Just thought I'd point out that Polar Air Cargo is advertising for First Officers on their website. Not sure when this opened up, but it's the first I had heard/seen of it.
Be very careful about Polar. Atlas Air bought Polar last year and there is a rumor that Atlas is going to furlough their crewmembers since the Atlas crewmembers rejected their TA. This in combo with the outsourcing crews to the UK, makes Atlas Holdings Inc whole operation suspect. I think it likely that Atlas will transfer flying to Polar to punish Atlas crewmembers. Bet the Polar and Atlas MECs are burning the midnight oil trying to figure out what those "people" (term used loosely) at Atlas Holdings Inc. are doing now.
I have been looking all over to find info on Atlas buying Polar Air. Where can I find this? The company web sites dont mention anything and neither do the stock research reports.
I just talked to someone at Polar today, and the plan is to hire furloughed Atlas pilots there at Polar. Because they are previously qual 747 folks, it's a cheaper endeavor. If they still need pilots after that, they will hire off the street, though this doesn't sound likely.
I'm definitely not in the know on the Atlas/Polar relationship, though I do know that Polar is still operating independantly of Atlas, i.e. 2 separate pilot seniority lists.
1. Busts the Atlas union.
2. Transfers flying to AACS and Polar
3. Rehires senior Atlas pilots at Polar first year wages on a bad contract negotiated when Polar was tanking.
It's likely that Atlas Holdings create a sham by sacrificing Atlas and transferring work to Polar at the expense of Atlas crews. Textbook union busting. Very trickly labor law here.
The Polar MEC has some hard thinking to do. Acquiesing to this sham puts them in a very tenuous position.
Dragin you have some good points. I've been a Polar a few years let me try to comment.
"1. Busts the Atlas union. " We are watching this closely. So far we have not flown Atlas aircraft or for any of their customers. In fact we are wet leasing at least one classic from Atlas to fly our freight. Atlas World Wide has done a lot to bust this union so far and they have hung tough. I don't expect them to buckle.
"2. Transfers flying to AACS and Polar" Once again that could put us between a rock and a hard place. Atlas has no CBA hence no scope. If AWW were to send me to pick up freight from a traditional Atlas customer I'm not sure on what legal basis I could refuse. I hope it never comes to this but if it does Alpa national better wade in quickly.
"3. Rehires senior Atlas pilots at Polar first year wages on a bad contract negotiated when Polar was tanking. " In my opinion our contract, while not great in the money department, is a hell of a lot better than the TA that Atlas just **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** canned. The trump card is that our CBA is amendable November 30, 2002. We may also go to mediation on November 30 if we have not come to an agreement. They will have their hands full negotiating with two pilot groups at a time.
I think the main problem with Atlas is that their ACMI business plan is not as affective as it was in years past. Their management is trying a variety of "creative" tactics to drum up business. AACS, buying Polar, dry leases to TNT, fractional ACMI etc. So far they have not done well. They seem a bit rudderless since MC died. Polar on the other hand was saved by 9/11. AMC has us very busy and want even more lift. Our Asia routes a going very well, at least East bound. I checked the log books during my last trip and most of our NRT-ORD flights are maxed out.
I wouldn't pull an app with Polar. It's a decent place with the protection of a well written CBA. We'll work it out with Atlas. So far our MEC's have been communicating very well. No animosity at all.
MF
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