CNBC reports US Air / United in merger talks

[flybywire]

Yes, I'm happy to explain. ALPA Merger Policy:

a. Preserve jobs.
b. Avoid windfalls to either group at the expense of the other.
c. Maintain or improve pre-merger pay and standard of living.
d. Maintain or improve pre-merger pilot status.
e. Minimize detrimental changes to career expectations.

What's wrong is that in the case of AWA/USair a DOH integration puts a pilot who was on furlough with no hope of recall at the time of the merger senior to 2/3 of the AWA list. And fences don't protect from furlough. For a more complete explanation please read the Nicolau Award.

Wow alpa merger policy is great and works well. I can't see where ABCDor E applies to the merger.

 

[FDJ2]

Twa dude
could you possibly explain to me how you think it is fair that 2 guys both hired June of 1986 one at us airways one at america west.
On the Nic award the west guy is 1500 numbers senior to the east guy. 1500 numbers. What is wrong with DOH with fences and seat protection.

That's easy, while they both share the same longevity at their respective carriers, they don't share the same seniority. The AWA pilot was significantly more senior. When they merged list, both pilots retained their seniority for bidding and longevity for benefits.

 

[MCDU]

Look up the word seniority. Seniority has everything to due with how long you worked. There is a reason why every other employee groups merge DOH. Pilots even offer protections and fences. That way no one loses their seat.


M

 

[eaglesview]

Yes, I'm happy to explain. ALPA Merger Policy:

a. Preserve jobs.
b. Avoid windfalls to either group at the expense of the other.
c. Maintain or improve pre-merger pay and standard of living.
d. Maintain or improve pre-merger pilot status.
e. Minimize detrimental changes to career expectations.

What's wrong is that in the case of AWA/USair a DOH integration puts a pilot who was on furlough with no hope of recall at the time of the merger senior to 2/3 of the AWA list. And fences don't protect from furlough. For a more complete explanation please read the Nicolau Award.

TWA, you keep referring to the old ALPA merger. It has been changed to include longevity. In my personal opinion they did this asa a direct result of the nic. Not because they favor one group over the other but because it cost them 10 Million in dues money. ALPA is a business like any other, the bottom line dictates policy.


OLD
1.The merger representatives shall carefully weigh all the equities inherent in their merger situation. In joint session, the merger representatives should attempt to match equities to various methods of integration until a fair and equitable agreement is reached, keeping in mind the following goals, in no particular order:
a.Preserve jobs.
b.Avoid windfalls to either group at the expense of the other.
c.Maintain or improve pre-merger pay and standard of living.
d.Maintain or improve pre-merger pilot status.
e.Minimize detrimental changes to career expectations.
　
NEW
e. The merger representatives shall carefully weigh all the equities inherent in their merger situation. In joint session, the merger representatives should attempt to match equities to various methods of integration until a fair and equitable integrated seniority list is reached. Factors to be considered in constructing a fair and equitable integrated seniority list, in no particular order and with no particular weight, shall include but not be limited to the following:
- Career expectations.
- Longevity.
- Status and category.

 

[reepicheep]

Look up the word seniority. Seniority has everything to due with how long you worked. There is a reason why every other employee groups merge DOH. Pilots even offer protections and fences. That way no one loses their seat.


M

You are dead wrong and you and everyone knows it. Seniority equates to longevity only within one list. The minute you try and merge two lists it goes out the window. Easy example is the #1 guy at Virgin America with 3 years' longevity is more senior than the #2 at US Airways hired in the late 70's. And if this goes down I can't wait to see how many late 80's-early 90's hired United captains think DOH is so neat that they are gonna be willing to give up their place on the list for the oft-furloughed 20-year narrowbody rightseater Angry FO Club members.

 

[hockeypilot44]

DOH is the worst way to merge. What if you have a newer company that's doing well and a large old company that is struggling to stay alive. DO you think it makes any sense to use DOH, now guys who are senior captains are now reserve FO's. Relative seniority is the only way to cause the least amount of damage.

DOH is the best way to merge a list. We have zero control over whether or not our company will be successful. ALPA should have created a national seniority list using DOH years ago. The newer companies usually do well because of the tax breaks, reduced landing fees, and lower labor costs. Someone's going to get screwed either way. I am extremely junior on a major airline list (not hard to find out who I work for). I still stand by DOH. All airlines eventually become large older companies struggling to stay alive. Southwest is the only exception up to this point, but I don't think long term, they will even be an exception. By not going with DOH, you are allowing pilots to jump ahead long term at other pilots' expense. US Airways hired the best of the best in th 80's. If these pilots had a crystal ball at the time, I am sure none of them would have gone to USAir. Southwest hired the rejects of the industry in the 80's all the way up to the late 90's. Things change. DOH with no bump and flush is the only true fair way to do it. Everyone keeps their current position, but then advances where DOH would put them.

 

[eaglesview]

You are dead wrong and you and everyone knows it. Seniority equates to longevity only within one list. The minute you try and merge two lists it goes out the window. Easy example is the #1 guy at Virgin America with 3 years' longevity is more senior than the #2 at US Airways hired in the late 70's. And if this goes down I can't wait to see how many late 80's-early 90's hired United captains think DOH is so neat that they are gonna be willing to give up their place on the list for the oft-furloughed 20-year narrowbody rightseater Angry FO Club members.

IMHO this is exactly where AWA was a bit short sighted. I am the exact UAL pilot you describe, early 90's hire Captain seniority. All it takes is a bit of forward thinking. USAir is so senior (read OLD) that their pilot group will be retiring at a very quick pace beginning in December of 2012. A relativley short fence to protect our current seat/flying and the "problem is solved." The problem with this merger does not come from the East, it comes from the west. There you have younger pilots with less longevity who want their flying protected and more!

So to sum it up DOH puts us behind really old pilots in the East and we fair well with the pilots of the West.

 

[hockeypilot44]

IMHO this is exactly where AWA was a bit short sighted. I am the exact UAL pilot you describe, early 90's hire Captain seniority. All it takes is a bit of forward thinking. USAir is so senior (read OLD) that their pilot group will be retiring at a very quick pace beginning in December of 2012. A relativley short fence to protect our current seat/flying and the "problem is solved." The problem with this merger does not come from the East, it comes from the west. There you have younger pilots with less longevity who want their flying protected and more!

So to sum it up DOH puts us behind really old pilots in the East and we fair well with the pilots of the West.

I agree with you. The NIC award made it worse. It was supposed to be a binding award therefore giving the AWA pilots in their minds, legal entitlement.

 

[hockeypilot44]

You are dead wrong and you and everyone knows it. Seniority equates to longevity only within one list. The minute you try and merge two lists it goes out the window. Easy example is the #1 guy at Virgin America with 3 years' longevity is more senior than the #2 at US Airways hired in the late 70's. And if this goes down I can't wait to see how many late 80's-early 90's hired United captains think DOH is so neat that they are gonna be willing to give up their place on the list for the oft-furloughed 20-year narrowbody rightseater Angry FO Club members.

The number 1 guy at Virgin should go where his DOH would put him. If DOH was law, pilots would think long and hard about taking a bottom-feeding job just to be high on the seniority list. When Jetblue started, they paid about half what the legacies paid. I put them into this category also. The guys at the top are there because of luck. I have met numerous pilots in the top 100 there that were turned down by airlines like US Airways, Northwest, Delta, and United. They are extremely grateful, but truth be told, they were rewarded for failing at interviews.

 

[MCDU]

Good posts. It is nice to see pilots who see the big picture.

M