I agree with TWA Dude. Let’s get this over with. Let the NMB review the cards and hold the election. The quicker we get past this the better. If USAPA fails, Prater will give Management the Nic list immediately and that will start the ball rolling towards another round of contract negotiations, and at least we will move forward. If USAPA passes, the West can loath the East and we will be totally dysfunctional for years to come. Time to stop the procrastination. All of the merger goodwill by the West is squandered due to the East’s temper-tantrum over the Nicolau Award. It was binding arbitration, but they didn’t get what they wanted so now let’s burn the house down to get our way. If it comes at the expense of the America West pilots, so be it. Well 1800 West pilot are not just going to sit back and watch the company implode. We were business partners for a new enterprise, the new US Airways, but no longer. East will tell you USAPA is not about Nicolau but nobody wanted to throw ALPA out in 2004/2005/2006. Only in May of 2007, after Nic, did East decide ALPA was the root of all evil.
The two days of talks (Thursday and Friday of this week) in Denver produced nothing new. All MEC and LEC members were there with no lawyers (and no ALPA) but no progress was made. The East wants what they want period and don’t know how/can’t/won’t negotiate to get it … just like on the Nicolau mediation/arbitration issue …. it is our East way or the highway. They want Nic thrown out and to start all over …. Just not going to happen. Time for negotiation was 18 months ago.
So let’s get the election on. 1758/59 dudes/dudettes out West know that ALPA is better than USAPA. We’ve got one or two loonies that are mired in anger and will vote USAPA for spite. There are an untold number of East guys who are stuck in hatred as well. ALPA is not perfect, but USAPA is doomed from the start on this kind of East driven agenda. How many guys out East will really vote for USAPA …? Let’s get the election going and find out. Not enough to pass is my prediction.
I agree that soon Parker will find the East pilots in material breech of the Transition Agreement by their failure to negotiate for a joint contract in good faith. Once that happens, nothing can protect the East pilots except ALPA representation. If it is Oil at $120.00 (or some other factor at his choosing), Parker will move airplanes from PHL and CLT to PHX and LAS and absorb pilots on the West side while letting the East slowly dissolve. Once he decides the East guys are in material breech of the Transition Agreement, all bets will be off and no West guy is going to stand up for East losses. The East guys have carried us to far down the river to turn back. He will fly East routes with East aircraft operated by West crews (governed by the 2004 America West CBA) who will do it on time and without wasted gas and who care about customer service for the New US Airways. If USAPA represents the East, no West guy will complain about management’s actions. Parker might even sell off East assets and then claim they are overmanned out East and because we have no combined list, he’ll furlough the excess East pilots and replace the expensive 17-20 year dudes with new hires out west. The East guys are gambling a lot, but this is an adult’s game and big chips are on the table. Of course the biggest winner is Management (IFLYHigh is right). Record Profits and Record Bonuses for them while we piss and moan over a extra few pennies each month.
Without ALPA, we will all be stapled on the bottom of someone else’s list if we merge with NW or UA. But the East guys are willing to gamble it all …. Crack smoking indeed.
New hires are definitely better by voting for ALPA and not USAPA. To vote for USAPA is to sear 1800 West pilots into animosity. We’ll see how many East guys will really decide that ALPA today is the best chance for an improved contract in the shortest period of time. That is money in a new hires pocket via the fastest possible route and we all know money talks.
