Say Management Growing Colgan Air At Their Expense

Pinnacle Airlines pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA), plan to conduct informational picketing Monday afternoon at Newark Liberty International Airport.

The pilots are picketing to protest Pinnacle Airlines Corp.'s launch of Colgan Air's first revenue-generating flight of the Bombardier Q400 turboprop, under an Air Services Agreement with Continental Airlines.

ALPA alleges Pinnacle management used the profits garnered by pilots' hard work to buy both Colgan Air in late 2006, and new airplanes in 2007. The pilots also accuse the airline of stalling contract negotiations -- those talks began in February 2005 -- and management's refusal to recognize the pilots' contributions to the continued success of the airline.

The union says Pinnacle management is growing Colgan Air at the expense of Pinnacle Airlines, while its pilots continue to labor without a contract. Both sides entered mediated negotiations in late September 2006, which so far have failed to bear fruit.

Based in Memphis, TN, Pinnacle operates as a Northwest Airlink and a Delta Connection carrier, and flies more than 130 regional aircraft. Another new addition to their fleet, the CRJ-900, is operated under the Delta Connection livery.

FMI: www.flypinnacle.com, www.alpa.org