DAL MEC open to "expedited" arbitration? True? Change, or last resort?

[~~~^~~~]

Monday April 21, 4:56 pm ET
By Harry R. Weber, AP Business Writer Delta pilots union open to arbitration with Northwest pilots to get seniority deal

ATLANTA (AP) -- The head of Delta's pilots union suggested Monday that he is open to arbitration with Northwest pilots over how to merge their seniority lists. The two sides failed to reach a pact before their airlines agreed to combine last week.
In a letter to fellow pilots Monday, Lee Moak, the chairman of the executive committee at Delta's pilots union, said union leaders are committed to the idea that seniority integration should be accomplished after negotiation of a single joint contract and, if necessary, "expedited arbitration to be completed before closing of a corporate transaction."
The two carriers tried and failed to get a pilot seniority integration deal in advance of their combination announcement.
Before Delta's April 14 announcement that it was acquiring Northwest, Moak had said he opposed binding arbitration.
The Northwest pilots union has said repeatedly that it supports arbitration, though that was before Delta's pilots cut a deal with management days before the merger announcement to give them a voting board seat, future pay raises and an equity stake in the combined airline. Delta's pilots union agreed to make changes to the pilot contract that give management more flexibility. Rank-and-file Delta pilots must ratify the agreement.
That agreement does not cover Northwest pilots.
Moak and a spokesman for Northwest's pilots union could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.
Arbitration can be a long, contentious process.
The conventional wisdom has been that arbitration might not be desirable for Delta's pilots union because of concern that younger Delta pilots might lose the seniority they obtained after the mass exodus of older pilots ahead of Delta's bankruptcy filing in 2005. The airline emerged from Chapter 11 protection last April.
It's not clear why Delta's pilots union supports arbitration now when it didn't before.
Moak also said in his letter that there have been a "number of ugly rumors, innuendo and factually inaccurate stories" that mischaracterize the Delta pilot leaders' motives in crafting the contract revision agreement with management.
Moak did not specify in his letter what reports he was talking about.
"While we all recognize that there are two sides to every story, an extended tit for tat exchange is counterproductive and only serves to pit pilots against one another, a tactic that has traditionally been reserved for airline management," Moak wrote. "That type of response will get us no closer to our goal of a single unified pilot group in the merged airline."
Moak did say that Delta's pilots union hopes to reach a joint agreement with Northwest's pilots to take effect on the closing of the combination transaction that provides "immediate parity in rates of pay." He said the union also wants a "fair and equitable integrated seniority list to take effect on the effective date of the new joint agreement." Delta Air Lines Inc.'s stock-swap deal to acquire Northwest Airlines Corp., if approved by regulators and shareholders, would create the world's biggest carrier. Investors have sent shares of both airlines down sharply since the deal was announced.

 

[DTW320]

Fins:

You sound as if you haven't read your own MEC Chairman's letter dated today. Here is the related clip from it:

We are also committed to the premise that seniority integration should be accomplished after negotiation of the single joint contract by expedited negotiations and, if necessary, expedited arbitration to be completed before closing of a corporate transaction. Unlike our attempt to reach a cooperative seniority list integration before the merger announcement, arbitration can have a role post announcement, either through ALPA merger policy or earlier, through mutual agreement.

Why do you think he says it's OK now, post announcement, but not OK before? Hmmmmmmm.

 

[tomgoodman]

Hmmmm indeed

Why do you think he says it's OK now, post announcement, but not OK before? Hmmmmmmm.

Maybe that was part of the deal with management, who seem to want a joint contract and a list ASAP.

 

[eaglefly]

Monday April 21, 4:56 pm ET
By Harry R. Weber, AP Business Writer Delta pilots union open to arbitration with Northwest pilots to get seniority deal

ATLANTA (AP) -- The head of Delta's pilots union suggested Monday that he is open to arbitration with Northwest pilots over how to merge their seniority lists. The two sides failed to reach a pact before their airlines agreed to combine last week.
In a letter to fellow pilots Monday, Lee Moak, the chairman of the executive committee at Delta's pilots union, said union leaders are committed to the idea that seniority integration should be accomplished after negotiation of a single joint contract and, if necessary, "expedited arbitration to be completed before closing of a corporate transaction."
The two carriers tried and failed to get a pilot seniority integration deal in advance of their combination announcement.
Before Delta's April 14 announcement that it was acquiring Northwest, Moak had said he opposed binding arbitration.
The Northwest pilots union has said repeatedly that it supports arbitration, though that was before Delta's pilots cut a deal with management days before the merger announcement to give them a voting board seat, future pay raises and an equity stake in the combined airline. Delta's pilots union agreed to make changes to the pilot contract that give management more flexibility. Rank-and-file Delta pilots must ratify the agreement.
That agreement does not cover Northwest pilots.
Moak and a spokesman for Northwest's pilots union could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.
Arbitration can be a long, contentious process.
The conventional wisdom has been that arbitration might not be desirable for Delta's pilots union because of concern that younger Delta pilots might lose the seniority they obtained after the mass exodus of older pilots ahead of Delta's bankruptcy filing in 2005. The airline emerged from Chapter 11 protection last April.
It's not clear why Delta's pilots union supports arbitration now when it didn't before.
Moak also said in his letter that there have been a "number of ugly rumors, innuendo and factually inaccurate stories" that mischaracterize the Delta pilot leaders' motives in crafting the contract revision agreement with management.
Moak did not specify in his letter what reports he was talking about.
"While we all recognize that there are two sides to every story, an extended tit for tat exchange is counterproductive and only serves to pit pilots against one another, a tactic that has traditionally been reserved for airline management," Moak wrote. "That type of response will get us no closer to our goal of a single unified pilot group in the merged airline."
Moak did say that Delta's pilots union hopes to reach a joint agreement with Northwest's pilots to take effect on the closing of the combination transaction that provides "immediate parity in rates of pay." He said the union also wants a "fair and equitable integrated seniority list to take effect on the effective date of the new joint agreement." Delta Air Lines Inc.'s stock-swap deal to acquire Northwest Airlines Corp., if approved by regulators and shareholders, would create the world's biggest carrier. Investors have sent shares of both airlines down sharply since the deal was announced.

Could it be DALPA sees what's going down at U/AWA (self-destruction) and doesn't want the same ticket ?

If so, then maybe Lee's getting smart. Strongarming others usually gets one going backward instead of forward.

Hats off to DALPA for seeking a MUTUALLY positive approach to resolving conflict.

 

[nwaredtail]

Could it be DALPA sees what's going down at U/AWA (self-destruction) and doesn't want the same ticket ?

If so, then maybe Lee's getting smart. Strongarming others usually gets one going backward instead of forward.

Hats off to DALPA for seeking a MUTUALLY positive approach to resolving conflict.

Or Anderson finally put Moak in his place and told him what is what. Either way, it's better to work it out without arbitration. I'll take MSPCA320 block please.

 

[PuffDriver]

Fins:

You sound as if you haven't read your own MEC Chairman's letter dated today. Here is the related clip from it:

Why do you think he says it's OK now, post announcement, but not OK before? Hmmmmmmm.

There will be no agreement for arbitration OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF ALPA MERGER policy. The choices are: mutually agreeable seniority list outside merger policy, mutually agreeable list under merger policy, arbitration under ALPA merger policy.

Is that any more clear?

 

[Schwanker]

There will be no agreement for arbitration OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF ALPA MERGER policy. The choices are: mutually agreeable seniority list outside merger policy, mutually agreeable list under merger policy, arbitration under ALPA merger policy.

Is that any more clear?

What are your thoughts if NWA abandons ALPA and the new Bond legislation requires expedited arbitration?

Schwanker

 

[PuffDriver]

What are your thoughts if NWA abandons ALPA and the new Bond legislation requires expedited arbitration?

Schwanker

I say go for it. See how far that'll get ya. Better yet, try and stand in the way f the merger and find out where THAT gets ya. I actually could be wrong. I have thought of a way for the Delta MEC to actually accept arbitration outside the bounds of merger policy. It would depend on the joint contract negotiated first. Stay tuned. Either way, the Delta MEC continues to play this game brilliantly.

 

[737 Pylt]

What are your thoughts if NWA abandons ALPA and the new Bond legislation requires expedited arbitration?

Schwanker

I'd say you really need to read what the law is about and how it actually works!

737

 

[~~~^~~~]

Fins:

You sound as if you haven't read your own MEC Chairman's letter dated today.

Fin's down in the gills. Knew I could count on the NWA analysis in a pinch, thanks,

Doc says I'll live with excellent care, dinner & sex, the wife says she's not certain I'll survive the evening.

 

[DTW320]

There will be no agreement for arbitration OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF ALPA MERGER policy. The choices are: mutually agreeable seniority list outside merger policy, mutually agreeable list under merger policy, arbitration under ALPA merger policy.

Is that any more clear?

We are also committed to the premise that seniority integration should be accomplished after negotiation of the single joint contract by expedited negotiations and, if necessary, expedited arbitration to be completed before closing of a corporate transaction. Unlike our attempt to reach a cooperative seniority list integration before the merger announcement, arbitration can have a role post announcement, either through ALPA merger policy or earlier, through mutual agreement.

You apparently have a reading comprehension problem. I have highlighted additional words from the Moakster in the same quote for you....and made them RED.

Is that any more clear?

 

[DTW320]

What are your thoughts if NWA abandons ALPA and the new Bond legislation requires expedited arbitration?

Schwanker

Now, now....no need for that.....DALPA is now FOR expedited arbitration, if necessary. You know, the same expedited arbitration that NWALPA offered (when a stalemate sure made it look like it was "necessary"),and DALPA rejected........

 

[Redmeat]

Now, now....no need for that.....DALPA is now FOR expedited arbitration, if necessary. You know, the same expedited arbitration that NWALPA offered (when a stalemate sure made it look like it was "necessary"),and DALPA rejected........

Exactly.

Hmmmm... makes one wonder if DALPA didn't have a 'secret handshake' with management when they went to 'negotiate' the SLI.

That sure would explain a lot of things.

 

[andyd]

Everything was deleted because I just didn't have anything productive or positive to say.

We didn't change our minds on Arbitration and we do not want it now. You guys are picking words out of context to say what you want.

How bout we all take a step back from the keyboard for a few days and let our MEC's work this out for the better of both groups.

I j/s on a NWA flight this weekend and had a very productive, cordial and intelligent conversation with both guys for 3 hours. There is no reason why we can't have that discussion on here without all the finger pointing. Maybe we should start posting our real names along with our seniority numbers with our post and some of the hate will stop. We have to work with each other for YEARS, 20+ in my case....and I am looking forward to working with the Red Tail bunch. This is going to be a powerhouse airline and I am glad to be part of it. We will all be ok in the end.

Peace

 

[~~~^~~~]

Andy, you are correct.

Exactly.

Hmmmm... makes one wonder if DALPA didn't have a 'secret handshake'

That sure would explain a lot of things.

Expect it. After all, who does the Delta MEC negotiate with?

Realize what you are dealing with and make adjustments accordingly. You have to deal with the facts, I've been in your shoes (actually your shoes are a lot better than mine)