Originally Posted by
aa73
I think this quote seems to sum up the attitude of pilot groups at all airlines, not just AA. Do you really think the pilot group at UAL, or DAL, or <insert airline name here> is in it for anyone else? Wow, those DAL pilots were really worried about their Pan Am brethren back in '91, huh? How bout those SWA boys back in '86, bending over backward "welcoming" Muse and TranStar pilots? Or may I even include the welcoming attitude of you almighty TWA pilots to the OZ boys in '86. Wow, DOH as a "back door deal" that didn't even respect ALPA merger policy, and the resulting stapling of 80% of the OZ pilots, even though it was DOH (TWA hadn't hired since '79.) and furloughing out of seniority. Yeah, great show of unity. Don't let your emotions distort the truth, bro. EVERY airline pilot at any airline is in it for themselves. To think otherwise is quite naive. Those are the facts.
Your first line says it best: "They did not engineer the situation but they completely and totally controlled the seniority debate and, ultimately, the solution." In other words, AA was the acuiring carrier, APA/ALPA were two different unions - he who has the gold, makes the rules. And that's what happened. Fair process, not. But that's the way it goes. If SWA would've bought TWA< you would have all been 100% stapled and probably interviewing for your jobs. Would you have felt screwed by that, too?
AA73,
I will have to beg to differ on your categorization of SWAPA "not bending over backwards" for the Muse/Transtar pilots "back in 86." SWAPA offered them integrated seniority and their ALPA MEC (3-4 guys) rejected it without the Transtar pilots voting on it. They thought they could do better and the next week Herb shut Transtar down! Oops!
If some of your other references in this thread as to how SWAPA has treated other pilots in a merger situation was about the Morris pilots in '93 then here is the true story. The Morris pilot's did not have a union representing them and they were in a bad bargaining position. Herb wanted them all to interview including some who had been fired/turned down by SWA. Fact is SWAPA was approached by an ad hoc group of Morris pilots to plead their case with Herb. With the Morris pilots agreement to go to the bottom of the list SWAPA went to Herb and convinced him to take them all with the requirement of a one year probation. They all stayed at their current pay rate until the SWA pay rates caught up with them. SWAPA saved everyones hide including those who got a second chance at SWA.
Your reference to a fictitious SWA/TWA merger and where the TWA pilots would have ended up with regards to seniority is plain conjecture designed to reflect APA's responsibility for where the TWA folks wound up on your seniority list.
P.S. Some of those same pilots who agreed to go to the bottom of the list later were involved in a lawsuit claiming SWAPA took "advantage" of them. The judge threw out the case claiming it had "no merit" and all the Morris pilots upgraded in approximately 5 years. A much better deal than the Muse/Transtar pilots got because of their ALPA MEC's greed.