sleepy said:
Just wondering, why would Comair want your pilots? If they are going to give concessions to get your FRJ's, they are going to want them for themselves. Is there anything in you agreement with DCI that requires them to take your pilots, or is this just wishful thinking?
Sleepy, If CMR and ASA ever get together for real, I hope you would not want us (CMR) to apply your kind of thinking to the ASA group.
There is nothing in the ACA PWA that would
require CMR to take ACA pilots if the DoJets should go to CMR (that part of the operation is not big enough to trigger the operative clause in the ACA contract). From a pilots' point of view, it is simply the right thing to do, assuming that they would want to come. Again from a pilots' point of view it would also be the right thing to offer them DOH integration if they chose to come. [How management sees it is unknown to me.]
There is no reason whatever, in my opinion, for Comair pilots to "want those aircraft for ourselves" and certainly no reason to give concessions to get them. The maximum benefit to current Comair pilots would be the Captain positions, at a lower pay rate, which is about 150 slots, and that would probably force some folks to charming BOS (the advantage of which is yet another opinion). The rest of the jobs (if the aircraft came without pilots) would go to new hires anyway. Again no benefit to current Comair pilots, other than getting a bit bigger airline with essentially undesirable equipment added to the fleet.
No concessions for that, please.
From the Company's point of view, it is beneficial to acquire that fleet (since it is a new type) with a cadre of qualified pilots as opposed to having to train 150 CMR pilots plus 150 new hires to fly them. A turn-key operation would be far better for management and cost much less. Instead of asking us for concessions, maybe they should consider giving us a bonus to facilitate that deal.
So, how would your pilots fall into the Comair seniority list? Would the ALPA merger policy apply? I think Comair put something in their last contract that would cover integration if they ever aquire an airline with 30 seat or less aircraft.
The CMR PWA does contain a provision regarding the acquisition of another airline. As I read this speculation, ACA DoJets are not the "acquisition" of another air carrier, but only a part of one. Therfore it is not a merger, but rather the purchase of additional equipment. The CMR PWA is silent on that and makes no reference to "30-seat or less aircraft" in that context. The reference is actually to 20-seat or less aircraft, such as the Beech 1900, which does not have to operate under 121.
I really don't know how the ACA pilots would integrate,
I just have the personal opinion that it should be by DOH and I hope my fellow pilots also see it that way.
As for ALPA "merger policy" we've learned that isn't worth the paper its written on. Besides, this would not be a "merger". Personally, I would not mind it being considered as a merger, but I'm sure the Executive Council in its infinite wisdom to could find a way to determine that those aircraft are not operationally integrated with Comair, even if Delta buys them through CMR.
I'm quite sure that we could sit down with the ACA leadership and work out a simple solution that is fair to them and fair to us, without all the fan fare of ALPA's political BS. To me, DOH is the obvious solution, with protections against a flush both for them and for us. Pilot-to-pilot it should not be difficult at all and it would be nice if we could establish a precedent devoid of the greed normally associated with "ALPA merger policy." I would not want to see us calling each other names and sending hate email and insults on forums, like we witnessed in the potential squabble between United and USAirways before their merger tanked, nor would I want to be part of anything like the AA pilots' rape of the TWA group. Screwing your fellow pilots just because you can, is not my idea of how we should live. I sincerely hope Comair pilots will rise above that and won't follow that tradition of stomping on the disadvantaged, IF these rumors have any substance.
If your pilots come to Comair with DOH integration, I wouldn't think that that would be much of an incentive for the Comair pilots to take concessions in exchange for getting your aircraft. They (you) will probably end up at Chit.
As I said earlier, in my opinion,
there is NO logical reason for Comair pilots to take concessions in order to get the Dornier(s), with or without their pilots. If that is the way, I would much prefer to see them go to CHQ.
It is not necessary for Comair pilots to pay for the company's expansion or to compensate for its problems vis a vis ACA. Airline pilots should not be "buying" growth with their pay, benefits or work rules, especially not downward growth. I for one am quite happy to let some other group do that. That is exactly why it has been the policy of the CMR MEC not to negotiate compensation for aircraft that we do not have or that are not on firm order for the Company. Buying a pig-in-a-poke is not the smartest move.
Also in my opinion, there is no logical reason why ACA should not be able to continue the operation of these aircraft under contract for Delta (if they want to), because they have problems with UAL or because they operate aircraft in their own right/LCC. That is one more BS provision of the Delta PWA that attempts to control the business of third parties with whom they have no contract. That sort of garbage was directly responsible for the creation of Freedom and the subsequent disaster for the Mesa pilots. It ought to be laughed out of existence.
I do not know the terms of the agreement between Delta and ACA, but if ACA did not agree to comply with the Delta PWA as a condition of its service contract with Delta, that clause would never stand the test of litigation. That is probably why Delta may be willing to buy them out rather than tell them to stuff it.
If Comair pilots reject concessions I doubt there will be much hiring at Comair in the future. Delta is sure to try to squeeze us by threatening to allocate the growth to whatever group chooses to prostitute itself. I hope we will be strong enough to resist that. A prostitute never gains any real benefit by affiliating with a pimp. Maybe one day we pilots will figure that out.
If all of the regional groups (pilots and managements) had the moxy to reject the unnecessary concessions foisted upon them, we would not be having to fend off more unjustified concessions today and ACA would not have to be starting a new business plan. Unfortunately, there is always someone willing to take 50 cents for a dollar's worth of work or the carrot of promised growth with no guarantees. We are our own worst enemies.
Good luck with your negotiations at ASA. I hope too that we of Comair will not do something stupid that pulls the rug out from under you all in exchange for some promise made by a shell corporation that is without the power to keep its "promises".
If Delta wants a deal, then Delta should come to the table and make one. Negotiations with a non-entity are a patent waste of time. IF Delta is willing to talk, and that's doubtful, I hope that my MEC will have the courage not to allow ALPA to prevent it again. If ALPA tries that again, somebody will have them for (not to) dinner. You can guess who that may be.
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