Originally Posted by
strfyr51
Have the UAL ALPA MEC and the CAL ALPA MEC even talked and gotten it together?? Could be that's the question that needs to be asked because it appears that they have NOT yet gotten a strategy together yet. Which is playing RIGHT into the Schemes of the UAL Negotiating group.
While they certainly aren't holding hands and singing Kumbaya, this merger is unlike any other I can think of. It's probably most similar to NWA/DAL, but my understanding is that was an acquisition and their management was nowhere near as adversarial. Think of it as a marriage, there are going to be significant disagreements because we both have our own competing vision of how things ought to be, but over time it'll work itself out. As far as the JNC goes, I've heard they're working well together. In all, I'm not too worried.
I thinks there was some Naievete happening on the part of some of the CAL Pilots because I believe they had Far better relations with CAL than the UAL Pilots had with UAL.
While in the past that was true, when Jeff took the helm we were the ones warning the UAL guys they were going from the frying pan (Tilton) to the fire (Smisek).
But NOW it appears the "UAL Hoodlums" are in the Negotiating driver's seat and their AIM is more to Subjugate than to Negotiate.
I think instead of picking fights about what airplane should be paid What you guys wasted a LOT of effort in NOT recognizing your TRUE enemy. (UAL MANAGEMENT)
While there's still grumbling and discontent, that's all in the past. I agree with your basic premise (unity), but I don't think there's a need to go "Chicken Little" over relatively minor public disagreements.