Southwest Pilots Gather at SWA HQ

[Andy]

Sorry Wave; I've been on a long hiatus from this board.
But some things never change; I still see a lot of pilots who can't see the next move, much less two or three moves into the future. You can point out to them what's going to happen but so many are pigheaded and unable to process more than one possible outcome - the outcome that benefits them the most.

 

[4day]

Well, here is the word from Steve regarding our little 'get-together' today.



Executive Blog - August 23, 2011
From your SWAPA President, Steve Chase
Fellow SWAPA Pilots,
I can honestly say that I’ve never been more proud to be a Southwest pilot than I am today. I was humbled to see the tremendous showing of support that many of you displayed by coming out to SWA Headquarters this afternoon. The fact that we had pilots from every corner of the country fly to Dallas to show support for our Company, our Union, and the Southwest Culture speaks to the very heart of why our airline has been so successful over the years. We truly have something special here at Southwest Airlines, and it is worth protecting.
You all demonstrated today how much you “LUV” our Company, and that you support Southwest leadership’s recent affirmations that they will protect the Southwest Culture. That you all did this so professionally, respectfully, and peacefully makes a bold statement about how Southwest pilots truly are leaders…not just at our Company, but in the industry. Believe me, this was not lost on Gary and Mike in our meeting today. Our meeting went a little longer than scheduled so I didn't get a chance to thank each of you afterward that stuck around in the heat.
I’ll keep this blog brief, as we are now off to D.C. to meet with our legal team to discuss our next steps. But for now, I just wanted to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your support today. I’m happy to say the Warrior Spirit is alive and well at Southwest Airlines.
Fly safe,
Steve Chase

This has nothing to do with "CULTURE" that you are destroying by the way. This has to do with SLI. NOT Money, Not Culture, just a FAIR SLI. SWAPA thinks we are coming in to destroy there LUV fest. How would you look at this little event of 200 pilots marching in front of HQ if the tables where turned? I look at it as a hostile showing against Airtran pilots. They say it was peaceful. Well the point was taken. Don't know where this will go, but IF ( yeah IF because I am sure SWAPA will file a lawsuit to block a arbitrated list) integration will be very hard because pilots are like elephants. They never forget. You guys dont see it but you are burning down the house from the inside.

 

[laker4284]

A fun thing to do with this article is to replace the words "Southwest Pilots" with "Hitler Youth". "CEO Gary Kelly" with "Hitler". "Southwest Managers" with "SS officers". "Southwest Airlines" with "The Nazi Party". And anything to do with "Airtran" with "Jews". Seriously, try it. It's kind of ironic how well it works.

With that single paragraph you reduced yourself to the level of that ice cream simpleton. Debating an issue leads to understanding and perhaps even accomodation. Your post merely causes a queasy feeling.

 

[Kharma Police]

With that single paragraph you reduced yourself to the level of that ice cream simpleton. Debating an issue leads to understanding and perhaps even accomodation. Your post merely causes a queasy feeling.

Four posts!, you're getting up there! You actually paid 10 bucks to post on here? Do you buy the USA Today too?

 

[FlyinGuy]

This has to do with SLI. NOT Money, Not Culture, just a FAIR SLI.

You are correct (well partly), this has everything to do with the SLI (which in turn affects culture).

 

[FDJ2]

Just sitting back and waiting for the process to work itself out, just as everyone agreed back in April with the Process Agreement. No need to argue with people who are living in a dream world.

Agreed.

The process will work itself out, all the fear mongering is just background noise by those who are themselves afraid.

My prediction: A fair and equitable list. Now that the economics have been taken off the table, the argument that the Airtran pilots will receive a financial windfall due to this merger is moot. Any windfall the Airtran pilots get will be despite SWAPA/SWA, not because of them.

 

[texman]

This has nothing to do with "CULTURE" that you are destroying by the way. This has to do with SLI. NOT Money, Not Culture, just a FAIR SLI. SWAPA thinks we are coming in to destroy there LUV fest. How would you look at this little event of 200 pilots marching in front of HQ if the tables where turned? I look at it as a hostile showing against Airtran pilots. They say it was peaceful. Well the point was taken. Don't know where this will go, but IF ( yeah IF because I am sure SWAPA will file a lawsuit to block a arbitrated list) integration will be very hard because pilots are like elephants. They never forget. You guys dont see it but you are burning down the house from the inside.

The problem with your post is you no nothing about SWA. This my friend is a success sharing company, ALPA doesn't get that. You view this as hostile against AT pilots? I don't think you get it. It is a sign to the people of SWA we are engaged as a pilot group and support every department that has worked so hard to make this work. ALPA and maybe some AT pilots don't get it. So you don't know because you don't work here. Trust me we are not burning down the house. To be a SWA pilot is understand success sharing and attitude. Stop thinking ALPA.

 

[redflyer65]

fear mongering .

That didn't take long. Less than 48hr after Gary put his letter out. Good luck.

 

[4day]

The problem with your post is you no nothing about SWA. This my friend is a success sharing company, ALPA doesn't get that. You view this as hostile against AT pilots? I don't think you get it. It is a sign to the people of SWA we are engaged as a pilot group and support every department that has worked so hard to make this work. ALPA and maybe some AT pilots don't get it. So you don't know because you don't work here. Trust me we are not burning down the house. To be a SWA pilot is understand success sharing and attitude. Stop thinking ALPA.

I stopped thinking alpa last Thursday

 

[St. Nic]

The plane truth is the southwest guys have the numbers and they control the merger. Nuff said. Staple the Valujet guys or get rid of them if they don't like it. It amazes me how some of these LCCs like AWA think they deserve a seat at the big table. They never were supposed to be there in the first place!!

 

[Kharma Police]

The plane truth is the southwest guys have the numbers and they control the merger. Nuff said. Staple the Valujet guys or get rid of them if they don't like it. It amazes me how some of these LCCs like AWA think they deserve a seat at the big table. They never were supposed to be there in the first place!!

But wait!!!!, DOH is the, "Gold Standard", right? Thanks for teaching them to disregard a binding arbitration ruling, too!

 

[lowlycfi]

Hey lowlycfi, where did you get the Conquest Airlines Logo? I remember that's the first airline I put out of business...

Worked on the ramp in SAT from 91-95. Metros forever!

 

[lowlycfi]

He was one of us, and will soon be again. C'mon back bro.

Thanks bro! Peddlin' as fast as I can.

 

[Scoot 11]

The plane truth is the southwest guys have the numbers and they control the merger. Nuff said. Staple the Valujet guys or get rid of them if they don't like it. It amazes me how some of these LCCs like AWA think they deserve a seat at the big table. They never were supposed to be there in the first place!!

Nobody is this ignorant. You're joking, right?

 

[waveflyer]

I would absolutely hate it if it got as far as arby and we pulled a USAPA-
But I do think this pilot group would.

BUT---> it really is apple to oranges. This is not the AWA acquisition of USAir, it's the SWA acquisition of AT. So let me lay out the differences St Nic so you can go back to destroying your own career.
*Both AWA&AAA needed each other, as Nic said- but AWA bought the larger USair and saved it, preventing swa from picking up the pieces and preventing all AAA pilots from unemployment. AT did not buy SWA. In our case the larger more solid, higher paying,
airline bought the smaller- big difference.
*SWA has a great relationship with mgmt and are generally the weakest union on the property- so we're all pulling on the same rope-And if we're having issues, believe me- mgmt gets how that "example" will be followed by other work groups, which is the ripple effect causing GK to rethink the integration- ALPA coming in being ALPA just doesn't work here- our mgmt doesn't deserve the mistrust ATNALPA showed.
*Neither airline is in bankruptcy.
* We have an industry leading contract, AAA pays less than VA on the bus and less than republic on the embraer. We can afford to wait out ATNALPA and aren't looking for contractual raises (though a signing bonus would be nice)- AAA will never make up what they've lost financially by choosing to live with LOA 93.

And ultimately, that's why you taking LCC hostage is so dumb. Our lives will go unchanged and we'll keep making bank and buying houses and harleys and paying for our kids college- you guys will keep working at regional wages-
I don't hate you guys- you've been f^cked and f^cked by CEO after CEO. But this misplaced rage against AWA is ridiculous. You blame everyone but yourselves when most of your problems have been exasperated by internal union politics that have nothing to do with Amer west or alpa natl.

Stay off our threads- they are so unrelated it only makes us continue to question your sanity.

 

[waveflyer]

4-day, if you want to guarantee yourself never getting on at swa keep up that line of thinking. This is the time for you to rethink your hard line stance. No list will be better than SL9- get used to it. You lost all the financial incentives, burning $$$ swa could be making to help pay you so that you can keep paying ALPA dues to battle a bit longer- and you probably ensured a few hundred more FOs will go below CJ- and no artificial pay bump to make it nice.
But that's a lot better than the 12 moves GK could make that will be a lot worse for you than being a Swapa pilot. You've unified this entire airline and every work group supports us and sees how their counterparts at AT might work.

Andy- welcome back- I've heard Peru is a fantastic experience, and believe me I get the working for free for a while part of a business is not that appealing- I've missed the pool this summer-
You state it very well. Its good to have a non troll outsider give their perspective-ATN ALPA can never say they didn't influence their destiny. They cannot say they didn't have a good option on the table, with huge payraises to offset the logistics. It's amazing that ALPA convinced their membership to play hardball with us. That has never worked and theyre putting their future on the line thinking this would be the turning point where swa would stop acting like swa. It's funny, but we laugh and call ourselves the Borg all the time. It's not a bad analogy. Coming in humble and ready to serve and work is really not an option. Demanding an equal starting point as the company that bought you just lacks perspective.

 

[bravodude]

Just sitting back and waiting for the process to work itself out, just as everyone agreed back in April with the Process Agreement. No need to argue with people who are living in a dream world.

So what would you call the fact that the AT reps were leacking parts of the seniority list while under a confidentiality agreement..."waiting patiently for the process to work itself out", gimme a break you are part of the problem!

 

[Empennage]

Agreed.

The process will work itself out, all the fear mongering is just background noise by those who are themselves afraid.

My prediction: A fair and equitable list. Now that the economics have been taken off the table, the argument that the Airtran pilots will receive a financial windfall due to this merger is moot. Any windfall the Airtran pilots get will be despite SWAPA/SWA, not because of them.

I'm sorry, but your post is moronic. Your opinion is the windfall is due to the economics tied to the long gone sl9? Im not even going to take the time to explain this.

I will, however, state the Airtran pilots did have the opportunity to negotiate parity in their most recent cba. That would have made the economic windfall a moot point. What happened, however, even in the face of a safe strike vote was something different.

 

[waveflyer]

They can't afford pay parity under their current model. It's the swa size and business model that allows us to be sustainably paid where we are.

 

[Empennage]

They can't afford pay parity under their current model. It's the swa size and business model that allows us to be sustainably paid where we are.

Wave, I realize this but that is not my point. It was three fold.

1- the economic gains and resulting windfall are a result of Swa acquiring Airtran and the Swapa contract being the defining and overall cba

2- the Airtran cba could have been negotiated to parity and thus eliminated the overwhelming economic and qol windfall presented. This takes a commitment to the process and was not followed through. Swapa has spent the bargaining power and leverage, along with working for a healthy and prosperous company, to make this happen. Airtran alpa did not.

3-had such collective bargaining presented said parity, the process could have hypothetically followed alpa merger policy more closely. Additionally it would have helped had this been a merger not aquisition.