Chicago Tribune: UAL/CAL merger looking like US Air

[densoo]

Chicago Tribune: UAL/CAL merger looking like US Airways

By Julie Johnsson, Tribune Reporter

Labor discord is creeping into the newly merged United Airlines, where union leaders are at loggerheads over how to pay pilots who fly the carrier's largest aircraft on international flights, sources told the Tribune.

Reaching a new collective bargaining with pilots is a priority for United CEO Jeff Smisek, who believes that fostering labor harmony is paramount if the world's largest carrier is to provide stellar customer service.

But in a setback, leaders of the separate pilots unions told members last week that they have been deadlocked since September on how to structure pay,

That caused some observers to question whether the United dispute could lead to a deeper schism like the bitter rift over seniority that has divided pilots of US Airways and America West Airlines since their 2005 merger.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-1109-united-20101108,0,7206479.story

 

[mamba20]

By Julie Johnsson, Tribune Reporter

Labor discord is creeping into the newly merged United Airlines, where union leaders are at loggerheads over how to pay pilots who fly the carrier's largest aircraft on international flights, sources told the Tribune.

Reaching a new collective bargaining with pilots is a priority for United CEO Jeff Smisek, who believes that fostering labor harmony is paramount if the world's largest carrier is to provide stellar customer service.

But in a setback, leaders of the separate pilots unions told members last week that they have been deadlocked since September on how to structure pay,

That caused some observers to question whether the United dispute could lead to a deeper schism like the bitter rift over seniority that has divided pilots of US Airways and America West Airlines since their 2005 merger.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-1109-united-20101108,0,7206479.story

Wow, thats a load of BS. Didn't he say just recently that he "didn't need labor" for the merger to successful? Not to mention that managements actions speak louder then words. Look at the end run attempt with scope, the low ball BS proposal we got from them. This merger is going to be like US Air for sure. UAL management is looking at US Air as a template as opposed to NWA/DAL. Very sad indeed. Any hopes that we had for having a great, world class airline that we would be proud to work for are all but dead.

 

[Shrek]

See what happens when you negotiate in public?

 

[Dan Roman]

I guess I'm missing something here. Currently UAL pays the same rate for 747 and 777. CO has 777's but no 747's. Big deal, obviously the correct thing to do is come up with the same rate for all the 747/777 pilots at both airlines and move on. How can it be a sticking point? Is common sense really that dead?

 

[list2002]

Oh Dan...

 

[nimtz]

I guess I'm missing something here. Currently UAL pays the same rate for 747 and 777. CO has 777's but no 747's. Big deal, obviously the correct thing to do is come up with the same rate for all the 747/777 pilots at both airlines and move on. How can it be a sticking point? Is common sense really that dead?

Please refer to any recent thread with CAL/UAL MEC in title. We can duke out this issue all day, but it will be worked out in house. The reality is the real detriment to a smooth merger is Jeff Smiegl ramming 70 seaters up our collective @sses at CAL...

 

[densoo]

I guess I'm missing something here. Currently UAL pays the same rate for 747 and 777. CO has 777's but no 747's. Big deal, obviously the correct thing to do is come up with the same rate for all the 747/777 pilots at both airlines and move on. How can it be a sticking point? Is common sense really that dead?

It isn't just the different 747 pay scale. It is the insistence that this be part of the SLI. If it is, then 400 UAL pilots get stapled to the top of the combined list.

 

[Tweaker]

You guys haven't mailed poop, you don't get to be compared to the US Air/AWA merger!

 

[JoeMerchant]

Please refer to any recent thread with CAL/UAL MEC in title. We can duke out this issue all day, but it will be worked out in house. The reality is the real detriment to a smooth merger is Jeff Smiegl ramming 70 seaters up our collective @sses at CAL...

...you guys have been too busy beating up junior Skywest pilots instead of taking care of your own problems.

How about you guys get Wendy and Jay to kiss and make up before you go after junior Skywest pilots.....

 

[chppr5]

It isn't just the different 747 pay scale. It is the insistence that this be part of the SLI. If it is, then 400 UAL pilots get stapled to the top of the combined list.

Your right, it isn't. It's about wanting to band the 764 with the 777/744, a seperate scale for the 738 and banding the 320 with the 735/733. There is a lot of info that isn't forwarded to the membership. Hopefully they can work it out on Thurs.