Originally Posted by
Nevets
Our Holding Letter would require him to merge seniority list. That would lead to a representation vote. That is what he does not want.
We're saying the same stuff over and over. Yes, the status quo is exactly what you claim. But that's not what JA is offering.
I don't think it has anything to do with the SKW pilots' wishes. As for sueing, you quickly forget that a federal judge had to put an injunction on SKW management to force them to comply with federal laws during the last drive.
I doubt we'll come to a meeting of the minds on this issue.
Let me state categorically that JA will not cut any deal which will encumber SKW Inc. He is a very astute businessman. If the deal is right, he would do whatever was best for the shareholders regardless of his "at-will" employees.
And we probably won't agree on this either. But, I'd be happy to bet a sizable amount of money on your assertion.
I claim that JA will not disregard the workforce, any more than he has in past airline purchases. Obviously, JA has a duty to the shareholders. Again, I'm confident enough on that to put my money where my mouth is.
I'd be happy to put the money in an escrow account, winner take all. How confident are you ? Say, $1000 ? You pick the date by which all the horrors will happen to us bad "at-will" employees.
You keep forgetting that the CAL letter has kept the door open on XJT to come to terms with CAL with savings on the magnitude that SKW was offering and stay independent. There wont be any pieces in that case.
No, haven't forgotten. Sure, if that works out for you guys better than a buyout, go for it. I foresaw three options... buy on JA's acceptable terms, buy the pieces, or DON"T BUY AT ALL.
Kind of sounds like the FAA NATCA relationship. But you wouldn't have given being part of NATCA just because "those 'rights' get trampled on." Its not a sound bite and your prior union experience should tell you that.
The US government air traffic controllers have voluntarily voted in an open shop union every time is was offered. And for good reason. Pilots at most airlines have a closed shop union, presumably for equally good reasons or fears. So far, those reasons or fears haven't manifested themselves at SkW.
In ATC, those rights are trampled, disregarded, or violated in a manner that would make Mesa's Mr. Ornstein blush. The ATC union is largely powerless for over 600 days now to stop unilaterally imposed work and pay rules, and return to the contract.
None of this has, or is happening at SkW. So, your question is would I give up the parts of the ATC contract to be "bought out". Don't know... anything is probably better than what is currently in place.
The more logical question is would I make the changes JA wants if I were an XJT guy ? Don't know. Sorry, too personal of a decision to put myself in your shoes.
But even if he wasn't, if there was a SKW/XJT seniority integration, it would be negotiated between XJT MEC and SKW management. Much different than when two pilot groups try to negotiate between themselves.
Ya, I agree it would be much different than recent ALPA seniority integrations. Thankfully so.
There wouldn't be a union drive a week later. It would trigger be a representation election immediately. Which means they can decertify if the majority would be "cool with that, if thats what they choose." If the union drive fails, you would have at least less than 50% p*ssed off anyways. Kind of like you had 35% of SKW pilots p*ssed off right now.
We don't have 35% P/O'd. That many did vote for a union, but they didn't have one taken away (that presumably they wanted) like would be the case with XJT pilots.
Again, JA won't do this if the only option is basically forcing SkW pilots into a union that we don't want. How much ya willing to bet ?