Airtran MEC voted no

[Fly-By-Cable]

If you think you'll only be able to make 90TFP on reserve here, you've still got a lot to learn about our work rules, schedules and open time.

open time = seniority to get it...we were never offered seniority, just bottom filler seats.

Today's vote was not 1% agenda as some of you said here. Majority of Us lobbied our MEC with emails and phone calls for over 2 weeks now to not send this one sided deal to the vote. Last night at MEC meeting an overwhelming majority took stand and demanded leadership and fair agreement.

To those of you gulping while reading union e-mail, know this... In it SWAPA just gave us ammo for the arbitration, admitting that your proposal was not about fair seniority, but about exchange of seniority for money. Arbitrator is gonna love your effort to bribe in what was supposed to be a "seniority integration" talks.

 

[HighSpeed]

F my quick upgrade.... (not, anyway)

F my 9.8% increase in seniority

F a guy getting hired at ATN the same day I was hired at SWA making 2 years more in Longevity pay than me because he was on the cusp of upgrade (according to when I got hired upgrade was at 6 years - therefore I should be on the cusp now - but Mr SWA CEO gave up growth for the last three years because he knew he was buying some other company)

F the Negotiating Committees....

F the infighting...

F the fighting between pilot groups...

PROTECT SWA CULTURE AT ALL COSTs...

I WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK AT A PLACE I LIKE AND RESPECT. Don't ******************** on our culture... (directed torwards ALPA, SWAPA and most of all SWA Leadership)

 

[Bwipilot]

The thing the AI pilots don't understand is much of the support the AIP receieve from SWAPA pilots was that is was initiated by the company. As a group, we built the place and don't bite the hand that feeds us.

Did a majority of SWAPA pilots like it enough to vote "Yes" ? We'll never know. One thing I do know is that the AIP will forever be a line in the sand. If Arby goes better for Airtran--there will be much consternation from SWAPA pilots and huge support to fence the Airtran pilots out of the SWA system/contract/you name it. If Arby goes better for SWAPA than the AIP, the SWAPA pilots will simply shrug their shoulders any time an AAI pilot complains.

Sir Staple Remover thinks he should get better--I hope he never does. It is personal that he thinks his 6 years at AAI equate to getting hired off the street by SWA. As many noted before, the same pilot would have dreamed to escape the AAI mess a year ago--but now wants relative seniority at SWA--YGTBSM. I hope the SWA FO who left AAI this past January to start fresh with SWA is rewarded for his decision--since it's what any rational pilot would've done sans a merger.

I was on the fence to vote "yes" or "no" a few days ago--mainly to get past this and get SWA moving forward. Now that it's going to Arby, a staple is now my hope. How do you like them apples?

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

Bwi, Welcome to the civilian world, you're about to be shocked.

 

[StopNTSing]

open time = seniority to get it...we were never offered seniority, just bottom filler seats.

If you think only the senior among us can get good open time trips, you've still got a lot to learn about our work rules, schedules and open time.

 

[nimtz]

Qualifier: I have read none of the above thread, but based on the title YAWN! Now back to our regularly scheduled FI 200+page thread where Sky Nazis oops I mean LUV drivers tell the Eastern scabs (even if born post 1974) they are blessed to smell their 1-2-3 induced farts. Seriously mods would it kill you to have a "One LUV" only forum?

 

[puddlejumper101]

The thing the AI pilots don't understand is much of the support the AIP receieve from SWAPA pilots was that is was initiated by the company. As a group, we built the place and don't bite the hand that feeds us.

Did a majority of SWAPA pilots like it enough to vote "Yes" ? We'll never know. One thing I do know is that the AIP will forever be a line in the sand. If Arby goes better for Airtran--there will be much consternation from SWAPA pilots and huge support to fence the Airtran pilots out of the SWA system/contract/you name it. If Arby goes better for SWAPA than the AIP, the SWAPA pilots will simply shrug their shoulders any time an AAI pilot complains.

Sir Staple Remover thinks he should get better--I hope he never does. It is personal that he thinks his 6 years at AAI equate to getting hired off the street by SWA. As many noted before, the same pilot would have dreamed to escape the AAI mess a year ago--but now wants relative seniority at SWA--YGTBSM. I hope the SWA FO who left AAI this past January to start fresh with SWA is rewarded for his decision--since it's what any rational pilot would've done sans a merger.

I was on the fence to vote "yes" or "no" a few days ago--mainly to get past this and get SWA moving forward. Now that it's going to Arby, a staple is now my hope. How do you like them apples?

Not everyone wants to work at SWA. We 6000 chose to work here, and SWA also hired us. The perspective we have is something only the 6000 of us understand. This place is not perfect but I bet 99.9% of the 6000 here if nothing else respects this company. I never said drank kool-aid, just respected this company. The BOD of SWA is highly respected around here, even when we disagree with their decisions, respect is never lost. To the outside world, it seems like we are arrogant, that's not true, just the only pilot group left with respect for their MGMNT. I think the 6000 of us were naive to think the Airtran pilots would understand this. It is obvious they don't. What happens next is anyone's guess...I guess this is why Herb wanted nothing to do with mergers.

 

[Victor120]

Well, Gentlemen, I look forward to the next edit of 'Hard Landings'.

 

[RLAblows]

open time = seniority to get it...we were never offered seniority, just bottom filler seats.

Today's vote was not 1% agenda as some of you said here. Majority of Us lobbied our MEC with emails and phone calls for over 2 weeks now to not send this one sided deal to the vote. Last night at MEC meeting an overwhelming majority took stand and demanded leadership and fair agreement.

To those of you gulping while reading union e-mail, know this... In it SWAPA just gave us ammo for the arbitration, admitting that your proposal was not about fair seniority, but about exchange of seniority for money. Arbitrator is gonna love your effort to bribe in what was supposed to be a "seniority integration" talks.

I seriously doubt it was the majority of the pilots who lobbied the MEC. Unfortunately I believe our pilot group once again was lazy and just assumed it would be sent to a vote. Most of the pilots I spoke with thought it would be too much of a liability for the MEC not to send it out for a vote. In turn they never sent an email or called to let their Rep know how they felt.

Not sending it out for a vote was misguided and wrong. Let the pilots make their own choice about their futures. If it gets voted down then you could truly say it was the will of the pilots.

 

[Pilot Knob]

They already said the remaining 6 weeks would be best spent preparing our side in arbitration. Elvis has left the building.

Yeah, but it was the bloated, sweaty Elvis. So...that's ok.