on any union, be it ALPA, TEAMSTERS,UAW... if the leadership at the national level feels that their local chapter is violating the bylaws of the union, they can place that local chapter under a custodianship. Teamsters did it quite often a while back when there where allegations of mob ties, missuses of funds etc...
I the case of USAIR EAST , if ALPA national feels that their local chapter is not doing enough ,or even supporting the decertification drive, they can place that group under a custodianship.
That being said, if the buffoons from USAPA think that by voting Alpa out they can refuse the arbitrator decision they are sorely mistaken.
Furthermore, why would date of hire be a fair deal? I believe the arbitrator looked at career progression and expectations. those furloughed at UASIR EAST were never going to return to a place who was going chapter 7, and even if they survived , at the time of the merger they had no aircraft on order and were parking planes. Amwerica West had planes on order and no furloughs didn't they?
the fact that USAIR was an airline were previous mergers were done by date of hire giving crazy windfalls to some greedy few, does not mean that should be the case now, specially were nowhere in the alpa merger poilicy states anything about date of hire.
No one feels sorry for the USAIR EAST guys. you voted in weak leadership, you screwed your junior guys as usual and now that you butt was saved by the buyout but couldn't leach off enough , you don't want t play in the sandbox and want to switch schools..... sad