Originally Posted by
slowplay
This is the kind of stuff that leaves me scratching my head. What opportunity was passed up? You realize the company doesn't have to have us on board to acquire, merge or fragement, right?
Show me an example where your version of leverage worked...
Southwest and AirTran?
United and Continental? Their situation is almost completely analogous AND they were in Section 6 (CAL) when it happened.
America West and USAirways?
They ALL are exactly where they started. Where's the leverage of which you speak? Go back even farther in history, and the first time labor even heard about the deals was when they were publicly announced. Delta/Western is an example.
Management has workarounds. They don't get all the revenue and cost "synergies" by running two separate operations, but they get a boatload of labor savings. Even a profitable company like SWA only gave away the acquired airline's seniority...no cash. UAL/CAL would take over $350 million and 400 pilot jobs just to come up to the current DAL contract. In the UAL/CAL case management is learning to work around. In USAPA's case that's the only reason their company is profitable.
So again I ask, where was the leverage that we squandered?
Many folks that I fly with believe that we left some low hanging fruit on the tree with LOA 19 and the Joint contract. Yes, the merger would of happened anyways, we all realize that. What would not of happened however is the mess that is our scope clause. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the 255 70 seat RJ's would not of been allowed under our previous PWA. The Alaska codeshare would not of been allowed. No?
Other folks think that for our cooperation and sacrifices we should of gotten more pay up front. I can't argue with that either. Our leverage, was that they needed us to get this merger done right (scope, codeshare allowances) and we gave those allowances for minimal pay increases and we still allowed more outsourcing.
Looking to the future most guys want job protections in regard to the JV's and codeshare. Not a repeat of a contract with minimal pay increases only to see more flying outsourced.