From another board:

Despite the weather in IAH yesterday, The event was well attended with about 100 or so.

Pierce was there and did a question and answer session for about an hour. Here are the highlights:

Says he and Jay Heppner talk regularly - about 15 calls between the two of them yesterday

80% done with scheduling, company has changed approach. Started negotiations with UAL work rules as baseline and went from there. Says they did incorporate some items to satisfy CAL pilots need to work a lot, like picking up time ( when there are no pilots out on furlough) to increase pay. Is entirely voluntary on pilot's part. Pilot will own schedule and company is restricted from unilateral reassignments. Reserves at CAL will see huge QOL improvements. Some improvements for UAL side as well.

Re: TPA expiration and new bases - will likely happen. Union is trying to negotiate to stop it, but does not believe possible to stop new bases. Trying to make it voluntary to staff.

Working on base closure protections - protect small bases from closure like CLE and SEA

Bullish (his words) on contract in 2012 due to company making small overtures. Says Smisek is beginning to understand the pilots and other employees are not happy. Envision us working under new contract and SLI by 1st quarter 2013.

CAL will continue to hire

Was asked if SOC was going to muddy waters wrt scope? Said Single Coding was biggest threat to monitoring. Both MEC's have set up a Joint Task Force to address single coding and protect both sides scope clauses. Said CO mgt early on put in writing that they know they have to respect the CAL Scope clauses and JP felt that was good protection

External pressures on completing a contract: JP said the lack of any real new positives for the company to announce publicly or to banks was significant pressure.

I asked if both MEC's were committed to final language for pilots to vote upon? He said he would not speak for UAL MEC, but the CAL MEC is committed to final language with sufficient time to distribute, read and discusss prior to voting. Said anything less would not be entertained by CAL MEC and felt he would be hung by the CAL pilot group.

RJ's - 50 seat no longer viable so no need to waste negotiating capital on it. "Nobody" (did not elaborate if company was included in that) is arguing that 90 seat WILL be flown by us, inhouse. Big issue to be determined is what happens to 70 seat.

Contract will have retro (or maybe called something else) up to at or near 100%.

Best to settle contract before AMR 1113 completed ( about 9 months).

DC plan improvement for both groups.

Pilots frustrated with ALPA - new billboard going up in IAH - something like " United Continental Merger - DELAYED"

Contract 2-3 year length

Pay increases after amendable date - not likely - very hard to negotiate. Try to get "me too" clause - tie to other carriers pilot wages. I.e. if after the amendable date another carrier gets a raise, we get the same %, etc...