Mon, Oct 13, 2003
In Fact, They're About To Vote On It
Union officials ALPA
Friday voted in favor of sending a strike authorization ballot to
the pilots at Mesaba Airlines. The Mesaba Master Executive Council,
which is made up of 12 pilot-representatives, passed a resolution
by acclamation to initiate the balloting process. Pilots will
receive strike authorization ballots with in the next few weeks.
Results will be available by the end of October.
The strongly-worded resolution comes in the wake of more than
two years of bargaining, including fifteen months of mediation
under the auspices of the National Mediation Board. Pilots continue
to work under an agreement signed in 1996 that includes concessions
that have saved the company more than $10 million to date.
ALPA President Duane Woerth requested arbitration from the
National Mediation Board (NMB) in August. The NMB continues to
closely monitor the parties' progress at the table, and has not yet
made a response to ALPA's request. If the NMB ultimately makes a
proffer of arbitration, either the union or management may decline
arbitration, and a 30-day cooling off period would begin. At the
conclusion of that 30-day cooling off period, the pilots would be
legally free to strike.
Unresolved issues at the
negotiating table include compensation. Mesaba pilot starting base
pay is less than $17,000 per year, and is only $24,000 after three
years with the company. Mesaba pilots who retire with the airline
will do so with 25 percent less in retirement savings than pilots
at other leading regional airlines. While the union recognizes that
certain economic challenges now face the industry, the pilots
believe that the significant pay disparities must be addressed.
In addition, Mesaba pilots say they're worried about job
security. Last year, Mesaba's holding company purchased Big Sky
Airlines, a small carrier in Montana, and refused to discuss
merging the two pilot groups with union officials. Mesaba pilots
fear that their current flying -- as well as future flying
opportunities -- will be siphoned off by the smaller carrier.
Mesaba Airlines operates as "Northwest Airlink" and provides
service to 109 cities in 28 states and Canada under service
agreements with Northwest Airlines. Mesaba employs 850 professional
airline pilots based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Detroit, Memphis, and
Cincinnati.
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