My point: Your "career expectation" is only good through the close of business on any given day.
Exactly. I don't disagree. So the question is which day? As per ALPA merger policy, the only career expectation that matters is the one that existed at "the close of business" the day before the merger. Not the expectation 20 years ago or the expectation the day after the merger.
And by the way, I do think there is merit to the idea of a national seniority list with standardized pay for years of service, regardless of aircraft or airline. That way, a pilot always knows what he/she is worth at any given year and at any airline. Perhaps if the industry were ever re-regulated. But we are a long way from that ever being reality. So we have no choice but to deal with the current reality.
Just because ALPA has a written merger policy, inspired by United Airlines pilots, doesn't make it right. I believe it is "nonsense" and USAirways/America West Pilots are but the first merger to reveal the true shortcomings of that policy.
Fine. That is your opinion. There are many others within ALPA, a majority in fact, who believe it is
not nonsense. You are entitled to your opinion as are others. We do live in a democratic society.
If AAA thought the merger policy and process was unfair, why did they submit to binding arbitration? In fact, why did they even stay with ALPA this long? Why not start your own union, with rules and merger guidance that was more to your liking, years ago. It is a bit disingenuous to force the process to it's final and binding stage knowing the rules and risks involved, and then say you don't like the process only when it doesn't come out the way you wanted it to. At any point you could have compromised and avoided the arbitration all together.
And as a side note, back in 2000 none of the AAA pilots wanted fences that kept them out of UA's 777's and 747's. But now it seems they are all crying for separate lists and fences forever.
Many First Officers might not have upgraded to Captain prior to retirement, but they certainly should have that opportunity before someone that was hired in 2005.
Again, this is an opinion, and and it is not one shared by a majority of the 60,000 ALPA members. We'll just have to agree to disagree. They (AWA) certainly should have the opportunity to upgrade to captain first because that is what they brought to the table prior to the merger. It is not their fault that AAA pilots had such a difficult and stagnant career prior to the merger. We all empathize with the AAA pilots for that. But no one wants to lay down their own career to make you whole again. No one sacrificed their career to make the EAL or PAA or TWA pilots whole again after their turbulent path.
We'll just have to let the legal process run its course. I know you wouldn't give up your seniority without a fight. Neither will the USAirways Pilots.
With this I agree. The legal process will unfold. IMO the AAA pilots will not ever be happy or satisfied with any of the possible legal outcomes.
IMO it would be better in the long run to negotiate a joint contract where pay and work rules can be significantly restored to improve the quality of life of everyone. I'd be willing to bet that AWA would even agree to additional compensation for the AAA pilots with long lengths of service to compensate them for years of stagnation, as this would come out of the company's hide and not their own.
And yes, I would fight for my seniority, but differently. You see, to me seniority is not a number, but a relative position and
reasonable and
conservative expectation of the future based on current circumstances. (Not what existed 5 years ago or my hope of what it will be in 20 years.) I personally never have and never will support DOH or LOS integrations unless and until we have a national seniority list.
Good luck, and thanks for exchanging ideas and opinions without the childish name-calling that certain others here seem to embrace.
767jetz