AWA/U Seniority Food Fight - The First Salvo

[michael707767]

Just with more vacation, right? How about DOH for non reving? Who will get that first class seat? Lots of things to work out here.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Agreed, lots of things to work out. I am strictly talking about who goes where on a seniority list.


PS, can't remember the last time I got a first class seat while non revving

 

[Cactus73]

Just with more vacation, right? How about DOH for non reving? Who will get that first class seat? Lots of things to work out here.


Bye Bye--General Lee

We don't use seniority at America West for non-rev boarding. Strictly check-in time.

This isn't going to be a big issue.

 

[atldc9]

My 2 cents, merge the lists like so. If you are in the top 1% at each company, you should be in the top 1% of the merged lists. Use a ratio, and work your way thru the active lists. Everyone will remain in the same relative position, ie percentage, of the new list as they were in thier pre-merger list. Once the active guys are merged together, anyone on furlough comes back at the bottom of the newly combined list.

 

[HAL]

My 2 cents, merge the lists like so. If you are in the top 1% at each company, you should be in the top 1% of the merged lists. Use a ratio, and work your way thru the active lists. Everyone will remain in the same relative position, ie percentage, of the new list as they were in thier pre-merger list. Once the active guys are merged together, anyone on furlough comes back at the bottom of the newly combined list.

OK, but what about the USAirways guys who are here now but get furloughed because of the 60 returned aircraft in the next year. Do they still go above me (bottom 10% at AWA) or are they tacked on the bottom because they are on furlough at the time the lists are merged.

Do I (because I am at the currently more successful airline) have a right or expectation to stay flying? If the merger hadn't happened I certainly would have expected to do so.

These are the questions that give the unions the heartburn of list-merging.

HAL

 

[viper548]

How 'bout no current AWA pilots lose jobs, they weren't going to before the merger, why should they after one. US had planned on sending planes packing, so THEIR pilots should be the ones on the street. Senority integration should be done after the planned furloughes at US

 

[B6Busdriver]

How 'bout no current AWA pilots lose jobs, they weren't going to before the merger, why should they after one. US had planned on sending planes packing, so THEIR pilots should be the ones on the street. Senority integration should be done after the planned furloughes at US

Ahh yes the fun is only starting! I'm sooooooooooo glad I'm watching this one from the sidelines. Expect more of the same then next thing you know the jumpseat will be used as weapon.

 

[Long Time Gone]

Just with more vacation, right? How about DOH for non reving? Who will get that first class seat? Lots of things to work out here.


Bye Bye--General Lee

With USAir it doesn't matter, anyway, since you have to purchase a first class upgrade, even as a non-rev. It's easier just to jumpseat, that way you can get a first class seat if one's available in the cabin.

That's how it was 3 years ago, anyway

LTG
former ALG MDT Dashslave

 

[sayagain?]

I remember all the jumpseat horror stories during the failed UAL/AAA deal. What a mess. Good luck folks.


sayagain?

another ex-ALG dasher

 

[LearLove]

I have the solution:

I suggested this way back during the UAL/U fiasco and again during the accompaning ACA/PDT-ALG deal and once again in the recient past in ref. to the ALG/PDT merger.

Senority integration via STEEL CAGE MATCH!!!!!!


I this case (U/AWA) we choose a neutral location like Kansas City KMCI and get all the US Air, MidAtlantic and AWA guys and lock them in a giant steel cage. When the bell rings it's every man for himself. First guy knocked out gets the bottom senority number. The next guy after gets one senority number better and so on till only one guy is standing. Last guy standing gets senority number one. Screw ALPA merger policy, this is the only fair way. We could even sell tickets and make back the paycuts weve given in the past 4 years.

Bonus - the guy who knocks out the most people gets to smash Duane Woerth on the face with a brick.

Any takers???

 

[MK82Man]

USAir MEC Response

Here is what the USAir MEC chairman had to say:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2005

Statement by US Airways ALPA Regarding US Airways-America West Merger Announcement

PITTSBURGH -- US Airways MEC Chairman Captain Bill Pollock of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) today released the following statement:

"US Airways Group, Inc. and America West Holdings Corporation have announced their intention to enter into a merger that would create both the nation's sixth-largest airline and the largest low-cost carrier network.

"The US Airways Master Executive Council (MEC), the pilots' governing body, will be analyzing the terms of this proposed transaction at the earliest opportunity.

"US Airways management believes that this proposed merger will enable US Airways to emerge from bankruptcy and then create a partnership that will be viable and competitive. I want management, our investors, and our flying public to know that the US Airways pilots are largely responsible for the progress that US Airways has made in its restructuring. US Airways enjoys this opportunity today because of the tremendous sacrifices made by our pilots. Our MEC and our pilots have been called upon again and again to make the most difficult decisions in this volatile and still-transforming industry. Our pilots have provided the Company with $7 billion in cost savings through four restructurings-an investment far greater than any other group. We expect that our sacrifices will be respected as we welcome the opportunity to become a partner in the creation of this country's premier low-cost airline.

"We also look forward to working with the pilots of America West as we begin the process of combining pilot groups through the seniority integration procedures outlined in our ALPA Administrative Manual."

CONTACT: Jack Stephan
Air Line Pilots Assoc., Intl.
US Airways Pilots Master Executive Council
(410) 703-2953; (412) 264-5600
www.usairwayspilots.org

I hope we see a civil "well integrated" list. I also like the % integration idea. If you were 9% at AWA, you are still 9% at the combined carrier, same for 22% at USAir; you are at 22% in the joint firm. With the heavy USAir retirements in the next five years, I don't think it will really matter a lot to the majority of AWA guys. ALPA's "realistic career expectations" are pretty easy to establish in this merger. Where would USAir pilots be in 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 15 etc. Same for AWA pilots. Our $$ balance would have carried us to the end of 07 at least I believe. We retire only 36 pilots this year and I would expect the bottom 80% of AWA guys will enjoy rapid movement at about year three into this deal. I welcome the pilots at USAir and hope they welcome me. I'm encouraged by Captain Pollock's comments above ... we have a shot to put together a real good LCC that has long term staying power. As far as furloughed USAir guys ... I don't know much about LOA 89 (?) but I do think they should have some rights at the new carrier. Maybe a preferential interview or a 2:1 (2 old US Air guys for every one new hire on the street). Since we were going to keep hiring this year and next I'd want us to be fair to guys on the outside looking for Major Airline Work ... MESA RJ guys/gals should not be frozen out for the entire USAir list to be recalled, etc. I am one AWA dude who is excited about the prospect. Call me new, call me naive, call me barely wet behind the ears, but it looks like a good match and a good future to me. I'll do my part. Let's spend our time and efforts convincing the American Public that it is a New USAir and they should give us a try. The last thing we want is four our customers to jump ship ... tell 'em thank you for riding with us every day. Let's go to work to be the best LCC we can be.