SWAPA Info packet FEDEXed to all AirTran Pilots

[SWA/FO]

:beer: alright dicko! Now your talking.

:cartman:

 

[Skybus]

Sorry you view it in this context. Quite honestly SWA may not be a good fit for you after all.

Bus

It was from SWAPA . . . . I don't think it will be received as intended . . . . bypassing the Union and sending stuff to the pilots' homes goes against the spirit of negotiations, and smells a little desperate.

Have a great weekend, I'm outta here.

TW:laugh:

 

[FlyinGuy]

All I can say is WOW!!! The response from the AI guys on here absolutely blows me away. I have not talked to many AI guys on the road but if this is 10% of their group, I sure hope SWA is paying attention.

I read one poster state that "when" he becomes a member of SWAPA...like it is a guarantee. Some of you are acting like that just because there is a process agreement that this thing cannot be scrapped. Have you really thought some of these "nuclear" scenarios through? Do you know how easy it would be to split up your operation, give you some online training and start swapping out your 700's for our 300's...then retiring them from the sub company. Integration is not a given. I am not advocating this, but if Gary thinks this is going south he will not hesitate to protect his airline!!! (i.e. Never merging operations)

I know you guys are trying to fight for everything you can get....but really...WOW!!!

 

[DonVerita]

It seems the majority just want to get this done and get over to Southwest and be done with AirTran and ALPA for good.

Bill...you're half right.

Yes, the majority of ATN pilots DO want to get rid of AirTran management. That is undisputably correct.

However, it is a bit uninformed of you to take a jab at ATN ALPA, seeing how you are not part of ALPA or ATN. As an outsider looking in, you probably don't know the history of our former in-house union called the NPA. It was an unmitigated disaster, ruled and fueled by incompentents of the highest order. With ALPA, all of that went away and we were finally represented by a major airline union. We've made great strides with ALPA's help. It hasn't been all roses, but it's clearly been a night and day difference from NPA. And that too, is indisputable.

On to the topic at hand: I received the folder just like the rest of us. I like to refer to it as the intro to the Intro, as I know much more detailed information will be given to us down the road about everything that was listed in there. My problem is not with the content, but rather with the delivery. While I understand that SWAPA and even SWA management sends things directly to your pilots homes from time to time, a mailing such as this; taking place during SLI negotiations, could be interpreted or viewed as an end-run play around ATN ALPA. Whether this is true or not, it is the perception of impropriety that gets the attention. Would it have been that difficult to simply have consulted with ATN ALPA first so that our MEC didn't feel blindsided? A little communication and maybe even some collaboration would have yielded a better and more uniform result IMHO.

DV

 

[GoodTimes]

Don,

Do you know for sure that your negotiating committee was unaware of this info being sent out?

 

[Lear70]

Don,

Do you know for sure that your negotiating committee was unaware of this info being sent out?

Yes, we do know for sure. The Merger Committee gave us a message board update stating that they had no idea and would give us more information as they got it. Then yesterday the MEC sent out a more formal email to everyone, parts of it included below:

July 9, 2011


Fellow Pilots,

By now, presumably all of you have received a FedEx package from SWAPA. No advance notice was given to either the ATN MEC or the ATN Merger Committee that these packages would be sent, and no input was solicited. Furthermore, the MEC has been in contact with Southwest Airlines management.

We can only speculate as to the motivation for this mailing. It would, however, appear by the timing and method of delivery that it was meant to coincide with the Merger Committee's trip to Dallas this coming week, where they have been told to expect a comprehensive briefing from Southwest Airlines, followed by more seniority list integration negotiations...

 

[RLAblows]

All I can say is WOW!!! The response from the AI guys on here absolutely blows me away. I have not talked to many AI guys on the road but if this is 10% of their group, I sure hope SWA is paying attention.

I read one poster state that "when" he becomes a member of SWAPA...like it is a guarantee. Some of you are acting like that just because there is a process agreement that this thing cannot be scrapped. Have you really thought some of these "nuclear" scenarios through? Do you know how easy it would be to split up your operation, give you some online training and start swapping out your 700's for our 300's...then retiring them from the sub company. Integration is not a given. I am not advocating this, but if Gary thinks this is going south he will not hesitate to protect his airline!!! (i.e. Never merging operations)

I know you guys are trying to fight for everything you can get....but really...WOW!!!

Where did you come up with 10%?

 

[Kharma Police]

All I can say is WOW!!! The response from the AI guys on here absolutely blows me away. I have not talked to many AI guys on the road but if this is 10% of their group, I sure hope SWA is paying attention.

I read one poster state that "when" he becomes a member of SWAPA...like it is a guarantee. Some of you are acting like that just because there is a process agreement that this thing cannot be scrapped. Have you really thought some of these "nuclear" scenarios through? Do you know how easy it would be to split up your operation, give you some online training and start swapping out your 700's for our 300's...then retiring them from the sub company. Integration is not a given. I am not advocating this, but if Gary thinks this is going south he will not hesitate to protect his airline!!! (i.e. Never merging operations)

I know you guys are trying to fight for everything you can get....but really...WOW!!!

What is it with you guys and threats? Give it a rest, Gary Kelly I'm sure could summon Godzilla to destroy us if he wanted or cause an earthquake to swallow us or send the locusts. The fact of the matter is this board is BS and the committees are trying to work the process out as agreed. Your union for whatever reason, maybe out of fear or desperation is trying to undermine the process with this little stunt, and The KP no like! If you could remove yourself from your present perspective and think about it objectively, I'm sure you would come to the same conclusion. Look at the timing and if you have access, look at the content.

 

[redflyer65]

From the AAI email..."where they have been told to expect a comprehensive briefing from Southwest Airlines"

I'd say that might be an understatement. SW management can be very tough at negotiations, this might be a watershed event.

For months the AAI guys have been denying that Southwest management was more than just distantly involved in this process and that any 'nuclear options' were just speculation from all the SWAPA pilots. I'd say the curtain is starting to roll back on how involved Gary will be in this process.

 

[madjack]

Ty Webb you are right if you keep ur CP seat I, a senior FO @ SWA won't LOSE anything. But why would I agree to a deal where you GAIN pay, seniority and employment at a better company while I GAIN nothing...who's not sharing the toys? As far as [email protected] COMPANY WAS SOLD....That in the busines world is the antithesis of growth.