Originally Posted by
7576FO
7576 writes,
Why would ALPA go along with the seniority integration.
Perhaps they were well aware that TWA was in the process of liquidating.
The TWA pilots were not stapled. Some TWA junior CA's were furloughed directly from the left seat. They were not furloughed out of seniority.
This is America and everyone is entitled to their day in court. I've tired of this constant bashing of the AA pilots.
2 idiots from APA made really bad derogatory remarks toward the pilots of TWA at the time of AA's purchase of TWA. They are idiots and I have never felt that way.
I think the pilots of TWA beef has always been ALPA.
Good post, 7576.
I'll retort to your first sentence above: ALPA went along (facilitated, tacitly agreed to and encouraged) the APA-suggested seniority integration, because ALPA was at the time trying to get APA to join ALPA. Since there was a grass-roots campaign going on at the time, involving many APA pilots who supported ALPA to represent AA pilots, Duane Woerth decided to take the lowest of underahanded low roads and subvert the integration process by making a deal with APA and AA to basically allow whatever integration proposal APA came up with to go thru without ALPA objection, thereby sacrificing the 2400 TWA pilots for the greater goal of adding 11,000 AA pilots to the ALPA dues coffer. You're right---our beef is mainly with ALPA, for failing to represent us, subverting the integration process and failing to assist the TWA pilots politically, financially or legally. They did quite the opposite; they worked against us in all areas. APA and AA took advantage of this situation, got guarantees that ALPA would not sue and proceeded with the worst, most inequitable and most destructive seniority integration in airline labor history. A lawsuit (TWA Pilots Vs. ALPA) is ongoing, to bring all these facts to light, and hold ALPA accountable, much like Dukes/Spellacy did after PA/DL in '91.
Second, AA/APA did staple 1300 of TWA's 2400 pilots; I was one of them. We weren't just stapled to the bottom of the seniority list in January 2001, when the buyout was announced; they actually waited until April 9th, then saw an AA new-hire class of 60 started that day, then changed it to April 10th, to place us below 380 more new-hire AA pilots who weren't on the property, hadn't interviewed at AA, had no seniority numbers and were'nt even qualified or trained at AA yet. This stapled group included 200 MD80/717 Captains with 14 years of service.
Your third comment of APA idiots is right on; we have long memories. I know we're painting AA pilots with a long brush. Unfortunately, those 2 pilots weren't the only ones. It happened too frequently, and was unprofessional and insulting to all of us.