[quote=Flare Armed;399091]Well, we've had other pilot groups in our contract (Wester, for example) that had a different retirement program, but they were paid the same rates as anyone else...so I don't see why it has to be any different this time.
The idea of phasing in while separate ops are in effect seems fair...no different than how we operate today...but in principle it'd be better for us to be a unified group from day 1. No whipsawing....no finger pointing...just get it done.
There is a big difference in the retirement portion this time then between Western and Delta or Pan Am. They came aboard the Delta plan under a defined benefit type of plan. Both sides had prior retirement earnings they kept and went on the same retirement plan going forward. In this case the Delta retirement plan was terminated and the DC with its higher percentage amount was intended to help replace that plan. If you now bring another group on board with a intact retirement plan that requires ongoing funding to maintain but that only goes to a portion of the pilots should that portion of the pilots also get the same in the DC plan. Clearly the NWA pilot group felt that they should not and that is why they have a targeted DC plan. The question for the joint contract is should we maintain a targeted DC plan.