The management of Mesaba Airlines issued a proposal for pay concessions to its pilots last month that, if adopted, would slash salaries by between 13 and 19 percent. The proposal calls for a 19-percent pay cut for Avro RJ captains, a 17-percent decrease for Saab 340 captains and a 13-percent reduction for Bombardier CRJ captains. First officers would face an average pay cut of 13 percent.

As expected, the proposal met with hostility from union leaders, who have called for an accounting of the bankrupt carrier’s relationship with parent company MAIR Holdings, which did not declare bankruptcy. The Mesaba Airlines creditors committee has asked a U.S. bankruptcy court to force MAIR to turn over documents detailing financial transactions between it and Mesaba. The court has scheduled a hearing on the motion for January 10.