Morningstar

[Dh8Classic]

Alternatively, maybe a 2-3 year pro-rated bond for the type rating costs would ensure the company does not incur a financial loss by hiring an airline pilot.

Morningstar has a two-year bond on the Boeing. I'm not sure about the other types but I'm assuming there's on bond on those as well.

If there's a bond, then what's the problem. In 2-3 years some of those 703/704 guys will split for AC/WJ/SW etc (pending recovery). Was just a year ago, Morningstar would've taken anyone from those airlines no questions asked, and they'll be in that position again down the road.

Because they want people for 10 years, or more.

[Air.Field]

Morningstar has a two-year bond on the Boeing. I'm not sure about the other types but I'm assuming there's on bond on those as well.

If there's a bond, then what's the problem. In 2-3 years some of those 703/704 guys will split for AC/WJ/SW etc (pending recovery). Was just a year ago, Morningstar would've taken anyone from those airlines no questions asked, and they'll be in that position again down the road.

Because they want people for 10 years, or more.

ok, your reading comprehension is low.

[ayseven]

There is no perfect job. If you like the nights, I would bet this would be as close as you could ever get. I am sure they have a million good people to choose from. Best of luck to all!

[igorcanuck]

Ad up again for ATR, if you're laid off from 705 don't bother, they threw out those apps last time

Anyone got a call yet? Any info on this?

[flyinhigh]

Friend of mine is interviewing today for the 57.

Anyone got a call yet? Any info on this?

[tallyho]

Remember kids, don't believe everything you read on the internet!

Interviewing is complete, many of whom were furloughed 705 pilots. Like many companies the key is having a good internal reference.

[dhc#]

Remember kids, don't believe everything you read on the internet!

Interviewing is complete, many of whom were furloughed 705 pilots. Like many companies the key is having a good internal reference.

Then why bother posting the ad.... if the outcome is already pre-determined ?

There is no mention in the ad of internal references being a qualification or requirement.

[Cavalier44]

Remember kids, don't believe everything you read on the internet!

Interviewing is complete, many of whom were furloughed 705 pilots. Like many companies the key is having a good internal reference.

Then why bother posting the ad.... if the outcome is already pre-determined ?

There is no mention in the ad of internal references being a qualification or requirement.

No company that I know of will tell you that an internal reference is a requirement to be hired - but obviously, if they have a choice between a candidate who has an internal reference and one who doesn't, they're more likely to go with the person who has the reference.

The issue you run into now is that with so many pilots out of work, everyone has a half dozen buddies at least who have been laid off and are looking for a job. It's the same thing with the few corporate jobs that have been posted, if you're sending in a resume without having any type of internal reference, it's very hard to distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other resumes that are in the Chief Pilot/HR's inbox. Internal references will always have a natural advantage in such a scenario.

[Tbayer2021]

It seems the pilots at Morningstar finally have a new contract. It is an arbitrated contract after ALPA and the company couldn't reach an agreement following over a year of negotiations.

The big takeaways are significantly improved pay scales, perdiem, overtime and training credits. Along with other gains in other areas.

Perdiem went from $3.50 to $4.25 an hour, and $4.25USD and hour while training in the US.

Uniform allowance went from $40 a month to $150 a month with protection against potential future taxation by the CRA. If the CRA decides to start taxing the benefit, the pilot will always receive $150 and the company has to pay the tax.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) has been increased to 3% with CPI protection with the potential of an additional 2% on top of the 3% should the CPI go higher than 3% that year.

Training credits increased from 4 hours a day per sim day, to 7 hours a day.

New hires can start contributing to their pension plan 3 months into employment. However, no changes to contribution amounts, company matches up to 4% the first 5 years. 5% from 5 years to 15 years, and 6% after that.

New Boeing payscale is only for the 757, not a blended 757/767 like Cargojet. However, the new scales are significantly higher than Cargojet and it only takes 10 to reach the top, instead of 12.

Caravan and ATR pay have also significantly improved. Caravan pay will immediately top out at over 100K and will reach 120K at the end of the contract. ATR pay is also significantly higher than any of the regionals.

Overtime over 86 hours on the Boeing, 75 in the turboprops, will be paid at 2X. Drafts will also be paid at 2X. All other triggers for OT will be the normal 1.5X.

Length of contract is 7 years. Which means we have about 5.5 years left.

Salary will be retroactively paid to April 1st 2020, along with any OT worked. Things like Uniform Allowance and perdiem will be retro paid to January 1st 2021.

[scdriver]

That sure seems like a step in the right directions for conditions here in Canada. Definitely reasonable pay from first year to topping out.

[dhc#]

Is the planned expansion of the turboprop fleet (ATR) done yet ?

If not which bases are still growing?

[Tbayer2021]

There has been steady hiring in the ATR (YYC base) and Boeing (YYZ base) throughout the pandemic, and it is still ongoing as far as I'm aware. Whether this hiring is due to current pilots leaving for their airlines after being recalled, or just trying to meet operational requirements, I'm not aware.

[viccoastdog]

It seems the pilots at Morningstar finally have a new contract. It is an arbitrated contract after ALPA and the company couldn't reach an agreement following over a year of negotiations.

The big takeaways are significantly improved pay scales, perdiem, overtime and training credits. Along with other gains in other areas.

Perdiem went from $3.50 to $4.25 an hour, and $4.25USD and hour while training in the US.

Uniform allowance went from $40 a month to $150 a month with protection against potential future taxation by the CRA. If the CRA decides to start taxing the benefit, the pilot will always receive $150 and the company has to pay the tax.

Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) has been increased to 3% with CPI protection with the potential of an additional 2% on top of the 3% should the CPI go higher than 3% that year.

Training credits increased from 4 hours a day per sim day, to 7 hours a day.

New hires can start contributing to their pension plan 3 months into employment. However, no changes to contribution amounts, company matches up to 4% the first 5 years. 5% from 5 years to 15 years, and 6% after that.

New Boeing payscale is only for the 757, not a blended 757/767 like Cargojet. However, the new scales are significantly higher than Cargojet and it only takes 10 to reach the top, instead of 12.

Caravan and ATR pay have also significantly improved. Caravan pay will immediately top out at over 100K and will reach 120K at the end of the contract. ATR pay is also significantly higher than any of the regionals.

Overtime over 86 hours on the Boeing, 75 in the turboprops, will be paid at 2X. Drafts will also be paid at 2X. All other triggers for OT will be the normal 1.5X.

Length of contract is 7 years. Which means we have about 5.5 years left.

Salary will be retroactively paid to April 1st 2020, along with any OT worked. Things like Uniform Allowance and perdiem will be retro paid to January 1st 2021.

One further thing, when switching equipment, one moves up the seniority scale a year for the purpose of salary.

[Chaxterium]

One further thing, when switching equipment, one moves up the seniority scale a year for the purpose of salary.

That's not quite accurate. The move to the new equipment's pay scale is not related to seniority. It's related to pay level. You slot into the new scale at the level that is closest to, but not less than, your current rate. Then you go up one level. As an example we can consider a level 5 ATR Captain going to the Boeing as an FO. As it stands a level 5 ATR Captain is at $111,480. The closest level on the Boeing FO scale to his current salary is level 7 which is $113,495 and then he'd step up one level to level 8 and be at $119,170.

[Chaxterium]

Is the planned expansion of the turboprop fleet (ATR) done yet ?

If not which bases are still growing?

The Calgary base has opened and we're running three ATRs there now. I haven't heard of any other expansion plans but the arbitrator's award document mentioned expansion plans a couple of times so perhaps something is in the works. The rank and file aren't aware of anything that I know of though. But that's hardly surprising.

[thepoors]

Pay is obviously very attractive, can anyone inform me on what schedules look like for the Caravan and ATR guys?

Also, I know it's very early days, but any news on whether Morningstar will be getting Skycouriers in the future as they enter the FedEx fleet?

[Tbayer2021]

The schedules on the 208/ATR are usually 2-3 days a week, Monday to Friday, with the other week days on reserve. That being said, I was never called off reserve when I was on the 208, not sure how things look now.

Anything anyone tells you about Morningstar and the 408s will be pure conjecture. There is absolutely no talk of this and MS ultimately does whatever Fedex tells them to do. To give you an example, line pilots were not aware that the company was starting a YYC ATR base until we got the email notification telling us about its conception and to bid if interested.

[Morningstar_Reality]

For anyone wondering why Morningstar is posting quite a bit lately, here is why.

Ever since the contract was settled by the arbitrator, the relationship between the company and its pilots has taken quite a turn for the worst. While pay is considerably better than it was before, and better than most airlines. Its clearly not enough to keep people behind. The vast majority of those hired during the pandemic were laid off from other major 705s; AC, Westjet, Sunwing, Encore, etc.

The first thing you'll notice is that average days worked has been moved up from 10-12 in older ads, to 12-14 in this latest 757 FO post. This is still being quite optimistic, lots of guys doing considerably more than that. On a similar note, the claim of not having to work on weekends has not been the norm for quite some time now. There is considerably more weekend flying and deadheading.

The company also seems to have it out for commuters, literally having pulled a bait and switch on them. They were struggling to find candidates right before the pandemic, so they were very welcoming to anyone qualified, even if they commuted. Going as far as showing them current commuters schedules and how good it was, telling them they could work with scheduling to build a commuter friendly schedule. Only to turn around and tell them that they cannot offer any preferential treatment to them as it would be unfair to the other pilots. Given that the company makes the schedule at their sole discretion, we do not have seniority based bidding or any sort of bidding for that matter. In another show of pettiness, the company has eliminated the only catering the pilots received when doing the YYC day turn. Along with sending an email out saying they would no longer stock aircraft with water and to bring your own. Yes, you read that right, the only flight that had catering no longer does, and the company is too cheap to provide water.

But wait there is more! Not only is there a bond, but they will tack on all other ancillary costs associated with training. Having taken a look at one of the bills sent to a pilot on his way out, it included the following; per diems, hotel, airfare and Avis car rental. For a grand total of over 62K, while the training course itself, which they curiously label as "instructor fee" is 48k. I guess the Sim is free of charge?

Morale is quite low and people are leaving faster than they can replace them. leading to management having to fly the line quite often these days. That being said, the company doesn't seem to be changing its way and it some cases seems to be doubling down. Maybe they have a grand plan we're all too stupid to realize?

Tread carefully.

[thepoors]

For anyone wondering why Morningstar is posting quite a bit lately, here is why.

Ever since the contract was settled by the arbitrator, the relationship between the company and its pilots has taken quite a turn for the worst. While pay is considerably better than it was before, and better than most airlines. Its clearly not enough to keep people behind. The vast majority of those hired during the pandemic were laid off from other major 705s; AC, Westjet, Sunwing, Encore, etc.

The first thing you'll notice is that average days worked has been moved up from 10-12 in older ads, to 12-14 in this latest 757 FO post. This is still being quite optimistic, lots of guys doing considerably more than that. On a similar note, the claim of not having to work on weekends has not been the norm for quite some time now. There is considerably more weekend flying and deadheading.

The company also seems to have it out for commuters, literally having pulled a bait and switch on them. They were struggling to find candidates right before the pandemic, so they were very welcoming to anyone qualified, even if they commuted. Going as far as showing them current commuters schedules and how good it was, telling them they could work with scheduling to build a commuter friendly schedule. Only to turn around and tell them that they cannot offer any preferential treatment to them as it would be unfair to the other pilots. Given that the company makes the schedule at their sole discretion, we do not have seniority based bidding or any sort of bidding for that matter. In another show of pettiness, the company has eliminated the only catering the pilots received when doing the YYC day turn. Along with sending an email out saying they would no longer stock aircraft with water and to bring your own. Yes, you read that right, the only flight that had catering no longer does, and the company is too cheap to provide water.

But wait there is more! Not only is there a bond, but they will tack on all other ancillary costs associated with training. Having taken a look at one of the bills sent to a pilot on his way out, it included the following; per diems, hotel, airfare and Avis car rental. For a grand total of over 62K, while the training course itself, which they curiously label as "instructor fee" is 48k. I guess the Sim is free of charge?

Morale is quite low and people are leaving faster than they can replace them. leading to management having to fly the line quite often these days. That being said, the company doesn't seem to be changing its way and it some cases seems to be doubling down. Maybe they have a grand plan we're all too stupid to realize?

Tread carefully.

Man it seemed like this company was a beacon of hope for better standards in Canadian aviation. Actually paying fair wages and treating people right. Just sad and depressing to learn they're heading the wrong way too. What is the union doing about it?

[cv990]

Just noticed a little discrepancy.. on the Av Canada posting, it references a "preference" for an already received 757 type rating, but if you click the application link the hiring page says "must be type rated to qualify for this position"

slightly different scenarios there.. I wonder which is the most correct?