Originally Posted by
Eric Stratton
I would think that from what happened here arbitration would work in delta's favor. the arbitrator didn't take into effect the age of the usair pilot group and now junior usair guys who were expecting to move up due to their retirements aren't getting it. they were put behind 2000 hires from what I've read and heard.
to me it seems a little hypocritical to think that usair got the short end and then tell nwa that they shouldn't get anything for their retirements. with relative seniority delta wasn't offering any consideration for those retirements. should nwa get everyone of those retirements? absolutely not but they also should get some and relative seniority doesn't offer that.
We don't want arbitration even if the entire DAL pilot group personally believed that we are well-positioned for it. It is too much of a wild card and
is an abrogation of leadership--it is pawning off the tough decisions to a neutral third-party whom everyone can blame if things don't turn out the way we wish. That said, my understanding is that with our ratio proposal, if NWA pilots feel they weren't getting proper credit for retirements, then they should just wait, as DALs next round of retirements would ensue a few years later.
Also, as I posted previously, the whole "NWA has lots of upcoming retirements, thus we need seniority credit for them" may be a red herring anyway, as the lure of equity $$, possible significant pay raises and DC contributions may be a strong enough draw to keep many pilots on the property to Age 65.
Of course absent a crystal ball it is hard to entirely be sure.