SWA - AAI question

[dicko]

Oops .... :erm:

 

[johnsonrod]

I suspect IF we go to arbitration it will be because the Airtran pilots vote for it. Therefore it's really up to you guys to figure out what it's worth to get the big bucks and other HUGE contractual gains sooner vs. later. Gup

Seniority is everything in this business. I think they'll go for the arbitration, and then the big pay check.

 

[Slug]

Then he said his MEC recently sent an update to the AAI pilots saying they are holding the SLI process up until SWA agrees to gives them assurances on transition issues. This really confuses me because I am sure the transition talks are between SWA and SWAPA. He explained that more and more AAI pilots are concerned that this overly aggressive path will only jeopardize their future as SWA pilots.

This was in an email from our VP today that kinda backs up the quote above.


"The SWAPA NC and the AirTran Merger Committee seem to agree on the process of negotiating the SLI, but their Transition Team expressed a desire to address some of their transitional issues with AirTran/Southwest Airlines prior to our teams meeting again."


Sorry, didn't read page 2

 

[Bill Nelson]

I think they'll go for the arbitration, and then the big pay check.

Going for something you may not deserve may end up in the AAI guys never seeing the big pay check. Check your six.

 

[dicko]

The AirTran MC are a bunch of solid industry veterans. I won't speak for the Transition team. With one exception ...... No, it's not me.


Here you go;


"Members of the ATN MEC Merger Committee (MC) and Transition Team met again in Dallas on January 25-26 with members of the SWAPA Negotiations, Merger & Acquisition Committee. The purpose of the meetings was to close three remaining gaps in Process Agreement language. Substantial progress was made on these issues.

Disagreement remains on the critical issue of completing an operational merger within a specified time. As such, both sides agreed to defer further discussion. In the meantime, we will work instead to arrange a meeting between SWAPA, ALPA, and the managements of AirTran and Southwest, with the goal of concluding work on a Process Agreement; reaching a common understanding of the merger process; and discussing Transition Agreements to protect the interests of AirTran and Southwest pilots during the period between the Date of Corporate Closing (DOCC) and an operational merger of the two carriers. The MEC will have additional information on plans for those meetings, coming soon."

 

[BlueBlood]

Curious to this comment:

Disagreement remains on the critical issue of completing an operational merger within a specified time.

Does the Airtran union dudes have any say about the way SWA merges the two? Really, I wouldn't think that labor would be able to dictate operational decisions.

Good luck in this deal to all.

 

[dicko]

Curious to this comment:



Does the Airtran union dudes have any say about the way SWA merges the two?

Yes.

Love your curiosity. Keep at it.

 

[Bill Nelson]

Does the Airtran union dudes have any say about the way SWA merges the two?

Interesting.

 

[scoreboardII]

No, good luck with that.

 

[FDJ2]

With ALPA involved, this could take awhile. Incredible.

And yet the DAL/NWA merger (ALPA), with a significantly more complex integration, from labors perspective, was essentially wrapped up less than 1 year after the date the merger was announced.