AAA ALPA Thread 10/5 to 10/12

[Cactus737]

What was the expectation of a West pilot prior to the merger? Driving narrow bodies around the desert in the shadow of Southwest.

On May 1, 2005, being in new-hire class to drive narrow bodies around the desert was far more promising than was being 3 years on furlough from an airline in it's 2nd bankruptcy in 2 years.

Well you still have that and ought to be happy with separate ops, because not a single thing has changed for your group.

The largest problem with separate ops is that it gives Parker the ability to receive competing bids for flying. You guys are willing to work cheap (LOA 93) for upgrades, and I can't wait to see what you're willing to fly the A-340's for.

But you're dead wrong about things changing for our group. Like the facts or not, we were hiring when the merger was announced, and we were taking delivery of airplanes. We had *our* pilots running the flight ops department, we weren't harassed about sick calls by our management, and we had decent pass privileges that didn't allow more than half of another work group to board ahead of us. Also, we had an upcoming Section 6, and we didn't have another pilot group telling us that the only fair place for us to be is at the bottom of their list. Oh - and we didn't have the US Airways Labor Relations department imposing the miserable labor relations (YOU brought to the merger) on us.

Oh that is right, you want to steal what someone else career because, you really weren't happy with what you had at AWA.

I don't want to steal anybody's career, but I don't think I should be required to pay for the crappy one you've had either.

 

[EastUS]

On May 1, 2005, being in new-hire class to drive narrow bodies around the desert was far more promising than was being 3 years on furlough from an airline in it's 2nd bankruptcy in 2 years.
The largest problem with separate ops is that it gives Parker the ability to receive competing bids for flying. You guys are willing to work cheap (LOA 93) for upgrades, and I can't wait to see what you're willing to fly the A-340's for.

But you're dead wrong about things changing for our group. Like the facts or not, we were hiring when the merger was announced, and we were taking delivery of airplanes. We had *our* pilots running the flight ops department, we weren't harassed about sick calls by our management, and we had decent pass privileges that didn't allow more than half of another work group to board ahead of us. Also, we had an upcoming Section 6, and we didn't have another pilot group telling us that the only fair place for us to be is at the bottom of their list. Oh - and we didn't have the US Airways Labor Relations department imposing the miserable labor relations (YOU brought to the merger) on us.
I don't want to steal anybody's career, but I don't think I should be required to pay for the crappy one you've had either.

1) "You guys are willing to work cheap.." As oppossed to tossing seniority under the bus? = Yup. This will make for a world beating, and instant contract in the immediate future via Alpo + Nic possible in what way? It seems very likely that more merger mania's afoot in our future. What possible reason does the east have to willingly obliterate the only thing not yet stolen from us, or cheerfully thrown away by Alpo, via surrendering seniority for some ephemeral contract that'll be gone with the wind in any future merger/sell off/etc?

2) "But you're dead wrong about things changing for our group. Like the facts or not, we were hiring when the merger was announced," Glad that things were so great. I assume that you think that upper management was completely dishonest with the observation that: "Without the merger, as a three year FO...you would probably be out of a job"??? Do you honestly think that Bk would/could never have happened, nor anything the least bit deleterious to you guys/gals out west then?.

3) "I don't want to steal anybody's career, but I don't think I should be required to pay for the crappy one you've had either." I cannot find any viable translation for both of those at once, other than "I don't want to steal anybody's career"....but yet "I'll take yours anyway"? Is there any reason for west pilots to truly feel that they're "special", and that the ever changing insanity of the airline business shouldn't ever effect them in even any slight way? This wouldn't be a great moment for more observations about east feelings of "entitlement".

We've a major mess to deal with here. thanks yet AGAIN Alpo.