Originally Posted by
UASnake
This thread has a familiar ring to it. When UAL went into BK plenty of other airline pilots were salivating at the prospect of our demise and getting UAL's LHR slots, Pacific Division, etc. None of which happened, even though UAL was arguably in a weaker financial position than AMR is in now.
AA pilots, don't let it get to you. You can't control much in the process, but you can learn from our mistakes and NOT sign a concessionary BK contract. Make the company get the judge to impose it. You'll be back in Section 6 sooner and you won't have the AMR spokesholes saying aggravating things like "we have consensual agreements in place with all of our unions and we intend to enforce them".
The only problem is this has yet to be tested.
I don't know of any place recently that's had an 1113(c) abrogation imposed on them. You might end up with something worse! Judge could impose a 10 year contract at USAir-East rates, with little or no retirement and little in the way of work rules. It's a gamble.
Secondly, BK law has never been tested in court. Once out of bankruptcy and released from the judge, what kind of contract are you under? It's not RLA, so can you withhold services without NMB release?
If you got the cajones to do it, good luck. It will take some deep pockets and a lot of time in court fighting it.