Originally Posted by
Bad-Andy
Okay, let's only look at the pilot's wallets. Absent the merger, I would have continued making my paltry wide-body rates, with an expected upgrade to paltry command rates in the 3-6 year range (3 with separate East/West ops, but more realistically 6 with eventually getting a combined contract). Absent the merger, our expectations were to continue on, approximately the same size (at min fleet count, so reductions in those numbers would have required a contract with raises) but with substantial retirements. US Airways was profitable and would have continued to remain around for the forseable future.
Yes, I do see what you're saying here, i.e., you had a rock-solid future of advancement and stability and I also see what you're saying......
Originally Posted by
Bad-Andy
You, on the other hand, would have been saddled with a bankruptcy contract, fleet reductions and (potentially) furloughs (in the range of 400), and an inept management team that intended to outsource some of your international flying to code-share partners and more of your domestic flying to regional partners. Your 1800 recalls would certainly not have been given the opportunity to come back, at least for a few more years. By your own admission, it was Parker (a benefit of the merger) that reversed that potential future.
....here, i.e., that I had a marginal future because of....., etc., etc.
Originally Posted by
Bad-Andy
Nowhere did I even insinuate that AA was in their death throes and was saved by US Airways. Not even close.
Then you say this which seems to have substantial contradiction to the above.
Originally Posted by
Bad-Andy
However, I will say that your growth, recalls, hiring, and substantial raises (from the proposed bankruptcy rates) came as a direct result of the merger with US Airways. Absent that merger, Horton would have continued driving the company into the dirt, like your last decade of management.
Again, that is subjective and I fully understand (and expect) that assertion. Both the UAL and CAL committees did the same thing in that SLI and most certainly assertions of the financial future of each pre-merger carrier will be brought forward in arbitration. Likewise, the West will make similar comparators on how they were screwed out of the boons you assert US Airways East had. The arbitrators will decide that and in the end, all we have is our opinions.
Originally Posted by
Bad-Andy
This was exactly the point I was trying to make. Nothing you say nor anything I say will make a difference. You're a worthless flow-through guy that didn't even interview for your job, and I'm a worthless third-lister, that after 7 years with my company am still not considered a "real" US Airways pilot by most of our senior guys. We're both far too junior to have any real impact on the process.
Perhaps it's time to stop making these points and let them rest where it matters ? Don't worry........there's always more time to revist it post award. Heck, former TWA pilots and natives have been debating the pre-acquisition viability of TWA for well over a decade.
Originally Posted by
Bad-Andy
I was merely refuting your ideas that the mighty AA came in and made everything better for us lowly aAquired folks, granting you the superior position in the SLI arbitration. And, I'll make you a beer bet, one junior guy to another -- I'll bet the very senior guys and the very junior guys are relatively happy, and all the middle guys are ****ed at the results.
My prediction, in terms of how they weight the arbitration is +.5 AA (pay), +2 AA (widebody/narrowbody ratio), +1 US (Career Progression/Retirements), +.5 US (Relative Seniority -- meaning ability to hold widebody much junior). The outcome -- pretty close to relative seniority for very junior and very senior folks, and a slight advantage for the middle AA 50% or so.
Want to bet a bottle of my favorite rum against your favorite case of beer? Just a friendly wager. If so, put up your completely speculative guesses, and we'll check on it in a year or so...
I have no problem with you disagreeing with me and I wasn't insuating we saved you or that you brought nothing to the table. That's ridiculous, but not all mergers are of exact equals and I don't believe THIS merger to be of exact equals. We confidently disagree, so then should both be comfortable in how this aspect applies to the final ISL, but anyone who knows arbitrations would never bet on one. USAPA went to seniority arbitration with AWA and look how that turned out.
IMO, the only things I'm confident of is that DOH won't be used, the Nic in its pure form (the awarded Nic) will not be used and for financial purposes, both carriers will be correctly evaluated and their pre-merger state correctly applied to any result, so as to maximize pre-merger career expectations of each group.