AA and US merger?

[jimntx]

Bethune expects to see US Airways, American merger push

Click here to read the story.

Once again, right on top of things. If you count a day late and a dollar short being on top of things. This same article was posted in this same thread on the 28th. Are you this late for sign-ins and van pickups at the hotel?

 

[Buck]

Strictly a guess, but I would bet that on a one-to-one basis, they have the edge?



Correct.

Who is raiding who? The TWU or the IAM, both being AFL-CIO, with a no raid clause....

If you are indicating that US/IAM has more seniority, then the average pay must be less at AA?

 

[wrencher]

Who is raiding who? The TWU or the IAM, both being AFL-CIO, with a no raid clause....

If you are indicating that US/IAM has more seniority, then the average pay must be less at AA?

This could get real interesting there is alot of dues money at stake. I've seen the IAM roll over before. The TWU will probably try and get Kashier out of retirement to take care of this one,but wait I think Congrees has someting to say about it now. Who knows.?

 

[BoeingBoy]

If (IF) there were a merger of AA and US, it really wouldn't be one union raiding the other. Just a decision of which union would represent the class/craft of the merged company. The AA mechs and related would have the upper hand based on numbers (at least as of now) so could determine which union would continue representing them after the merger.

Jim

 

[Buck]

If (IF) there were a merger of AA and US, it really wouldn't be one union raiding the other. Just a decision of which union would represent the class/craft of the merged company. The AA mechs and related would have the upper hand based on numbers (at least as of now) so could determine which union would continue representing them after the merger.

Jim

Agreed, but for the unions, IAM and TWU it matters. Many mechanic and related employees are just waiting for the opportunity for a representational election at American Airlines.

AA has approx. 9500 mechanic and related or Title I employees.

How about USAir?

 

[FWAAA]

Agreed, but for the unions, IAM and TWU it matters. Many mechanic and related employees are just waiting for the opportunity for a representational election at American Airlines.

AA has approx. 9500 mechanic and related or Title I employees.

How about USAir?

US has approximately 3,200 total maintenance personnel, which would compare to AA's 11,000 total maintenance employees.

Wholly-owned express carriers at US have another 400 maintenance personnel - IIRC, Eagle has over 1,000 total mainenance employees.

 

[blue collar]

US has approximately 3,200 total maintenance personnel, which would compare to AA's 11,000 total maintenance employees.

US has somewhere near 5500 or 5700 m&r.

 

[FWAAA]

US has somewhere near 5500 or 5700 m&r.

Perhaps US has gone on a hiring binge in 2011, as the numbers I posted were as of one year ago and published in the 10-K last spring:

Our business is labor intensive. In 2010, wages, salaries and benefits were one of our largest expenses and represented approximately 23% of our operating expenses. As of December 31, 2010, US Airways employed approximately 30,900 active full-time equivalent employees, including approximately 4,000 pilots, 7,000 flight attendants, 5,700 passenger service personnel, 5,900 fleet service personnel, 3,200 maintenance personnel and 5,100 personnel in administrative and various other job categories. Our Express subsidiaries, Piedmont and PSA, employed approximately 4,900 active full-time equivalent employees, including approximately 800 pilots, 500 flight attendants, 2,800 passenger service personnel, 400 maintenance personnel and 400 personnel in administrative and various other job categories.

 

[blue collar]

Perhaps US has gone on a hiring binge in 2011, as the numbers I posted were as of one year ago and published in the 10-K last spring:

Those probably reflect active employees. The seniority lists show up in the 5000's, and those are the lists used for voting purposes. Still nowhere near the 11000 or so that AA has.

 

[enough already]

Those probably reflect active employees. The seniority lists show up in the 5000's, and those are the lists used for voting purposes. Still nowhere near the 11000 or so that AA has.

If they do like AA/twu did, they'll have dead and retired members on the list too. Just sayin'...

 

[BoeingBoy]

The US numbers has this footnote: Approximate number of active full-time equivalent employees covered by the contract as of December 31, 2010.

For example, for pilots the 10-K shows 2,600. But there are that more active pilots just on the east side. The number of line-flying east pilots was 2569, plus instructors and management pilots. There are probably another 1,200 or so active pilots on the west side, plus instructors and management pilots. So the 2,600 is basically a worthless number.

Still, given the relative sizes of AA and US plus the outsourcing that US does, the AA mechs/related can certainly outvote those on the US side as long as the vote isn't split too much.

Jim

 

[Maark767]

I guess the US employees here are going to push until Horton caves.

Who represents the mechanics at US and what is their headcount?

Here's some interesting info...

All This Talk About A Merger With US Airways

I am surprised – no, blown away - by just how much attention the US Airways – American merger possibility is getting. In the first 36 hours after AA filed for protection it seemed the world was suggesting a merger with US Airways was the only viable exit strategy. I don’t believe it. American will have the exclusive right to file a Plan of Reorganization (POR) for 180 days – a right that is typically extended multiple times by the presiding judge.

Keep in mind, all three of American’s unions were appointed to the unsecured creditors committee. Any plan of reorganization by a party other than AA will have to convince the committee their plan is better for all stakeholders. Given the messy labor situation that remains at US – six years after its merger with America West – I sincerely doubt anyone would find a US bid credible… especially American’s unionized workforce.

That’s why, at least right now, I simply don’t see a merger happening, despite industry analyst Vaughn Cordle’s contention that, “regardless of the ugly nature of merging two suboptimal business models and different unions, American's best option is to merge with US Airways.” My first question is, why would you even think of merging two suboptimal business models in the first place? So that you can compete directly against balance sheet and network rich United and Delta?

There is another option I don’t think many analysts have considered. I could see a competing plan led by British Airways and other oneworld partners that would have the potential to win if the AA case gets to the point where outside parties are free to submit alternative PORs – even at today’s 25% foreign ownership limit. If you believe AA will become a smaller entity over the coming months, the one sure thing is AA’s network will be optimized to maximize revenue generation with its new joint venture partners. That’s precisely what STAR is doing through United and SkyTeam with Delta.

 

[BoeingBoy]

FWAAA caught my error in the post above. I didn't scroll down far enough to see the "AWA" portion of the section of the 10-K for union represented employees. The 2600 are "East" US only and AWA has 1400 more for a total of 4000 pilots, which is about right for active line-flying pilots. My mistake came from thinking it was a list of the unions, # of represented employees for that union, and their contract amendable date, when it was a list of integrated contracts plus the pilots/FA's without integrated contracts on each side.

Since the mechs & related have a combined contract, the number of employees should be about right for active employees. US, at least, appears to round to the nearest hundred.

Sorry for the error.

Jim

 

[USA320Pilot]

Harbinger of a US Airways-American Tie-Up?

Click here to read the story.

 

[Maark767]

Harbinger of a US Airways-American Tie-Up?

Click here to read the story.

We keep hearing that some big news will be announced Jan. 9,2012. Maybe the merger news???