It looks a little better with the full " United Airlines" in my opinion.
As far as seniority goes, MX wise I'm sure it will be DOH per Allegheny/Mohawk,
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UA/CO Merger Thread-Post Announcement
- Thread starter Richard
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It looks a little better with the full " United Airlines" in my opinion.
As far as seniority goes, MX wise I'm sure it will be DOH per Allegheny/Mohawk,
The ramp and customer sevice will be DOH. Continental does not have class time like we do so chances are current United employees will drop their class time and go by DOH. If that is the case then I will gain about 2 years in seniority since I was part time from 95-97.
I think that it probably will be weighed DOH, since you have a VERY senior UA workforce, JMHO. And we'll probably have to vote on which union would represent us. You guys have the IAM, (I got to read your contract - the one after your BK, and it is very interesting reading since it contained some of the things we also lost too.) and we have the IBT (which we just voted in, but have no contract with.) I'm quite sure that the IBT won't go away easily. (they spent a lot of time and $$ trying to organize us) Whichever union can promise us the best deal would probably win. More money and better work rules........
I'm trying to look forward to this merger with an open mind and seeing what benefits will bring for all of us. I'm quite sure that the best of both worlds will come together (like your reservation system, etc). But I heard that your pass travel system is a lot different than ours. Retirees have more chances of getting on a flight than active employees, since it is based solely on seniority. (BTW: I have over 17 years, and I hope I can get on a flight with your system...lol!) Hopelfully that will change too.
One other thing that will change.........Your bag tags suck! I can't read that small computerized font at nite. It should be a clean and simple bag tag like ours.
Anyway, I look forward to meeting some of you as the days go on, and hopefully the best of each carrier will take place. We will know more as the weeks go by.
We at CO have free passes after 25 years, which is nice, $10.00 ow for coach less than that. Our retirees fly after active employees and before family members. We do have a tiered classification where if you work in the Ivory tower downtown you get a super secret classification that goes before everyone. Their kids go before us also. If you are management you fly what they call a sa1 which the rest of (employees) fly at a sa3. No matter what the hire date of a supervisor he goes before a 30 years employee. Hopefully that will change.
Also we get 6 Vacation passes a year to use, an upgraded pass classification than normal SA3p it would be a SA3V.
Lets take the best of both
IAM is strick DOH and nothing else. If Teamsters tries to do a weighted DOH then 100% of the UAL guys will vote IAM. We are not the pilots. We dont have carrier expectations like them. Once we reach A-scale thats it.
I hope that one change too. It should be active employees first, based on DOH. Then family and retirees. It shouldn't be that a family (ie: some kid) member who is working on Smith Street gets to ride before an active employee. I know that management gets those SA1's, but some family member gets to fly before us. (didn't know about that secret pass class for those people)
Otherwise, it should be active employees based on DOH (including management) unless it is on business or other related management and union duties. (They will get PS passes anyway) Or rate them at least at SA2. Then retirees & close family members at a class just below active employees. That is the fair way. The active employee should be rewarded first. Then a retiree with long service just a notch above a immediate family member. JMHO.
I'm hoping that we get at least 2 or 4 positive space passes per year too.............
I see. I was just thinking about that since the pilots and FA's would think about the somewhat weighed DOH system. The only saving grace in all of this that there is not a whole lot of overlap in the stations and hubs where a lot of people lose out. Hopefully.
We don't have a lot of our people at your hubs, as well as your people at our hubs. Here at EWR, there is not a lot of UAL people here (probably about 150, I think?) If so, it wouldn't matter much, since their seniority would hold with no problem, and a lot of guys won't get bumped out a work area, since this particular hub has a pretty even mix of older and younger employees. (We had some hiring between 2006 and 2008).
I just want the best deal whichever union can give us, that's all. Either the IAM or the IBT. The IBT hasn't told us anything yet, other than the fact that the company has stopped the layoff of 150 guys at some of our outstations which they were going to farm out. BTW: How many outstations you guys have that has mainline employees? Most of our outstation people are very senior (that's probably why they wanted to let them go.)
Also, how is your day trade policy, since I could not find it in your contract?
You get fee waived passes after 10 years in coach and fee waived passes in first after 25. retirees only board before family when family members aren't traveling with the employee. Otherwise family members travel at the employees class (SA3) and board before retirees. You can board before the management personal (SA1) if you play the "vacation card" (SA3V).
As for pass travel UA has a good thing going. If you can get on. Retired should always go first. These are the
people who have paid their dues. They deserve some good treatment. Then active based on DOH. When off
the clock management shouldn't have any better perks. The hourly employees do the work! That is my opinion
which usually amounts to zip.
people who have paid their dues. They deserve some good treatment. Then active based on DOH. When off
the clock management shouldn't have any better perks. The hourly employees do the work! That is my opinion
which usually amounts to zip.
I agree 100% about retired people getting on first. Like you said, they paid their dues.
eolesen
Veteran
- Jul 23, 2003
- 15,945
- 9,372
If the recent US/DL slot swap decision by the DOT is any indicator, I'd be shocked if there weren't some conditions placed on this by DOJ and DOT. CO will have gates in all three terminals at EWR.
Be patient. I think there's a lot regarding Houston that wasn't said in the announcements yesterday. In my opinion, they danced around the headquarters issue pretty well on Monday. I see the fact that they said Smisek was keeping offices in both Houston and Chicago could be a hint of things to come later.
It's probably going to be a few months before the buyouts shake out and Jeff decides who heads up what. I doubt the company will be in a position to be buying people out of their houses in Texas, which is what it's going to take to make people move to Chicago. Once the major department heads are selected (VP and director level), that's when I think you'll start to see which operational/administrative departments remain in HOU, and which remain in CHI.
Where this is one of the points that we have to work on. That means no one is getting on a flight then. Of course, any retiree should be taken care of, but we have been making sure that the active employee who has put his time in should also get on a flight too. Judging by your system, it would take me another 12 or 13 years (on top of my 17) before I can get on a flight. But this will be worked out someway or another.
I do agree with you both about management......... They should be the last to get on before any frontline employee!
I doubt they'll want gates in all three terminals. Logistically, it's a hassle, and I don't see that it buys them anything in return.
lasttoboard
Member
- Jan 7, 2005
- 69
- 7
I wondered how long it would take before this issue reared it's ugly head! UAL will no doubt change everything again so benefits earned and rules adhered to for an entire career are pitched for the benefit of the newbies.
Just a point, you don't need 30 years to get a seat on united metal, although it helps! Best of luck to everyone and I sincerely mean it..
767jetz
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
- 3,286
- 2,779
My guess is that UA will move out of it's current terminal at EWR. It just makes sense. EWR is a fortress hub for CO, and UA has been a minor player there for quite some time. It would be easy for CO's operation to absorb UA's and it's associated employees without much trouble. I'm sure this will be the case in all the big hubs, including ORD, DEN, IAH, IAD, etc.
With all the downsizing in recent years at both airlines, they have the infrastructure to handle a much bigger operation at most airports. Ever since UA's BK people have criticized that UA did not shed enough of their infrastructure assets. Post BK it has been said that UA still has the facilities to accommodate an airline much larger in size. Maybe this was always part of the master plan considering Tilton's advocacy for consolidation.
Keep in mind that from the perspective of employees, the new UA will be about the same size it was at UA's peak in 2000-2001. Of course now that everything is understaffed and productivity has greatly increased we can do more with the same number of people. So as far as departures, passenger miles, fleet size, etc. the new UA will be even bigger than before... But not by that much.
IMO all employees, UA and CO should focus on the big picture and work together to make the most of this great opportunity. Assuming management takes the initiative to engage us, we should let them know that working together with us instead of treating us like a liability is the first step. I honestly believe CO's management understands this much more than UA's does. But for employees we should not worry about paint schemes, call signs, logos, uniforms, terminal buildings, headquarter locations, or any other petty distractions. These things will work themselves.
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