ATN ALPA Backs Out of Process Agreement with SWAPA???

[Lear70]

How about we put the most junior SWA and Airtran guy in a room, tell them there is only 8 hours of oxygen and come out when you've got a deal!

It would probably be pretty fair and we'd each save millions of dollars.

Gup

+1

Still chillaxin' until more info comes in. Was a busy day, the entire MEC was down in MCO for Rep elections, I'm sure we'll get more solid data tomorrow or Friday on the "why's". The original announcement that came out on the 3rd *DID* say that the deal was pending legal review as well as management approval, so I wouldn't call it "reneging" *QUITE* yet.

 

[Crash Pad]

I love this forum. Pilots live in a bubble in which they think they matter. This is a 1.4 billion deal. Every other work group will have integration done in 15 minutes. Ours will take a year or two.

In the end. We don't matter. The deal will get done. The lists will be merged. Everyone will be pissed.

Honest question: Why is arbitration a good idea? I hear things like: fair, deserve, Bond-Mckaskil, etc... The bottom line with arbitration is that no one knows what the heck will happen. So why gamble on a lawyer ruling for your team? ATN is sure arbitration will go to some kind of relative seniority. SWA is sure arbitration will end up in DOH or less. Explain.

 

[Crash Pad]

Note: Explain why arbitration is better than negotiating a list you are sure of because you negotiated it... Not why the lists should look a certain way, god knows we have beaten the ******************** out of that horse, killed his family, and are still kicking the remains.

 

[funnyman12]

Ya know guys.....I think it is still positive. The lawyer guys found some language that may not legally jive with the intention of the MC. Unfortunately us Airtran folks are used to this. We take it all in stride. We are an incredible pilot group (for the vast mojority) that needs to look out for numero uno, just as SWAPA would be expected to do if the situation was reversed. The MC needs some legal backing....hence pilots are not usually lawyers. BTW SW future brothers......many of us have a lengthy future as airline pilots. The result of this acquisition/merger willl have an effect on all of us in the future in some way or another(including SW pilots) The RLA is there to protect us, especially in an acquisition/merger.....As I've said in the past, i'm 31...who knows how the airline industry in 20 years will look? Which airline will be the "top dog"? I obviously hope the merger is successful and SWA is a very strong company in 20 years......unfortunately history haunts me. I hope that if this is completed in a manner that is fair for all.....the combined airline will have a re-birth of growth and prosperity. Then again it is 2:10am and wiskey makes me positive......good night all!

 

[Kharma Police]

It kinda seems odd though...

Stalling negotiations, walking out, and taking back previously agreed language. These seem like the same familiar tactics your own management used throughout your nearly 6 years of contract talks and some of the very reasons y'all voted to strike and shut your airline down.

You manged to take a vanilla email and spin it to your agenda, well done! Before Southwest, did you work for Fox News or the National Inquirer?

 

[shootr]

Uh oh...now you've done it Kharma! You've gone and done insulted Fox News. This will NOT go well for you. If you can't make it through the lounge listening to Fox News in the background you will not be able to handle check-in at any base. Good luck...

shootr

 

[Kharma Police]

Uh oh...now you've done it Kharma! You've gone and done insulted Fox News. This will NOT go well for you. If you can't make it through the lounge listening to Fox News in the background you will not be able to handle check-in at any base. Good luck...

shootr

"FOX NEWS ALERT: AirTran Lawyers accused of doing their job by asking for a second look and also of hiding Iraqi WMD in Herndon, VA."

 

[Tweet-a-Lishus]

Airtran had their lawyers present when the process agreement was agreed upon. I think ALPA thinks they are the company doing the acquiring! This should get interesting?

 

[ivauir]

You manged to take a vanilla email and spin it to your agenda, well done! Before Southwest, did you work for Fox News or the National Inquirer?

"Vanilla email"?

Maybe, but let's review the facts before us:

- The ATN MEC has attended (all?) previous meetings

- It has been over 5 months and still no process agreement.

- A small language change to comply with the intent at the table could be accomplished over the phone, but ALPA is calling for more meetings.

Given those facts I wonder if anyone can answer the following:

- What issue drove the ATN MEC to become involved?
- Are these the same "concerns" that "should be addressed"
- Is the ATN Merger committee empowered to make deals?

And here are the hard questions:
- Was it, in fact, the MEC and not the lawyers who had an objection to the deal at the table?
- Does ALPA suffer from the misconception that on corporate close AirTran pilots have the same protections as Southwest pilots?
- Is ALPA intentionally delaying the process in order to begin direct negotiations after the date of corporate close because they believe that changes their leverage?

 

[Kharma Police]

"Vanilla email"?

Maybe, but let's review the facts before us:

- The ATN MEC has attended (all?) previous meetings

- It has been over 5 months and still no process agreement.

- A small language change to comply with the intent at the table could be accomplished over the phone, but ALPA is calling for more meetings.

Given those facts I wonder if anyone can answer the following:

- What issue drove the ATN MEC to become involved?
- Are these the same "concerns" that "should be addressed"
- Is the ATN Merger committee empowered to make deals?
And here are the hard questions:
- Was it, in fact, the MEC and not the lawyers who had an objection to the deal at the table?
- Does ALPA suffer from the misconception that on corporate close AirTran pilots have the same protections as Southwest pilots?
- Is ALPA intentionally delaying the process in order to begin direct negotiations after the date of corporate close because they believe that changes their leverage?

You and I aren't lawyers, that's why our Unions pay good money for legal teams to protect our interests. One lawyer at the meeting had the best interests of his clients to ask for a second opinion. I don't see what the big deal is. You wouldn't expect to have major surgery without seeking a second opinion from another Doctor, right?