Some of us have known for a while that there were 3 distinctive groups of pilots here at United-
Legacy United
Legacy Continental
Post Merger New Hires

The company has always known that and it's their job to try and figure out a way to get 50% + 1 to vote the way they want.

The fact that the company is targeting EVERY PMNH should tell you something.
The fact that there is a rumor out there of 3 different tiers of MPG pay for the top 3900, middle 3900 and bottom 3900 is not a consequence either.

But, we still have a Contract that must be followed. Company HATES that.
There is a reason why we have the displacement process that we do- to make it painful and costly for the company to furlough.
They could have AND should have done an Early Out first.. to weed out the top end. Only then would a potential furlough number been possible and realistic. And then we could have utilized 20-Q-8 to also mitigate potential furloughs.
We HAVE a Contract. It was the company that has dragged their feet for over 2 years in negoitating a new Contract.
Now THEY want US (This Pilot Group) to pay for job protections... hmm.

I feel for everyone who is on the Potential Furlough List.
That being written.. I feel for you NOT because you may be out on the street next month- I feel for you because the company has been playing games with you.
Never have I recalled a potential furlough been drawn out for 6 months!
Never have I heard of a potential furlough without actually putting real numbers out there, for months on end (Keep in mind, at the end of April the company stated "30% smaller" without defining what that meant. Then 2 May we had the first displacement bid that showed a surplus of over 4400 pilots)
Never have I heard of a real furlough number.. followed by an Early Out/Furlough Mitigation Program and then a higher number of furloughs!

This sucks.. no doubt about it. But understand one thing. Mr. Gambler only looks at us as chips. Management has one job.. that is to lower costs to raise profits and stock price. We are a cost that they DREAM of cutting.

Stay Strong, Stay Informed...
Always
Motch

PS) I still have my Furlough Letter from Continental.. and some of the email traffic where I told the Union to NOT accept a JV Concession to save my job. Most of us have been where you (potential furloughees) are. We feel your pain~