Originally Posted by
aa73
Arbitrators have always, and will always, use that dreaded word you hate when they craft an integration. It's just the nature of the beast. He takes a snapshot of the date and bases a lot of his decision on the career expectations of both airline pilot groups.
What are my career expectations? No clue at this point - but given the difference in size, routes, financials, pilot demographics - very, very different from the TWA pilot group at the time.
There is simply no comparison. TWA in its last days was in no way, shape or form comparable to AA today, BK or not. I'm not justifying the crappy and unfair treatment you guys got, but USAir merging with AA is in no way comparable to AA's picking and choosing TWA's assets, which were far less than what AA has today.
Wrong. Not all arbitrators use that word----APA used it liberally when AA bought TWA, to seemingly justify stapling 60% of TWA's 2400 pilots---including myself. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, are you sure you want an arbitrator (which AA & their 'unions' ensured TWA employees wouldn't have access to) to objectively (or subjectively) decide yours?
You say your career expectations are
'very, very different' from the TWA pilot group at the time AA bought TWA (all of it, not just pieces); well answer me this: How many numbers are you away from the most junior CA at AA? I'm guessing if you're a '99 hire about 4000+. I was 250 numbers away from M80/717 CA at TWA, and with annual attition at 200+, do the math. Don't even think for a second your career expectations are superior, higher or more valuable than mine were. Instead of upgrading to CA at a major airline, I was stapled, furloughed and then had to suffer the insult of the likes of YOU coming to STL to fly in MY seat while I got furloughed.
'No comparison', you say? I disagree.