SWA/Airtran Process Agreement??

[Ty Webb]

Would you be fine going back to your pay rates prior to the acquisition announcement as well?

You mean the whopping 8% raise I got?

You (and others) don't seem to understand that we were on track to much larger gains before the merger was announced. . . . . but I realize this doesn't help you justify your argument.

 

[Lear70]

Would you be fine going back to your pay rates prior to the acquisition announcement as well?

That's the 2nd time I've heard that idea alluded to. I don't know where it's coming from, but it's absolutely false.

There's nothing in the Process Agreement, the Purchase Agreement between Southwest and AirTran, our new CBA, OR the Railway Labor Act that allows for those pay rates (or any other part of our contract) to be retracted or rescinded.

Whoever's propagating that rumor needs to quote some hard and fast language in one of those documents or figure out a new rumor of the day. Right now the VAST MAJORITY of AAI pilots I speak to are pretty open about what they may consider "fair". Start spreading false rumors and fear, and you're likely to get those people to dig their feet in and be less willing to find some type of "middle ground".

It's like any other kind of negotiation, you p*ss off one side, and the negotiation pretty much ends, even if it hurts one side or the other. Not a good idea IMHO. Too many people here have spent far too many years under hostile working conditions to respond well to more fear and intimidation.

Just a thought...

 

[LeeRoyJenkins]

You (and others) don't seem to understand that we were on track to much larger gains before the merger was announced. . . . . but I realize this doesn't help you justify your argument.

Got any proof to justify your statement?

How many turned down TA's? No to very little progress at all, then the acquisition is announced and all the sudden a TA pops up out of nowhere. Would be interested to hear your proof, because this is the first I have heard of it.

 

[SWA/CA]

It's like any other kind of negotiation, you p*ss off one side, and the negotiation pretty much ends, even if it hurts one side or the other. Not a good idea IMHO.

Understandable... that goes for both sides.

 

[Tweet-a-Lishus]

Actually, Bob Fornano has stated that Airtran was pretty much done growing. To much debt. I know, I know he was just talking out his ass. If both groups are honest with their feelings of what is fair this will work out.

 

[Ty Webb]

Got any proof to justify your statement?

How many turned down TA's? No to very little progress at all, then the acquisition is announced and all the sudden a TA pops up out of nowhere. Would be interested to hear your proof, because this is the first I have heard of it.

This was covered on here extensively, do a search. Nearly every section was TA'd already except for Pay and one other. The Alaska and Hawaiian Contracts had recently been signed, with good gains by both groups, and our proposed rates were in line with those. Oil was way down, and profits were up, and the Company could easily afford what were were asking for. We were close to being released by the NMB, which would be the first time in the whole 6 year process that we would have had the leverage.

Instead, the merger was announced, and the NMB said there was no way we would be released with a merger pending. No release = no leverage.

So, after 6 years, I got an 8% increase . . . . yeah, we got a Contract, but not the kind of Contract we would have gotten if we had been released by the NMB.

BTW, TA2 had higher rates for some seat/longevity than the Contract we finally got. Thanks for the #&^#% gumball, Mickey! :laugh:

 

[Ty Webb]

Actually, Bob Fornano has stated that Airtran was pretty much done growing. To much debt. I know, I know he was just talking out his ass. If both groups are honest with their feelings of what is fair this will work out.

I had to check the time/date stamp on this post. What is this, October 2010? All this stuff has been covered in the early months of the merger announcement. AirTran was hiring and taking new deliveries. SWA only had airframe replacements pending and hadn't hired a pilot since George W. was in office. AirTran had also just reported it's most profitable year on record . . . You be the judge of who was growing and who wasn't.

This is just stupid. It's a beautiful beach day, and I'm wasting my time here. Have fun, y'all.

 

[Lear70]

Understandable... that goes for both sides.

Absolutely, respect is most definitely a two-way street.

The AirTran pilots by and large recognize the potential for a highly-improved quality of life with the Southwest merger/acquisition, and you will find that the vast majority of us are just ready to see what the Merger Committee brings us and truck on down the road...

 

[SWA/CA]

SWA only had airframe replacements pending and hadn't hired a pilot since George W. was in office.

He was only in office for 8 long years. Thats a lot of hiring baby!!! Plus, SWA was saving money to buy Tranny!

uke:

 

[FlyinGuy]

. . . . yeah, we got a Contract, but not the kind of Contract we would have gotten if we had been released by the NMB.

Not going to try and disagree with you (because I have no clue about where you guys were prior to the merger) but just because you think that was going to come to pass, does not mean it would have.