Midwest Pilots Protest Outside CEO's House

Archived Content

  • Print
WAUKESHA COUNTY - The battle continues at Midwest Airlines. Pilots are still fighting for their jobs, even though layoffs started a month ago. Midwest pilots were protesting the outsourcing of their jobs Friday morning. This time their location was unique. That's because they were protesting right outside Tim Hoeksema's house. “We realize this may be a bit of a personal demonstration but with all do respect to Mr. Hoeksema this is very personal,” Midwest Airlines Pilot Capt. Jake Southern said. A dozen frustrated pilots lined the private drive leading to the house of Midwest Airlines CEO Tim Hoeksema Friday. They're fighting for their jobs. “It's becoming very frustrating. We have individuals who are in the process of losing their homes. They can no longer afford to live in their homes,” Capt. Southern said. Come December, the airline will have cut more than half of its pilot staff, and in the latest move, Midwest outsourced 12 planes and 270 workers to Republic Airlines. That prompted the latest protest. “I guess I don't know exactly what they're trying to accomplish at this point in time because the fact of the matter is we did sign a contract with Republic,” Midwest Spokesperson Mike Brophy said. Brophy says the airline hopes to rehire some of these pilots, but that's only if the union agrees to substantial pay cuts and new work. “The core values that once defined this airline no longer seem to exist,” Capt. Southern said. It's unclear if the protest will change anything, but the pilots say it's their last resort. The pilots’ union and the airline are in the process of negotiating a contract.