Skywest is buying ASA??

[Yank McCobb]

And here you have the crux of the problem in any "merger" or acquisition. Everyone has their own idea of "fair" and it usually revolves around their own personal agenda. This guy wants something that best protects his agenda...getting based at SMF. Others have their own agendas, and so on...and so on.

Unfortunately, you cannot make everyone happy, so the next best thing is to ensure that no one is happy and that everyone is pretty much equally p.o.'d.

 

[~~~^~~~]

buy out ain't happening...

 

[sweptback]

If this does go down, I'm all for equipment/domicile fences and such, but DOH is a must. Come on guys, we're the same airline, fly the same equipment (well mostly), and our "career expectations" are the same at each carrier. Why shouldn't it be DOH?

 

[Bluto]

Because then many SkyWest pilots would be severely penalized for being part of the financially stronger purchasing company.

 

[ohplease!]

buy out ain't happening...

and you know this because...?

 

[Truckdriver]

and you know this because...?

I heard that XJT jumped in on the bidding and offered more than SKYW was offering. If XJT hadn't jumped in on it, then the SKYW/ASA deal may have already been done. XJT is looking for growth outside of CAL since they limited them to 274 aircraft with their concessions this year.

 

[viper548]

I think XJT/ASA would be a better deal for both companies than SkyW/ASA. XJT/ASA would allow them to both have two partners, better travel benefits and still have room for growth.

 

[DontFeedTheBear]

If this does go down, I'm all for equipment/domicile fences and such, but DOH is a must. Come on guys, we're the same airline, fly the same equipment (well mostly), and our "career expectations" are the same at each carrier. Why shouldn't it be DOH?

This seems to be your opinion of fair!!! I have to agree with the relative seniority scenerio along with fences and seat protection. This seems to be most fair, even though I would actually be negatively affected. I don't want anyone pissed off, but it doesn't seem that it will happen.

Yogi

 

[bobbyice]

I just want to get back to the East Coast. I'm sick of all these pansy a$$ west coast libs I have to live with.

 

[~~~^~~~]

and you know this because...?

There are some parts of the puzzle that don't fit. I'm not saying it will never happen, but I am sure it is not currently happening.

 

[Bluto]

...because??? We've got some pretty convincing rumors on our side of the fence. Can you enlighten us with any specifics? Or is it top secret information? If you tell us what the puzzle pieces are, we can decide if we think they're as relevant as you do.

 

[SSDD]

DOH with fences makes sense, but fences don't stay up forever. It is unrealistic for fairly junior SKW FO's to expect that they will upgrade and get their choice of domicile before the fences come down.

 

[Ben Dover]

Here's why SkyWest pilot will get the bad end of the deal if there is a merger. SkyWest pilot are used to the taste of mgmt kool-aid, and mgmt knows this. In fact the Kool-aid has been getting stronger and stronger over the years and yet the pilots still don't organize. ASA pilots, on the other hand, could never stomach the strong flavor right out of the chute, a fact SkyWest mgmt also knows. Hence, ASA pilots will get delt a better hand than OO pilots.

 

[Tim47SIP]

I certainly hope this is just a bad rumor. Not that the Skywest guys are a bad lot, I just dont think ASA and Skywest are a good match. XJT is a much better fit with the same personality traits as ASA. It would also help integrate Cont and Delta more efficiently. Dont know how the Cont scope clause would come into play here. Whoever it is, DOH is the only fair way to integrate. Fences can keep things operationally normal for 3-5 years which should be sufficient.

 

[DontFeedTheBear]

Whoever it is, DOH is the only fair way to integrate. Fences can keep things operationally normal for 3-5 years which should be sufficient.

Why not relative seniority? If your X% now, you will be X% after a merger. Fair is fair. If Skywest is the purchasing company, why should ASA benefit from a DOH merge? Let's be fair, I am not looking for an advantage. Just a fair shake...

Yogi

 

[Bluto]

It's interesting to me that all the ASA guys seem to be in favor of DOH integration. Not surprising, since it will serve their interests best. Unfortunately, it is not, in my opinion, the most fair way to integrate. Using a percentage system with fences is more fair since it negates the importance of when the company's last big hiring boom was (DOH) and keeps all pilots close to their relative seniority position. What can you ASA pilots possibly have against this kind of system, except that it wouldn't be as beneficial to you? ("It's not the best thing for me, so it's not 'fair'", doesn't sound like a valid argument to me.) Stapling the ASA list to the bottom of SkyWest's would be in my personal best interest, however, I would never want to see that because I don't consider it fair.

 

[shamrock]

It's interesting to me that all the ASA guys seem to be in favor of DOH integration. .......Using a percentage system with fences is more fair since it negates the importance of when the company's last big hiring boom was (DOH) and keeps all pilots close to their relative seniority position. What can you ASA pilots possibly have against this kind of system, except that it wouldn't be as beneficial to you? ("It's not the best thing for me, so it's not 'fair'", doesn't sound like a valid argument to me.)

The same question could be asked of Skywest pilots with regards to DOH integration.

Everyone will have their own ideas about what is fair. I'm sure that if the tables were turned and DOH would benefit SKW then that's what you would be arguing for. In that situation I'm sure ASA would want some sort of percentage integration.

"Fairness" seems to be determined by how detrimental an agreement would be to any person or group.

 

[DDpaysoff]

Why not relative seniority? If your X% now, you will be X% after a merger. Fair is fair. If Skywest is the purchasing company, why should ASA benefit from a DOH merge? Let's be fair, I am not looking for an advantage. Just a fair shake...

Yogi

I respectfully disagree.
DOH should be the standard of the industry. Until Alpa and our collective PWA's ensure this we have failed ourselves miserably as an organized labor organization. Just the way it is. In theory we should all get one alpa number the day we get hired and keep it until we leave. The question is how do you force that concept with a non union company? Allegheny-mohawk is only good for lawyers. It's job security for them, that's for sure.

It doesn't matter what we think anyway, just ask a lot of TWA guys/gals. Just hope your the lucky one I guess.

 

[Truckdriver]

If XJT bought ASA, then the seniority lists would be integrated via the ALPA merger policy. There would be one pilot seniority list. However, the two airlines would continue to be operated as independent operations with independent labor contracts. The scope at CAL would have no effect on the deal. ASA planes would continue to be flown for DCI and XJT planes would continue to operate as CALX. An XJT guy would also not be able to displace an ASA pilot from a domicile and an ASA guy would not be able to displace an XJT guy from a domicile. There would be provisions set up to allow bidding into the seperate operating divisions. One of the worst parts of the deal is that if you bid to fly at XJT, then you are subject to the XJT labor contract. If you bid to fly at ASA, then you are subject to the ASA contract. XJT buying ASA only creates one seniority list, but it does not place them under the XJT collective bargaining agreement. As far as culture goes, XJT and ASA would integrate much easier than SKYW/ASA. It would also place XJT in a position to have the majority share of regional feed when CAL buys DAL.

 

[Bako Cap]

1. SkyWest has not bought ASA. Chill out guys, we'll have plenty of time to debate seniority intergration if SkyWest does. There is no reason to get our blood pressure up over something that hasn't happened.

2. I don't believe that SGU wants to intergrate us anyway. Too many problems with little benifit. They would keep ASA as a wholly owned subsiderary and whipsaw the two pilot groups. Just look at us bickering about something that hasn't happened. Whatever happens (buy/not buy), it will be a business decision by the boys in SGU, not an emotional one.