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NWA/DAL solving the seniority issue

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As a stand alone carrier, I'd move up pretty quick in the next few years. So, the question is...what is fair for both pilot groups?
Kindly refer to my post on page one of this thread. That is my "Fair Plan" and the idea is free for adoption to any good home.

The plan would preserve your career movement, as well as my status quo and give both of us the choice of when to use our system seniority to bid out into growth.

Since each pilot would be in control of his choice on bidding I think it would promote a happy & satisfied merger of the work groups.
 
Career Protection & Progression




“Cross-Bidding” System
    • All pilots at DAL-NWA are provided with two seniority numbers.
    • The first number is their current seniority number used for bidding purposes within their current airline fleet.
    • The second number is an ALPA-issued “system” number used to bid vacancies at the combined carrier. Method for assigning the system number T.B.D. (relative seniority, ratio., etc.)
    • Future new-hires would have their "system" number.
  • Methodology
    • The current DAL and NWA fleets are identified by ship number and/or distinct aircraft types.
    • When bidding vacancies within their original fleet , a pilot’s original airline seniority number would take precedence.
    • “New” aircraft, in terms of either quantity or type, would be open to bids based upon the pilot’s system number.
    • In the event of furloughs, a pilot to have the option of exercising cross-bid rights, using their system number, or accepting furlough pursuant to the PWA.
  • Examples
    • A senior NWA B-747 captain, SN 200, would perhaps receive the numbers 200/325 while a senior DAL 767 captain, SN 200, might have the number 200/400.
    • A new-hire, hired after the merger, would have two identical numbers, say 10,000/10,000.
    • Future 747/A330 vacancies would be first filed by the current NWA pilots.
    • 767 vacancies would be first filled by the current DAL pilots.
    • A-320 vacancies would be NWA, B-737 vacancies would be DAL.
  • Benefits
    • Pilots have the choice, deciding when they want to use their "system" number to bid into new / growth aircraft.
    • Creates the benefits of a merged list without many of the problems associated with outright merger of diverse seniority lists.
    • Creates credible career protections and advancement opportunities for all pilots.
    • The order of precedence between the two numbers effectively creates seat and base protections.
    • Over time, the seniority lists become effectively merged as a greater percentage of pilots, hired after the merger, have identical seniority and system numbers.
 
Heyas Nose,


Now here's something we can agree on. Lock in the gains, agree to disagree, and press on.

Nu

Delta is offering "gains" as a means to persuade us to agree to SLI without arbitration. They (Delta and our union) tell us there will be no deal without a pre-negotiated list. The other option is "press on" (from a company standpoint)...ie merge the airlines with no increases in pay, work rules, etc and let the SLI fight drag on. Or my preference...don't do the deal.
 
Fins, have you forwarded your idea to the DAL MEC and Merger Committee?
 
I guess the million dollar question is how long is DAL going to keep hiring 500+/yr? Do you really think they won't have to stop/furlough within the next year with 100+ oil? And even if they don't furlough the music will stop once they get the staffing caught up and with no retirements in the next 10 years or so one better enjoy their posistion. Now throw a merger with NW or even CAL into the mix, who have not had the begining of their retirements yet and with a relative seniority integration and no fences the DAL pilots get continued upward movement at the expense of the other pilot group. Seriously, I don't blame you for trying but you can't blame us for trying to protect our movement. I am NOT for doh unless there is 20 yr fences which would protect us in the first 10 or so years and y'all in the last 10 or so. Now, we all know the company does not want this, so there will have to be some form of length of service/relative seniority to equally piss all of us off and that will probably be fair.

How long do you think NW will be hiring when you start parking the DC-9s? I'm thinking shrinkage offset by "possible" retirements, i.e. zero just like DAL in your theory.
 
How long do you think NW will be hiring when you start parking the DC-9s? I'm thinking shrinkage offset by "possible" retirements, i.e. zero just like DAL in your theory.


It would be nice (if we have to do this deal), to let the oil situation play out. Lets see what happens to the dc9 and md88's, then let the "guaranteed" retirements happen at NWA....see where everyone is and try the deal again.
 
Fins, have you forwarded your idea to the DAL MEC and Merger Committee?
Yes and no. Someone with more horsepower than I have needs to send this in. I'm hoping somebody somebody picks it up and runs with it.

The Delta MEC isn't exactly waiting by the phone waiting for Fins to call and tell them how to run their operation. But someone like Occam, Puffdriver, FDJ, or General might get listened to.
 
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NY:

That would be nice, but oil prices might not give us the luxury of time.
 
Not Neccessarily

I'd say a guy already flying the equipment, holding block, with new hires coming in underneath him, has pretty a reasonable expectation that he will continue flying his widebody international seat for the forseeable future.
Spoken like a post 9-11 hire. I'm pretty sure anyone hired pre-911 or (near 9-11) would tend to disagree with that statement. The old rule of thumb was if you had at least 10% below you on the SL you were pretty safe from furlough. Shortly after 9-11 those numbers were dashed. Even many captains found themselves back in the right seat for a long time. Just 'cause you have a seat now doesn't mean squat for the future, especially if you are in the bottom 20% of either list. We should all put our peckers back in our pants and wait for the committees to inform us of what is really going on. I know pilots aren't patient though; and for some stirring the pot is just too much fun.
 
Holding current assignment is "stirring the pot?"

You exemplify my concern with the NWA pilot group. I say I'd like to remain in my house and you write "not necessarily."

If DAL guys were on the board talking about taking NWA Captain positions that would be "stirring the pot," but they aren't. DAL guys are on the boards hoping that they can keep their base and equipment, they are worried about displacements and their hopes of status quo are answered with "not necessarily." I hope you can see the difference between agressive and defensive.

The bottom line is that the raises, better work rules and friendlier working environment are not appreciated, you want the Delta pilots' jobs too. If a Delta pilot is displaced as a result of my DAL's reduction that is one thing, if they are displaced by a DC9 pilot's planned reduction, that is quite another thing.

You can be assured that status quo holds the high ground in an arbitration.

I've got a F4 photo dropping Napalm if you would like to use it.
 
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Fin, both cocknbull and superpilot each have career expectations. That is what everyone has when they start out at a new job. The future is the unknown/unpredictable. The present is that cocknbull is on a WB and superpilot is most likely on a NB. This argument is only relevant for the here-an- now. The General said it earlier about their Mngmt could screw everything up later. That holds true for ALL airlines.

EXPECTATIONS:
Cocknbull can expect to be a 767 FO in the bottom 10% of the seniority list 13 years from now with hardly any attrition in front of him.

Superpilot can to be in the top 50% at the same time.
 
How long do you think NW will be hiring when you start parking the DC-9s? I'm thinking shrinkage offset by "possible" retirements, i.e. zero just like DAL in your theory.

Do you have any idea what the NWA scope clause looks like?

Schwanker
 
Schwanker:

Cocknbull started at the absolute bottom and is around 8% in the company already. He will be 9% by the end of the month. His advancement has not been as a result of "attrition" it has been the result of "growth." Based on current aircraft orders through the next 12 months Cocknbull should be sitting around 13% by this time in 2009.

You can play this game at home. Start with 6,800, insert a random number. Add 11 to 14 for a 737, a similar number for a 757, and 30 for a 777. Add a number here and there for crew compliment. This does not even include MD90's, Management Pilots, LCA folks, etc...
 
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Yes and no. Someone with more horsepower than I have needs to send this in. I'm hoping somebody somebody picks it up and runs with it.

The Delta MEC isn't exactly waiting by the phone waiting for Fins to call and tell them how to run their operation. But someone like Occam, Puffdriver, FDJ, or General might get listened to.
You might be surprised. You should email your idea to the Council 44 FO rep.
 
Cool. I'm a FNG at DAL flying a 767ER, holding a line, 18 days off, and I will be making $81 an hour very soon.

How is the DC9?

Cool, would it be that way if DAL hadn't bought out the top guys? Its all relative to each carriers actions. If NWA would buy out the top 2000 pilots i could hold DC9 CA as a FNG. I understand everyone has their own career expectations but the reality is things change either for the better or worse. I cant predict the future, GL thinks he can so ask him whats going to happen ;) Just kidding GL
 

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