Debrief - Lessons Learned - DL/NWA Contract

[pilotgolfer]

If you do go that route, be sure to have the same flow down agreement that we had with Compass and seat pull if they furlough. Those provisions cost the company if the decide to furlough and why I believe we did not furlough. It would have taken 36 months to pay for those costs and made it not cost effective.

When the DL/NWA merger took place...neither had pilots on furlough at the time...is that correct? Weren't they both hiring when it went down? A flowdown wouldn't do any good to us furloughed guys because the company would never agree to retrain us as RJ pilots...unless, of course, those airplanes were United's and flown by United pilots or Continental pilots...whatever they are going to call them.

 

[clippyrip]

When the DL/NWA merger took place...neither had pilots on furlough at the time...is that correct?

We both had pilots on furlough. We were hiring and they were given the option to return but bypassed it with the option to recall again at a later date.

 

[clippyrip]

CAL's scope (and the jobs it protects by owning 51+ seats) should be valued higher in a JCBA than any pay rate or work rule...

I would agree. Keep your scope and build your own new contract from the best that each has to offer. If you cave on scope then that will lead to furloughs at mainline once the seniority lists are merged. The combination of broader scope and elimination of route overlap between the two carriers can be bad for those on the bottom.

 

[densoo]

They offered the Delta contract because they want the same scope agreement that Delta has.

Funny thing. They forgot to include the $650M incentive the DAL pilots got to sign that contract. I'm sure it was just an oversight.

 

[pilotgolfer]

We both had pilots on furlough. We were hiring and they were given the option to return but bypassed it with the option to recall again at a later date.

I understand that...I guess what I should have said was that everyone had already been given the option of coming back. So when they did the SLI, those guys who bypassed recall still got put into the mix according to whatever formula was used. They weren't put at the bottom of the list just because they were not active.

 

[clippyrip]

I understand that...I guess what I should have said was that everyone had already been given the option of coming back. So when they did the SLI, those guys who bypassed recall still got put into the mix according to whatever formula was used. They weren't put at the bottom of the list just because they were not active.

Correct.

 

[General Lee]

First, CAL/UAL guys have to get the JOINT contract before the SLI. When Dalpa negotiated with the company for the Joint Contract, the timing was of course bad---oil was at $130 a barrel and looking to go higher. Whatever you do, do not let scope get away from you. Agree to current 70 seat RJs, but make sure they go away when the contracts expire. Also, curb the amount of large props like the Dash-8-400, which are replacing your 737-500s in EWR and soon to be IAH. Then go for pay and rules. Go for higher than DL please. A big pay raise will help cushion the blow to UAL guys who get relative seniority on the new list. It will happen. And, again, get insurance for all pilots starting day 1, not 6 months down the line after being hired. Keep those percentage points going up for the DC fund for the UAL guys, and keep that pension for the CAL guys. You can live with both, you just need to try to make it seem fair. Good luck.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Go for broke. We proved the merger works, and your will too. Your companies need it to compete.

Look at both CBA's and take the best. With as big as you are, they will want to follow the DAL template. They also know that we are batter up in the section six game and any gains by you will be demanded here. There is a safe zone with that.

 

[jtf]

Can either or both pilot group torpedo the merger? Management seems to want it more than the rest of the employees so if it is possible to scuttle it, please use that threat to your advantage to help yourselves to a better contract and the rest of us with a raised bar. If labor can kill the deal, it is the best negotiating tool outside of the threat of strike that I can think of and should be used to full advantage. Please shove scope up management's butt for the rest of us!