Originally Posted by
Sunvox
The merger was announced in May of 2010, and the furloughs, voluntary or not, were in the fall of '09.
Oct. of '09 to May of 2010 = 8 months not 18 months.
Just because man-power adjusted on a voluntary basis doesn't change the facts. Furloughs are furloughs and you still have to wait for a recall or bump someone involuntarily when you come back.
Sorry, but you are incorrect, again.
The merger was announced May 3, 2010.
The original furlough notice letters were sent out on July 3, 2008 to approximately 500 L-CAL pilots. A combination of leaves and VRFs reduced the anticipated furlough number to 147 on the September 2008 System Bid. Furloughs started in October 2008 through the end of November 2008. L-CAL furloughed 147 pilots in the
fall of 2008 NOT 2009.
A second round of potential furloughs was expected in fall of 2009 and another 310 letters were sent out July 21, 2009. However, as I said before, voluntary leaves (many of them extended military), early retirements and VRFs eliminated the need to furlough any more pilots than the original 147 who were furloughed in the fall of 2008.
Both times I participated in the Voluntary Reduced Flying offers the union and the company agreed to so I should know. In addition, during the summer of 2009 when I was doing recurrent ground school, the most junior active pilot on the seniority list (after the 147 were furloughed) was in my ground school class. Everyone to a man was glad he at least made the cutoff and he thanked those of us who were doing some type of VRF to help keep his job. Not only that but half my crash pad left the first week of October 2008 because they were being furloughed. It was not a happy time that month.
October 2008 to May 2010 = 18 months NOT 8 months. But you are right, the merger was announced May 3, 2010.