Originally Posted by
Mesabah
I wish that were the case, but it's not. That's the entire reason for the whole nicoli usapa debacle at usair.
I guess what I'm trying to say, and what I think Carl is as well, is ALPA has no loyalty to any one group. They are no more loyal to you, than they are to me, than they will be in the future to the foreign national trying to take your job. Why not put together a union that will be?
That is indeed what I'm saying.
The 1991 change to ALPA merger policy happened as a result of the Northwest purchase of Republic when Date of Hire was ALPA's preferred method. The NWA/REP list merged via straight date of hire. The arbitrator said he felt his hands were tied because ALPA merger policy clearly stated Date of Hire. So the Date of Hire list included a 20 year fence keeping NWA guys off the DC9 for 20 years, and keeping REP guys off a set number of widebodies for 20 years. ALPA changed merger policy after that at the request of both NWA and REP.
Fast forward to today where the United MEC successfully changed ALPA merger policy
prior to the arbitration for their SLI with Continental. The arbitrator cited ALPA merger policy in the award, and it certainly appears that the change to ALPA merger policy prior to arbitration greatly advantaged the United pilots, and disadvantaged the Continental pilots.
This is why I call the ever changing ALPA merger policy a political football, and one that is difficult to plan your future over.
Carl