I'll send you guys a copy of my contract, tell Seggy to tack up the pay rates $5 an hour and then when Buddy wants to dumb it down take 5 bucks off the pay rate and call it good. There done. Problem solved.
 
As far as duty rigs. Screw that. Just get the 4 hour min day. OMG is it good.
I think both are great, but I would rather have 4 hour minimum credit per day. It makes the company build at least somewhat efficient schedules. Want to call me in to do an aspen turn that blocks at 1 hour? Sure, I'll do that gladly!!
 
I think both are great, but I would rather have 4 hour minimum credit per day. It makes the company build at least somewhat efficient schedules. Want to call me in to do an aspen turn that blocks at 1 hour? Sure, I'll do that gladly!!

Yeah same here. "We need you for a greenville turn." No prob.

They hurt so much calling you on your day off it makes them schedule well.
 
There's a few things I'd like to see spelled out clearly and fixed. Aside from more pay, I'd like better more clear work rules. MX cancellation pay, minimum daily rate, full deadhead pay, etc. What I also would really like is protection if they alter your schedule for training purposes.

I would also like to see something like, any planned or non scheduled sits for over 3+ hours and we get a hotel.

At Eagle, we have provisions for both of those things.

Both are excellent things to have. Our hotel/sit factor is 5 hours, though.

The file is too large for JC's upload settings, but if you want to PM me your email I can send it to you a copy of our contract via standard email.

Mine it for ideas, if you like.
 
PM sent,

Joe, can you email me mesabas?

If anyone else is willing to send me a copy of their contract, let me know I'll PM you my email.
 
It might be a good idea to have a separate section in the "Airline Pilots" forum where we can upload the various airline contracts. That would immediately eliminate all this "I heard at carrier XYZ that you get a 4 hour minimum daily guarantee." You can actually look it up and compare.

Thoughts?
 
It might be a good idea to have a separate section in the "Airline Pilots" forum where we can upload the various airline contracts. That would immediately eliminate all this "I heard at carrier XYZ that you get a 4 hour minimum daily guarantee." You can actually look it up and compare.

Thoughts?

phht

far too practical
 
I think both are great, but I would rather have 4 hour minimum credit per day. It makes the company build at least somewhat efficient schedules.

There shouldn't be a "rather". Min credit AND some type of duty rig are both important for ensuring trips don't suck. Of course, I shouldn't be talking because I've only got a 3:45 daily guarantee, but we do have a 2:1 duty rig that keeps the number of super-long airport sits down.

I don't know about Colgan's current contract, but I'd say that daily guarantee, duty rigs, full pay for deadheads, and junior manning/extension language are at least as important as pay rates. I credited almost 900hrs last year on about 670 hrs of block (not including vacation and sick pay, which I used copiously).

I made more as a first year at Skywest at 19.25 an hour than I did at Eagle at 23/hr partly because of the better work rules.
 
Unfortunately I see one of two scenarios playing out for Colgan. The first one is the pilot group asks for what they deserve and the company says hell no, so the settle for a less than spectacular although slightly better contract. The second route would be for them to ask for what they deserve and the company says hell no and the pilot group stands firm. Contract negotiations drag on for years as the pilot group continues to work for sub par wages and work rules.

In my opinion the fastest way to get a pay raise for all of us would be for everyone to walk away from flying and let the CEO's lure everyone back with cash. The only way to win is to starve the beast. Of course that won't happen. I blame the union seniority system for that one. Nobody wants to give up their precious seniority number.
 
In my opinion the fastest way to get a pay raise for all of us would be for everyone to walk away from flying and let the CEO's lure everyone back with cash. The only way to win is to starve the beast. Of course that won't happen. I blame the union seniority system for that one. Nobody wants to give up their precious seniority number.

Or the fact that thats illegal?
 
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