Continental is recalling Pilots

[AWACoff]

Continental is not going to hire a furloughed United guy off the street and pay them "longevity" when they can hire any of 10,000+ furloughed (don't forget about all the regional guys trying to get out) pilots at first year pay.

 

[UALRATT]

Continental is not going to hire a furloughed United guy off the street and pay them "longevity" when they can hire any of 10,000+ furloughed (don't forget about all the regional guys trying to get out) pilots at first year pay.

Yes, they would. The UAL furloughs will have two seniority numbers. A United and a Continental. They will be hired to pick up the slack at Continental just like the "jets for jobs" with the regionals (two sen #s, and does cost a dime extra for the regional). UAL will supplement their pay to some higher level above first year pay, contingent on a successful merger. If the merger is then approved and longevity was successfully negotiated, they get a pay raise. If the merger falls apart or longevity gets shot down in the event of a successful merger, they simply end up with a paycut, i.e., at what ever pay level they happen to be at CO or UA respectively. There's been all kinds of precedences set, beginning long before you and I entered the trade. Put simple, this just happens to be another.

 

[AWACoff]

Yes, they would. The UAL furloughs will have two seniority numbers. A United and a Continental. They will be hired to pick up the slack at Continental just like the "jets for jobs" with the regionals (two sen #s, and does cost a dime extra for the regional). UAL will supplement their pay to some higher level above first year pay, contingent on a successful merger. If the merger is then approved and longevity was successfully negotiated, they get a pay raise. If the merger falls apart or longevity gets shot down in the event of a successful merger, they simply end up with a paycut, i.e., at what ever pay level they happen to be at CO or UA respectively. There's been all kinds of precedences set, beginning long before you and I entered the trade. Put simple, this just happens to be another.

That all sounds nice. But tell me "why" CAL would hire a UAL furlough over another candidate. What's in it for CAL management? I don't disagree that hiring UAL furloughs is the right thing to do. Our management only cares about what will save them pennies (reference our new checklist with the "before push to the line". The Check Airman that created it told me it was done to save 4 seconds). If it costs more to hire a UAL furlough, I don't see why they would do it.

 

[ATRCA]

That all sounds nice. But tell me "why" CAL would hire a UAL furlough over another candidate. What's in it for CAL management? I don't disagree that hiring UAL furloughs is the right thing to do. Our management only cares about what will save them pennies (reference our new checklist with the "before push to the line". The Check Airman that created it told me it was done to save 4 seconds). If it costs more to hire a UAL furlough, I don't see why they would do it.

They won't. You and I both know how CAL operates. The UAL guys don't understand that CAL is managed TO THE PENNY! They will not "do the right thing" if it means extra costs. End of story, plain and simple. This is all pie in the sky and I understand why guys would like to see it. Unless CAL can do this without incurring additional costs they won't. Not only won't they, they'll probably know what's coming and refuse to even negotiate or they'll demand something in return at which point CALALPA walks out and say's "we tried"....

 

[Bigoober]

Ditto....sounds like too much faith in management.

 

[rumrunner300]

That all sounds nice. But tell me "why" CAL would hire a UAL furlough over another candidate. What's in it for CAL management?

I have NO faith in any management with one exception.... they will put
$$$$ in their pockets. Be sure of one thing, Tilton will be first in line at the trough and I am sure that the CAL brass will be willing to play monkey see, monkey do, in regard to Tilton's largesse.

The key to the scenario is getting the two MEC's to exert enough pressure to convince management that this is a good idea in the long run. The wild card is whether the furloughee's get sold out for $$ AGAIN.

 

[bluefin]

I have NO faith in any management with one exception.... they will put
$$$$ in their pockets. Be sure of one thing, Tilton will be first in line at the trough and I am sure that the CAL brass will be willing to play monkey see, monkey do, in regard to Tilton's largesse.

The key to the scenario is getting the two MEC's to exert enough pressure to convince management that this is a good idea in the long run. The wild card is whether the furloughee's get sold out for $$ AGAIN.

Don't worry, we will. If CO hires it will be, UAL furloughees. They will be brought in as a new hire with ALPA protection(whatever thats worth) ie they will not have a probationary year since 99.7% of U furloughees have already served the year and alpa will defend them against management. But what ever newhire policy is for CO, furloughees, i.e. 6 months for benies etc. will apply. Straight from the MEC.

 

[RT8VA]

the fact is that by the time they get through the 147 recalls well probably be close to the end of the year and an approval of the merger by the government. Assuming that happens about the pace of the Delta merger every one will be "united pilots" and putting an order to the list will be all that is left.

 

[thor2j]

the fact is that by the time they get through the 147 recalls well probably be close to the end of the year and an approval of the merger by the government. Assuming that happens about the pace of the Delta merger every one will be "united pilots" and putting an order to the list will be all that is left.

I'll bet you a beer that it will take a minimum of 1 1/2 years before you ever see a joint contract accepted by both sides. Then there will be a 1-2 year battle over SLI (with appeals and all, ala USAIR). By then, finally people will be retiring and everybody will be back.

 

[RT8VA]

I will bet the beer, and toast to whoever is right. The only reason I think it will go faster is because their is a lot of money waiting to be handed out to people who can make the pace go faster. I dont think either side wants a US air fight, no one has or ever will win on either side of it.

 

[BID]

I will bet the beer, and toast to whoever is right. The only reason I think it will go faster is because their is a lot of money waiting to be handed out to people who can make the pace go faster. I dont think either side wants a US air fight, no one has or ever will win on either side of it.

I agree. Lots of money sitting there. US Airways management must be saving a significant amount of money with cheap labor cost than any synergy.

I would not be surprised if we saw a short term agreement either. We need to get our money!!

(with out selling scope of course!)

 

[Shrek]

I'll bet you a beer that it will take a minimum of 1 1/2 years before you ever see a joint contract accepted by both sides. Then there will be a 1-2 year battle over SLI (with appeals and all, ala USAIR). By then, finally people will be retiring and everybody will be back.

Wouldn't that void the Joint Venture agreement if nothing is resolved by DEC ?

That is the CAL pilot's biggest stick if true.........

 

[Homer Jay]

Wouldn't that void the Joint Venture agreement if nothing is resolved by DEC ?

That is the CAL pilot's biggest stick if true.........

You are absolutely correct. This HAS to be done by the end of the year. We have all the bargaining power in the world right now.

 

[ewrord]

Pessimism seems to be getting in the way of facts and logic. A joint contract will more than likely be completed before the end of the year.

 

[skywdriver]

Pessimism seems to be getting in the way of facts and logic. A joint contract will more than likely be completed before the end of the year.

That assumes that the company is going to come to the table ready to offer the kind of contract our union reps should be demanding. The scope thing is going to be a fight, and I hope both sides are ready for that fight, because it will be worth it over the course of our careers. They can flash money all day long, but its a secure job that I would rather have - and that security will come in the form of solid language in the contract pertaining to scope, work rules, and staffing. I am not interested in spending the rest of my career waiting for the "big bucks" at the end of the road, only to watch the end of the road move further and further away from me.

I honestly do not believe that Smisek is ready to negotiate in good faith to get a contract done that satisifies the requirements of both pilot groups. We better not settle for less than the best parts of both of our current contracts plus some.

There is always the crowd out there that says you have to ask for something unreasonable to get what you want in the end. I tend to believe that we make a much better case by starting where we want to be and not budging from there. In the end, I don't care what they start out asking for, I just care that nothing short of what we deserve makes it past the MEC's for a vote.