RAH buys Midwest!!!

[instructordude]

Spelling doesn't matter scab, flying a F-100 for 37$/H with no cancellation pay does. Have a nice F-U-C-K-I-N-G day scab.

Pretty tough words. If you have to work to pay the bills then one must do what he must do. Thats life bro!

 

[AirBill]

Spelling doesn't matter scab, flying a F-100 for 37$/H with no cancellation pay does. Have a nice F-U-C-K-I-N-G day scab.

Wow, Loretta. You got those shorts jammed way up your vagina, and they're making you downright bitchy.

 

[thepotato232]

I think if the three lists merge, the only pilots that will benefit are the Republic pilots. There is a huge disparity between the two contracts. The Republic pilots need to sign a contract equal to the Frontier or Midwest's, then let's start talking merger. This argument is a moot point. In a less than a year, there will be no Midwest pilots left and Bedford has already said the Frontier pilots will not be merged in.

And if the three lists don't merge, the two more expensive labor groups will be whipsawed into submission or simply eliminated per the lack of scope agreements. It really will be Eastern/Continental all over again, only this time with firm legal precident in place. It's what Bedford's been trying to do with Midwest since Day One, and he's been very successful so far. Nobody's saying this is a good situation for the Frontier or Midwest pilots. The problem is that companies are being bought anyway, whether RAH has a contract or not. Given the glacial rate at which RAH's contract negotiations have proceeded thus far, I don't think it's in anyone's best interests to sit back and wait on that contract first. And it's not Bedford's choice whether the Frontier pilots will be merged in or not. If he wants Frontier, he's got to allow for the possibility of a merged list. I doubt he'd really torch the whole deal over a merged list - he's getting F9 at a steal, and he knows it.

You're right in saying that the pilots that will benefit are the Republic group. The fact, unpleasant as it may be, is that all three of these groups are about to become "Republic" pilots. Nobody's saying that the current RAH pilots should end up in an Airbus anytime soon - fences would be in place. We have three labor groups coming together against their will, and three unions in sore need of a voice. Bedford's outright refusal that the lists will be merged should be a hint to us all how powerful this unified labor group could become, and how much he would prefer pitting these three groups against each other. The RAH guys working under IBT 747 have just had their Local head forcibly removed with pending federal indictments, and are currently under trusteeship. Would it not be in ALPA or at least FAPA's best interests to step in and try to help put this screwed up jigsaw puzzle together? The one faint glimmer of hope any of these groups have is that RAH hasn't signed a contract yet. This may be the last time any of these three groups has any leverage whatsoever. The whole world's been screaming at Republic to quit flying Embraers for peanuts. Well, here's their chance. But if these pilots can't put the mainline/regional sabers down and go into the future as one group, we all know what's going to happen down the line.

 

[DIZNYTWNPLT]

CRIPES!!!! I'm glad I don't do this airline stuff for a living anymore...good luck to all who are still grasping at straws...especially at Midwest...leaving Skyway on my first day of Capt. upgrade SIM for the Dork328Jet WAS the right move after all...I KNEW IT!!!! (Sorry to all the local WI, MI guys who went from Skyway to Midwest in their last bits of hiring...hope all have moved on to greener pastures...could hardly do otherwise.)

 

[Raoul Duke]

Well, how's that going to look to shareholders of RAH? Seems like a fairly cut-and-dried conflict of interest. Doesn't seem like a lot of shareholders would be too keen about that.

if I was Bedford here is what I would do:

1. create newco to hold 49% interest in Frontier - issue shares of newco to all existing RAH shareholders

2. retain 49% interest of Frontier by RAH

3. RAH management trust holding remaining 2% personally with a general partner who is not a RAH employee who will vote shares as requested by Bedford.

it is not rocket science and will not be difficult to keep the various airlines separate.

 

[Fubijaakr]

All he has to do to F9 is what he's doing to Midwest pilots. Outsource the flying to RAH. Furlough the F9 guys. Integrate the seniority lists with furloughed Midwest stapled to RAH and furloughed F9 stapled to Midwest. THEN increase the flying and bring them all back as $37 an hour F/Os. Simple.

 

[hockeypilot44]

All he has to do to F9 is what he's doing to Midwest pilots. Outsource the flying to RAH. Furlough the F9 guys. Integrate the seniority lists with furloughed Midwest stapled to RAH and furloughed F9 stapled to Midwest. THEN increase the flying and bring them all back as $37 an hour F/Os. Simple.

Wow. I didn't realize they were going to staple the furloughed Midwest pilots. The truth is Midwest was not bankrupt, never went bankrupt, and probably would not have gone bankrupt (the last one is debatable, can't be proven either way). The Midwest pilots are being replaced by Republic pilots to attack labor. I personally think if it ever goes to arbitration, there will be a ratio merger with the Republic captains. I think the most junior Midwest pilot will be senior to the most junior Republic captain. First year Midwest pay is $41, second year $58. First year Republic captain $50, second year $53. I think when it comes to it, this will be taken into consideration. I think the furloughed Midwest pilots will be given seniority because it can be proven that the 190's and 170's are direct replacements of the 717's and MD-80's. The Republic first officers are dreaming if they think they will get much better than that. I'm guessing it will end up being about a 3-1 ration. 3 Republic pilots for every 1 Midwest pilot. Frontier hasn't been bought yet. We'll see what happens there. This merger is uncharted territory. As far as who bought who, it doesn't matter in merging pilots. See Delta/NWA or USAirways,America West. The only thing brought into consideration is career expectations. The Midwest pilots never had career expectations making as little as a Republic first officer from day 1.

 

[Lear70]

Wow. I didn't realize they were going to staple the furloughed Midwest pilots. The truth is Midwest was not bankrupt, never went bankrupt, and probably would not have gone bankrupt (the last one is debatable, can't be proven either way). The Midwest pilots are being replaced by Republic pilots to attack labor. I personally think if it ever goes to arbitration, there will be a ratio merger with the Republic captains. I think the most junior Midwest pilot will be senior to the most junior Republic captain. First year Midwest pay is $41, second year $58. First year Republic captain $50, second year $53. I think when it comes to it, this will be taken into consideration. I think the furloughed Midwest pilots will be given seniority because it can be proven that the 190's and 170's are direct replacements of the 717's and MD-80's. The Republic first officers are dreaming if they think they will get much better than that. I'm guessing it will end up being about a 3-1 ration. 3 Republic pilots for every 1 Midwest pilot. Frontier hasn't been bought yet. We'll see what happens there. This merger is uncharted territory. As far as who bought who, it doesn't matter in merging pilots. See Delta/NWA or USAirways,America West. The only thing brought into consideration is career expectations. The Midwest pilots never had career expectations making as little as a Republic first officer from day 1.

Good luck with that.

Furloughees at ANY airline in ANY merger have never fared very well...

Just a little historical perspective, from someone who doesn't have a dog in the fight but understands what has happened in past seniority integrations...

 

[hockeypilot44]

Good luck with that.

Furloughees at ANY airline in ANY merger have never fared very well...

Just a little historical perspective, from someone who doesn't have a dog in the fight but understands what has happened in past seniority integrations...

You're probably right. I don't work for either company. I was just giving what I think is fair as an outsider.

 

[trainer8]

1800 "furloughed US Airways pilots" (over 300 were active pilots, but were thrown under the bus by the LCC MEC) were stapled to the bottom of the arbitrated decision by NMB arbiter George Nicolau.

Precedent has been set.

T8