SWAPA Transition and Integration Committee

[momalley81]

Executive Blog - March 18, 2011
From your president, Steve Chase
SWAPA Transition and Integration Committee
The announcement of Southwest Airlines’ planned acquisition of AirTran Airways has put your Association into high gear so that every aspect of the acquisition/transition that affects our pilots can be appropriately considered and evaluated to benefit the pilots of Southwest Airlines. The Negotiating Committee is well into determining the process of integrating our respective seniority lists, and while this is clearly SWAPA's most important task right now, there is much more to this transition than just our place on the seniority list. Much of the work to be completed will have an effect on every pilot at Southwest. A very important part of this process is SWAPA’s involvement in the transition. The new SWAPA Transition and Integration Committee, or STIC, has been formed for this reason.
You may recall one of the many key points agreed-to in Side Letter 8, our Transition Agreement, was the inclusion of SWAPA at the table with SWA during the transition period. If and when SWA combines Southwest and AirTran into a single air carrier, it will be crucial for SWAPA to be involved in the transition process. The STIC will allow SWAPA to provide a wealth of information that will ensure this transition is executed in the best interest of SWAPA and SWA.

I thought it was curious that ALPA wasn't mentioned as part of this committee. I would think that having the SWA pilots and SWA mgmt working together can't be a good thing for Airtran pilots!

The if and when language in the second paragraph sounds particularly spooky.

 

[Lear70]

I'm going to ignore the rather obvious double entendre of the acronym STIC... Funny though, in a very passive-aggressive kind of way.

The "if and when" language is copied out of their SL8. You have to remember, every communique from both sides has at least 4 audiences, maybe even 5 or 6, including THEIR pilots, THEIR management, the OTHER side's pilots, the OTHER side's management, and, in some cases, the DOJ (anti-trust approval is due any day now) and possibly even an arbitration panel down the road.

One thing is perfectly clear in that post:

The announcement of Southwest Airlines’ planned acquisition of AirTran Airways has put your Association into high gear so that every aspect of the acquisition/transition that affects our pilots can be appropriately considered and evaluated to benefit the pilots of Southwest Airlines.

Emphasis added in bold print. Their job is to represent THEIR pilots as best they can. Can't fault them for that, as long as the final product is fair and keeps everyone employed. One side may benefit more than the other, or one segment of the seniority group may benefit more than others, that's to be expected. Almost impossible to find a solution with this big of a cross-section of longevity and age that is completely even.

All just part of the process... no worries, mate.

 

[Crash Pad]

Lear... are we allowed on message boards or not?

 

[ASADFW7]

I wouldn't worry about what the team acronym is called, unless it was called STPL. Cheers nothing to see here.

 

[XR650R]

I thin Lear hit the nail right on the head. Don't read too much into semantics. Up and to the point that the list is officially combined, SWAPA represents the pilots of SWA and ALPA represents the plots of Airtran. Any blurring of the lines at this point would probably lead to accusatons of a breach of Duty of Fair Representation- from both sides.

 

[stalker]

What I find interesting is that SWAPA pilots feel the need to post internal documents on a public forum. Why don't you keep it to yourself and STFU. Let your NC do their job. The brain surgeons in this industry never cease to amaze me.

 

[PCL_128]

Lear... are we allowed on message boards or not?

The only thing that the MEC and MC have asked is that pilots don't talk about SLI on message boards.

 

[FlyinGuy]

momalley, If you are a SWA dude....keep our union stuff off public boards!!! No this is not confidential, but you are not helping the process.....Moron!!!

 

[FlyinHigh737]

What I find interesting is that SWAPA pilots feel the need to post internal documents on a public forum. Why don't you keep it to yourself and STFU. Let your NC do their job. The brain surgeons in this industry never cease to amaze me.

Well said, I am baffled by what I see on here from our side. This board is nothing more or less than rumors and hyperbole. To my SWA bro’s keep our stuff our stuff…Please….

 

[SELFloadingCRGO]

What I find interesting is that SWAPA pilots feel the need to post internal documents on a public forum. Why don't you keep it to yourself and STFU. Let your NC do their job. The brain surgeons in this industry never cease to amaze me.

I too agree, it puzzles me when some of our own post our internal messages on public boards. I would like to add heavy emphasis on the STFU part of your post for these fools.


SLC