New AAI ALPA Strategy: Fire SWA Haters!

[redflyer65]

but the employment situation (pay, schedule, benefits, etc) for a pilot at AAI was not as good as a pilot's situation at SWA. That's a fact, and no amount of spin is going to change that.

I have to agree. Very well articulated Flycatcher.

Too have AAI guys come on here and talk about what a great contract and future they had prior to Sept after a 95+ strike vote and many begging to be bought is pretty disingenous. Please, just call it what it is without the full out spin.

 

[Ty Webb]

I have to agree. Very well articulated Flycatcher.

Too have AAI guys come on here and talk about what a great contract and future they had prior to Sept after a 95+ strike vote and many begging to be bought is pretty disingenous. Please, just call it what it is without the full out spin.

You guys that keep posting our strike vote results obvioulsy don't understand what that really means, and are just broadcasting your lack of knowledge of the nuances of the RLA process.

And the late-night postings of a couple of supposed junior FO's on an anonymous message board will carry all of the "shock and awe" of introducing as evidence an old Perry Mason rerun.

Good luck with that, but you're relying on silly, anecdotal evidence that is only relevant to yourself.

 

[Just thinking]

The overwhelming support of the strike vote was a testament to the solidarity of this pilot group that was sick and tired of being pushed around by our management. We have repeatedly succeeded in difficult times and risen to the occasion to pull this managment team out of the quagmire into which they have so ineptly driven this bus. Our pilot group spoke loudly and with one voice on that occasion and unfortnuatley our union leadership let that opportunity slip away. We heard every excuse as to why we would not get released or why we could not do this or that to push the situation further. This pilot group has been abused by management and by various union leaders throughout the history of this company. Would it have been nice to have a management group that worked WITH the pilots to aid in the success? Our limitation to our efficiencies and productivity were managment imposed. You will find yourselves working with some of the hardest working pilots around. We are professional and work hard to take care of the customers. We go out of our way to ensure that commuting pilots and F/A's get where they are going. We are proactive in cutting off problems. We do this because we are professional pilots who are proud of what we have accomplished. Are there the usual 10%? Certainly. There always is and always will be. (In every company.)
My first reaction on September 27th was to throw up in the back of my throat. Many of us believe that we have a good product and and good route structure with good expansion opportunities. Are we looking forward to working with a management team that places VALUE in its employees/crewmembers? Of course we are. As much as every one of the Southwest team has built the company into what it is today, so has every Airtran employee. Once again.... in spite of our management team.
Your management team embraces the values and walks the walk. Ours provides lip service and will turn on you in a second.
You speak of your culture as if only the selected "chosen" ones are able to succeed in that environment. If it is a work ethic that is required and a willingness to work together to succeed in your culture, rest easy, we go that covered. If it requires a management team to provide that culture, we can rest easy because you have that covered. Why is it that you do not trust your management team at this point in time? They are the foundation of your culture that you hold in such high regard. Have they no done well by you in the past? Have they demonstrated time and time again that they will say one thing and do another? Will they smile at you, shake your hand and break bread with you and then immediately violate the contract that you just took pictures while you signed it? Your management has provided you all the tools to succeed and you have done a great job succeeding. Let the merger committees do their thing and when it all settles in a couple of years Southwest will be in a position where they could not be without the purchase of Airtran. Would Southwest still have been successful? Certainly so. As successful? Probably not. Would Airtran been successful? Probably. (Not certainly.)
Would either be as successful without the aquisition/purchase/merger/stock swap or any of the other terms you choose to use. No.

 

[redflyer65]

Why is it that you do not trust your management team at this point in time?

Trust them 100%. Gary won't let this accquisition ruin 40 years of Southwest history. If you think otherwise, you don't have your head out of the sand.

Ty,

So nothing that happened at AAI prior to Sept. matters? Ahh, okay. Good luck with that. Unfortunately you can't change history.

RF

 

[ASADFW7]

This latest round of who carries a bigger stick is not helping. Not every pilot at AAI wanted to come to swa. And not every pilot at SWA thinks the AAI pilots are seeking what is unfair. Beating each other up once again is pointless. There are two groups meeting right now trying to negotiate a solution. None of it coming from flightinfo.

 

[Ty Webb]

The overwhelming support of the strike vote was a testament to the solidarity of this pilot group that was sick and tired of being pushed around by our management. We have repeatedly succeeded in difficult times and risen to the occasion to pull this managment team out of the quagmire into which they have so ineptly driven this bus. Our pilot group spoke loudly and with one voice on that occasion and unfortnuatley our union leadership let that opportunity slip away. We heard every excuse as to why we would not get released or why we could not do this or that to push the situation further. This pilot group has been abused by management and by various union leaders throughout the history of this company. Would it have been nice to have a management group that worked WITH the pilots to aid in the success? Our limitation to our efficiencies and productivity were managment imposed. You will find yourselves working with some of the hardest working pilots around. We are professional and work hard to take care of the customers. We go out of our way to ensure that commuting pilots and F/A's get where they are going. We are proactive in cutting off problems. We do this because we are professional pilots who are proud of what we have accomplished. Are there the usual 10%? Certainly. There always is and always will be. (In every company.)
My first reaction on September 27th was to throw up in the back of my throat. Many of us believe that we have a good product and and good route structure with good expansion opportunities. Are we looking forward to working with a management team that places VALUE in its employees/crewmembers? Of course we are. As much as every one of the Southwest team has built the company into what it is today, so has every Airtran employee. Once again.... in spite of our management team.
Your management team embraces the values and walks the walk. Ours provides lip service and will turn on you in a second.
You speak of your culture as if only the selected "chosen" ones are able to succeed in that environment. If it is a work ethic that is required and a willingness to work together to succeed in your culture, rest easy, we go that covered. If it requires a management team to provide that culture, we can rest easy because you have that covered. Why is it that you do not trust your management team at this point in time? They are the foundation of your culture that you hold in such high regard. Have they no done well by you in the past? Have they demonstrated time and time again that they will say one thing and do another? Will they smile at you, shake your hand and break bread with you and then immediately violate the contract that you just took pictures while you signed it? Your management has provided you all the tools to succeed and you have done a great job succeeding. Let the merger committees do their thing and when it all settles in a couple of years Southwest will be in a position where they could not be without the purchase of Airtran. Would Southwest still have been successful? Certainly so. As successful? Probably not. Would Airtran been successful? Probably. (Not certainly.)
Would either be as successful without the aquisition/purchase/merger/stock swap or any of the other terms you choose to use. No.

Awesome post. I couldn't agree more. The only difference for me is that when I heard the announcement, I was relieved. Not psyched, not stoked, but relieved that we would finally be out from under our corporate culture of "worst practices" management.

The "throwing up in the back of the throat" began later, on Flightinfo, when I realized that many SWA pilots, especially the FO's, were jealously viewing us as a step-siblings that they were going to have to share their toys with, even though we brought our own, and couldn't care less about theirs.

 

[RLAblows]

I appreciate your sentiment. I'm not sure where you got the idea, though, that I lack appreciation for my own position. I am extremely thankful, both to the powers that be at SWA, not to mention to God Himself, that I am where I am.

My thankfulness is not the issue, though. My point was one of entitlement, which it would seem that some have an issue with, and a humble suggestion that some of that entitlement would be better replaced with gratefulness for this newfound opportunity. And before anyone tries to make a case that SWA pilots are showing entitlement, please remember whose sandbox we are all jumping into.

Now, if this acquisition ends up bettering this company, as well as all the pilots, then I will be even more grateful to our management. Until then, this group will likely remain cautiously optimistic, at best.

Very well put flycatcher, but the end statement is the confusing part for me and maybe some others. The deal is already bettering the company. Traffic has been increased because of AT. Aircraft deliveries are increasing because of AT. Listen to Mr. Kelly's hotline message about our international flying. It seems to be helping out in many ways as far as being profitable and forging the future for SWA going international. There doesn't seem to be anything negative for the company from this deal. I could go on and on, but every one of these things don't seem to matter to some, (Airtran and Southwest pilots alike) the big picture should show that all of this, deliveries, international, hiring, upgrades, etc. is a beneficial byproduct for all the pilots and employees. We are going to have to get past this ME ME ME mentality. What's in it for you? Movement, upgrades, deliveries, international flying, capturing 30% of the domestic market share, lots of potential growth. I get it. AT pilots are getting a big pay increase once we get over on the SWAPA contract, and me personally, I don't want to step on anyone's toes to get there, but no matter where I fall on the seniority list I will, because some people will always feel that we were "acquired not hired." To those people I have to say, get over yourselves "super pilots." Mergers are a circumstance in any industry, and in our industry we need to set the example, and not go down the same road the USAirways/AWA pilots have. We need to stop finger pointing at each others pilot group and start looking at the bigger picture for the company. If it's beneficial for the company it will be beneficial for all the employee groups. Let the MC's do their job and let the chips fall where they may, but stop with the demeaning and derogatory statements. If it goes DOH, relative, or (this would suck) staple I will live with it. The sun will still rise everyday and I'll make the best of it. I look forward to working with everyone on the other side.
Vaya con dios.

 

[madjack]

If it goes relative OR DOH, this will be an unpleasant place to work...that is what is at stake...a great culture and relationship with management...good luck to us all...

 

[RLAblows]

If it goes relative OR DOH, this will be an unpleasant place to work...that is what is at stake...a great culture and relationship with management...good luck to us all...

That will be your choice. you can make it as unpleasant as you want, but I don't understand what good that will do.

 

[Tripower455]

That will be your choice. you can make it as unpleasant as you want, but I don't understand what good that will do.

Sounds like something a rapist would tell his victim.

 

[RLAblows]

Sounds like something a rapist would tell his victim.

There you go. Now you have a new line to use.

 

[Ty Webb]

If it goes relative OR DOH, this will be an unpleasant place to work...that is what is at stake...a great culture and relationship with management...good luck to us all...

You will be making a choice, then. Just like if it goes worse than that, I will be making a choice.

The difference is that I won't let it ruin my life or my new company, and neither will anyone else with a brain and a reasonably mature attitude.

 

[Tripower455]

You will be making a choice, then. Just like if it goes worse than that, I will be making a choice.

The difference is that I won't let it ruin my life or my new company, and neither will anyone else with a brain and a reasonably mature attitude.

Then we're doomed!

 

[Rough67]

Make sure you guys get new randomized employee numbers when it's complete.

 

[SWA/FO]

Make sure you guys get new randomized employee numbers when it's complete.

We will still know. (Looks like 100000 numbers)