What's Wrong With This Merger?

[flynomore]

L4P & Coachrowsey:

With all due respect, I disagree with your views. [edit]

US Airways continues to meet every FAA required benchmark for a combined operating certificate, which will be obtained before the end of Q2.

USA320Pilot

==========================================================

WADR Skipper,

What metric are you basing this assertion? I don't recall your presence in any of the merger reviews or the operations integration meetings. Things are late, and some things are very late.

There will be a push to get it done on time. Were I taking book on it, I would say that May 1 is more hope than fact. FWIW from the trench where I didn't see you.

 

[USA320Pilot]

700UW:

With all due respect, your post is out lf line and misrepresents the truth.

In regard to the UCT/ICT, how many times do you have to read David Bronner’s comments in the news media or read about Project Minnow to understand that these discussions occurred between the parties? I broke the information first when obtained the report before it became public from a Hedge Fund manager with knowledge of the discussions then it became public knowledge in the news media. I was told I could comment, but not release his name. Moreover, how many times did I say will a corporate transaction? Maybe, maybe not? 20? 30? 40?

700UW, would you like me to post the links again for you to read the articles?

As far as a US and NW discussion, the information was presented to ALPA by the US Airways “executive suiteâ€￾ and then I got wind of the news. Again I said on this message board, will this corporate transaction happen? Maybe, maybe not? Did you miss that too?

As far as the LGA elections, I lost the first election by 3 votes and the second one by 9 votes, which I believe are pretty darn close results. Is there anything wrong with baring your sole and running for office with the opportunity to lose? No, because I believe it takes courage to run for a political position and stand up to being ridiculed.

700UW, without trying to be disrespectful, are you blind or are you purposely leaving this information out?

Therefore, when would now be a good time for you to tell the whole story versus only part of the story, which I believe is just another form of misrepresentation.

__________

Fellow Usaviation.com Message Board Participants:

My motivation is no different than any other US Airways valued customer, shareholder, and employee who participates on this message board. This motivation is for this company to provide the best service possible to its customers, to have a successful airline, and for the employees to have the best possible job opportunity.

There is nothing wrong with disagreeing because two different opinions often times create a better result.

What I object to is personal attacks, insults, disrespect, misrepresentation, and a lack of decorum, which I believe serves no useful purpose.

Finally, I have an interest in this industry and in particular US Airways. I spend a lot of time researching US Airways and the marketplace. I talk with Wall Street, Hedge Fund, IB, News Media, Union, and Company contacts to find out as much information as I can and then I post it on this website. If I offer an opinion I almost always use the phrase “I believeâ€￾ or “in my opinionâ€￾ to separate my thoughts from fact, which I believe is responsible discussion. To suggest this style of reporting is designed to create fear is nonsense.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[700UW]

Your own union disavowed you in the press.

Funny how you ignore how you were Dave's cheerleader then threatened to shut the place down and do harm when your pension was terminated then you fell in love with Dave again, you cant even stand behind your own convictions.

There was no purchase of UAL nor its assests by Bronner, he can say whatever he wants in the news, nothing happened, plain and simple.

There were not talks between US and NW.

I have ran and won elections, you lost, no matter if it is by one voter or 10 the end results are the same.

You told the board of secret cockpit conversations and other things which would have been a clear SEC violation by US Executives, I seriously doubt any executive would risk jail or fines to give you secret information.

You try to scare and intimidate other employees and other airline employees.

Funny you dont hold and never held any union office yet when you held a proxy you portrayed yourself as an insider and a rep.

I have been an officer and on the negotiating team, can you say the same?

I have always put my membership first, and my own thoughts second, and even sacrificed many days and weeks away from home to represent my membership and never done it with trying to scare them or intimidate them.

You spin constantly and shown to be wrong on numerous accounts.

 

[TheLarkAscending]

No worries, 700, Everybody Knows (even Leonard Cohen - great song, btw) and highly unlikely that anyone without a selective :wacko: memory will forget.

 

[REACC1]

I've never meet 320pilot, but the inpressions of a "suck up" is what I get from his posts.

The bitter taste of bile, perhaps never crossed his lips.
There are plenty here with that experience.

 

[delldude]

Whats it all about,Ralphie.......

 

[USA320Pilot]

PineyBob:

I believe your point on how the merger will affect out customers is an important concern. As you know, airline mergers are complex and during the integration there could easily be hiccups. Website turnover, the frequent flyer combination, employee learning curves and implementing systems will all not be smooth at first, but that is in the short term.

The projected values of the corporate combination will enable the airline to invest in its product with the best in class capital structure/profitability customers having low fare service to over 350 destinations on-line, and improve employee pay and benefits (thus moral).

I believe all of these points will improve the customer experience and make the New Delta and better company for the people who pay the employee wages – the customer.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[USA320Pilot]

700UW:

I have explained things to you over-and-over you post the same nonsense. For example, the OpEd column. I told you ALPA officials called me and said they had to put the code-a-phone out because the IAM leadership objected. ALPA did not object to the OpEd column and they were simply trying to placate the IAM. The code-a-phone message was designed to do that.

I told you this before and you left this point out again, misrepresenting the whole story again.

In regard to M&A activity and corporate transaction, I have read David Bronner’s comments, you have read about Project Minnow, I told you about Dave Siegel’s comments on our aircraft to F/O Tin Caroe and myself, and I told you about Captain Ken Newberry’s comments regarding other M&A activity.

Just because a deal does not proceed does not mean the parties are not in in-depth discussion, which is all I indicated. I never, never said a deal would proceed, but again do not “let the facts get in your wayâ€.

By the way, do you have the courage to tell us what “Project Minnow†was and why two companies code worded the deal that was in negotiation?

Let’s be honest here. You and I do not like one another. Why? You take a union mentality of just say “no†during a concessionarie period and I elect to listen to the advisor’s and then make an informed decision. In the case of ALPA, I formed my opinion after listening and agreeing to the points made by ALPA president, ALPA outside counsel, ALPA director of representation, ALPA IB, ALPA E&FA, every MEC officer and two-thirds of the MEC.

I believe that is the reasonable approach.

In the end what happened?

Today ALPA is fighting to obtain at least the America West pilot contract, which was offered to ALPA at the beginning of Bankruptcy II with JetBlue “work rulesâ€.

Why are we fighting for this CBA today? The Pit & PHL Reps. turned it down with the “roll call†vote after Mike Arahm of Cowen, Weiss, & Simon, (who has been Counsel for every ALPA agreement including DAL’s for the past 30 year’s) told the MEC if Negotiating Committee cut a deal early the pilots could probably get a TA 85-90% of the company's "ask".

It’s funny how the so called “hardline†PIT and PHL Reps. (who are like-minded people with you) picked the Negotiating Committee, had control of those who negotiated LOA 93 and the entire MEC, disregarded the advice of every ALPA financial and legal advisor, and then sent LOA 93 out to the pilot group for vote, are now the people screaming the most about the pilot's working conditions and pace of joint contract negotiations.

The bottom line: The PIT and PHL Reps. controlled the entire process, their actions obtained the worst contract in the history of ALPA while they were in charge, and now they're screaming the most. Ironic, isn't it, how so called “hardline†negotiators, like the IAM has, can hurt people so much.

By the way, I take it is a compliment that you save many of posts in your personal archives. Why? You fear me and need to misrepresent information because you know I have reasonable arguments backed up with facts, versus the “just say no†crowd. Keep up the good work because you only give me an opportunity to point out the facts, which you really should not let get in your way!

Best regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[N924PS]

And don't forget that 57% of the pilots voted IN FAVOR of that POS. And you were one of the biggest cheerleaders.

Nice try Oh Great Spinmeister, but you've played that tune one too many times. And it still stinks.

Maybe ALPA should pursue hiring outside professional negotiators. The so called ALPA "pros" seem more interested in feathering their own nests than truly representing the ALPA Pilots. (See:Michael Glanzer)

 

[BoeingBoy]

As for ALPA being able to stop any of this, the only way is to capitulate and give the company far in excess of $295 million a year as stipulated in the latest company "proposal".

Respectfully,

[USA320Pilot]

 

[USA320Pilot]

Flynomore:

Flynomore said: “What metric are you basing this assertion? I don't recall your presence in any of the merger reviews or the operations integration meetings. Things are late, and some things are very late. There will be a push to get it done on time. Were I taking book on it, I would say that May 1 is more hope than fact. FWIW from the trench where I didn't see you.â€￾

USA320Pilot comments: Thanks for joining the discussion. I fully understand the integration is running behind its aggressive timetable and it does not take much to ask specifics via email or a phone call to Ed Bular or Lyle Hogg to know what is happening. You’re right the company is pushing “to get it down on timeâ€￾ and that’s why the company asked ALPA to delay the phase 3 (of four phases) implementation of the new joint AWA and US Airways pilot procedures. Nonetheless, phase 3 was implemented relatively smoothly on December 19.

Furthermore, the company is now publicly stating the target date for the combined operating certificate is the end of Q2 instead of May 1. Regardless, the process is moving forward and I believe to suggest it’s a major problem to negotiate a definitive merger agreement with Delta while the AWA-US Airways integration is being completed is an invalid argument.

Why? The merger will close after the reservation system cutover, most or all of the work will have been done for AWA-US Airways to obtain a joint operating certificate by the time the proposed New Delta could close, and most or all of the labor deals will likely be complete by that time too.

Again, thanks for adding your comments to the discussion.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[longing4piedmont]

I believe your point on how the merger will affect out customers is an important concern. As you know, airline mergers are complex and during the integration there could easily be hiccups. Website turnover, the frequent flyer combination, employee learning curves and implementing systems will all not be smooth at first, but that is in the short term.

It has been almost two years and no end in sight. They have not hit a projected date yet, but you still insist that the customers should continue to "pardon your dust". Ain't happening...

The projected values of the corporate combination will enable the airline to invest in its product with the best in class capital structure/profitability customers having low fare service to over 350 destinations on-line, and improve employee pay and benefits (thus moral).

Hate to say it but that is Delta today. You bring nothing to the table but debt. However your company survives off the hard work of others. So typical of your outlook on life.

You want better pay? Bigger airplanes? Better route structure? Then tell doogie to quit cashing checks he did not earn and try running the airline he has. I don't believe he knows how. Oh BTW, how is that cost neutral discussion coming with Tempe?

I believe all of these points will improve the customer experience and make the New Delta and better company for the people who pay the employee wages – the customer.

Yeah we are really looking forward to flying nasty planes, 757 with 8 F seats versus the 24 we have now, planes with no overhead space and no closets, web sites that don't work, huge devaulation in the sky miles program, and pilots who know everything and want to tell every one on board the entire flight. Yeap, can't wait....

Regards,

USA320Pilot

Back at ya big boy....

 

[USA320Pilot]

BoeingBoy:

Your post above is just why I believe you misrepresent information, just like the RC4 who you support. The comment you have saved and posted was a “sarcastic commentâ€￾ made to illustrate the idea of discounting the advice of every ALPA advisor. How come you fail to post that point?

I supported Mike Abram’s position to take a deal early on to limit the damage.

How come you failed to report that and not tell the whole story, again, which is just another form of misrepresentation?

In my opinion, much of the angst and disdain for the negotiation process was done by people who were near or recently retired as a pilot because they lost their pension and they did not do an adequate job of financial planning. I empathize with those previous or recent pilot retiree’s, but that does not mean the MEC should have acted irrationally. Many of these pilots twist information or discredit others because they were desperate to keep their pension, even at the risk of losing the company, because they were only going to get their PBGC award regardless if the company was a “going concernâ€￾ or not.

I find it sad that certain pilots at, near, or now retireedt would risk the whole company trying to for keep their retirement, when their actions went against the advice of every ALPA financial and legal advisor.

By the way, what is your opinion of the RC4 taking actions and "roll calling" over 50 votes against the advice of every ALPA advisor during LOA 93 negotaitons?

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[longing4piedmont]

700UW:

I have explained things to you over-and-over you post the same nonsense.
Best regards,

USA320Pilot

B.O.B.

You are what you post...... No way to spin out of the fact that you bent over and became THE mouth piece of management. Why don't you grow up, become a man, and admit it.

 

[700UW]

700UW:
I take it is a compliment that you save many of posts in your personal archives. Why? You fear me and need to misrepresent information because you know I have reasonable arguments backed up with facts, versus the “just say noâ€￾ crowd.
Best regards,

USA320Pilot

First of all I dont save your posts, second fear you? That is the funniest thing I have ever heard, fear a man who is so scared and fearful?

Let me call the Chief Pilot's office to send you for a drug test.

Keep avoiding the truth, I have asked you three times about Siegel and how you loved him, then wanted to strike the company and you even made vieled threats about an accident happening, then you fell in love with Dave again.

You can't even stay with your so-called convictions, must suck to go through life so filled with fear.

I stood up to Lakefield, McKeen, Hemenway and their cronies, unlike you who all ready and willing to assume the position just like Pavlov and his dogs when management heads your way.