Originally Posted by
uaav8r
Getting past the SLI to me means more than being unified. It means that perhaps I too can have a shot at the left seat of all those "United" planes out there at our hubs. After 15 years of "juniority" I'm sitting 5 or 6 from the bottom on perpetual reserve in the right seat. I have not progressed a single number on the 756 right seat in 5 years. In fact I've moved backwards. 12 years ago I was a solid lineholder in the same seat. In 9 months we will commence the parking of 85 757's. That's not good news. The replacement aircraft are 737-900ER's, of which we have no simulators, no PI's, no training syllabus and no payscale. Pretty sure that training will be taking place in your training center in IAH, with or without us. Unified to me means having a fair shot at the progression that is taking place in "the other half" of United Airlines. That is why this SLI process needs to happen as rapidly as possible for sUALers like myself. Voted YES on November 30th. That, my friend, is as honest an answer as I can give you.
And it's a good honest answer. Unfortunately, the L-UAL pilots have seen several maneuvers by the CAL union leadership that makes them feel less than "unified". LOA 25, Pay Banding, profit sharing done outside of required try-party negotiations.... None of that is bringing any unity. As uaav8r points out, the next hurdle is the planes leaving L-UAL and where they go. Let's say Captain Pierce's past actions haven't left us feeling warm and fuzzy. And I haven't seen one L-CAL pilot stand up and suggest that they wouldn't fly the new planes if presented to them at L-UAL's expense. If this TA passes, we will get through the SLI with pretty much everyone being disappointed (the sign of a successful merger), and then we can move on. At that point, all events effect the pilot group EVENLY. As it stands now, one groups pain is usually the others gain. And it's been a smidge one-sided, wouldn't you say??