Originally Posted by
Geardownflaps30
9 more days...
Comairs fate was not the result of a grudge but more the result of many actions over a long period of time. The strike however was one of the large pieces of the puzzle. When Delta purchased a 25% stake in Comair and added it to its feeder network it was a small piston engine airline. It rapidly grew after that to become one of the largest feeder airlines in the country. The pilots there began to thumb their noses at mother Delta ending in a strike that did little to improve what was already a industry leading offer. Its significant that many Delta pilots took a week out of their own time to monitor Delta airlines at every hub and out station to insure that Delta did not fly a single mainline section of struck work.
It was only the second strike in the history of Delta and the first in the US. Comair's decline started almost the day the strike was over. There were chances to lead the airline on a different direction but union leadership at Comair took the hard line at every opportunity. They felt they were to large and Delta needed them to badly. It is my understanding that there was not one single attempt to recall that leadership so they had the support of the pilot group. What followed were huge mistakes.
1. Complete refusal to negotiate a flow through. A outstanding one was offered that would have flowed a large number of Comair pilots to Delta.
2. Comairs euphoria at rumors Delta would outsource everything smaller then the 757. (Actual threat by RA). I personally had a young Comair pilot on the jumpseat asking me about our sims and how long the training program would be! We would have tossed him off except it was a nonstop. Zero support from the Comair MEC to refuse those aircraft.
3. Demands for a merger via ALPA merger policy after Delta purchased the rest of Comair in a stupid management move following the loss of Business Express to AMR. Comair MEC stated they would pursue DOH under that policy. Complete Refusal to discuss a prenup to get the Delta MEC onboard to try and get management to merge the airlines.
4. Lawson Letter (follows at the end) HUGE!
The letter was and still is posted on many bulletin boards throughout Delta. It angered Delta employees right up trough the VP of flight ops and beyond. The CEO discussed it at a lounge meeting. Comair forgot that some at the very top of Delta management had furloughed family members ect..
5. RJDC founded mostly by Comair pilots. Again no attempt by the comair pilot group to distance themselves from this organization.
6. Continued operation of the Comair MEC much like APA. Attitude that Delta could not survive without them. All of the above made the future predictable. The merger with NW was the final nail in the coffin. Delta airlines certainly could have dealt with Comair better however there was plenty of fault on both sides to go around. The Comair pilot leadership seemed bent on dumping gasoline on every fire. In the end they burned their house down and took a lot of good people with them in the fire.
Lawson letter follows:
TO: Comair Pilots
FROM: J.C. Lawson, Comair MEC Chairman
DATE: December 16, 2002
Your MEC met in CVG with the Delta MEC Chairman, Captain Will Buergey, at his request, to discuss preferential hiring of furloughed Delta pilots at Comair. Through this letter, I hope to dispel rumors and provide a more thorough understanding of the purpose and outcome of that meeting.
The Delta MEC, while in session at the bi-annual October Board of Directors meeting in Hollywood, Florida, formally directed the Delta MEC Chairman via resolution to meet with the Comair MEC Chairman to seek preferential hiring for furloughed Delta pilots at Comair while allowing them to retain their Delta seniority.
The general philosophy held by the Comair MEC is:
We are sensitive to the regrettable plight of all furloughed pilots in our industry.
We encourage our management to hire pilots who seek a future at Comair.
We have formally approached Comair management and our management has agreed to preferential hiring of furloughed ALPA pilots.
We agree with our company's policy that requires prospective Comair pilots to resign their seniority at their previous carrier.
We believe our Company's industry-standard policy requiring seniority resignation is sound and wise. It promotes the general health and welfare of all Comair employees and serves to protect the future of our company.
At our meeting in CVG, Captain Buergey offered preferential hiring to Comair pilots if the Comair MEC would recommend to Comair management that they hire furloughed Delta pilots and allow them to retain their Delta seniority.
Your MEC responded that hiring any pilots at Comair who do not resign their seniority at their previous carrier gives rise to numerous substantive concerns. The Delta MEC's offer of (future) preferential hiring at Delta is not sufficiently substantive to overcome those concerns and solicit Comair pilots' support. We suggested three alternative concepts, any one or all of which might lead to a mutually beneficial solution:
Relax the Delta PWA, Section 1, seat restrictions imposed upon Comair and ASA that limit our growth in 70-seat and larger airframes.
Negotiate Delta Brand Scope language with Delta management that defines all Delta flying within the Delta revenue stream to be performed solely by Delta, Comair, and ASA pilots.
Negotiate a plan for future integration of our Delta, Comair, and ASA pilots seniority lists that fairly recognizes the efforts and contributions of all.
The Comair MEC stands ready to work with the collective MEC's to bring about change that makes sense in a challenging economic environment and works for all pilots who perform flying under the Delta brand. As we stated in the Tuesday, December 3rd meeting, our door is still open.
COMAIR MEC
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, INTERNATIONAL
SUITE 120 3940 OLYMPIC BOULEVARD ERLANGER, KY 41018
859-282-9016 FAX 859-283-5533