Originally Posted by
Tiger2Flying
Ok, please don't jump down my throat. I have no affiliation with any airline and am only seeking a better understanding of the industry.
Outside of the union jobs when a company takes over another company by merger, out right purchase, hostile take over, etc. the purchasing company holds the cards. For instance, my Dad's company has been purchased and merged so many times I have no idea who he works for any more. He is a very senior guy in the maintenance department of a large pharmaceutical company. My Dad's not that old and the only reason he is senior is that during all the previous mergers, take overs, etc. they cut the top end of the staff. From my life's experience this is typical in corporate America.
Another example the merger of North West and Delta. Both companies have a training department. Both companies have CRM instructors. Now the two companies are one. There is no longer a need for two sets of CRM instructors. So who gets the boot? The company that was purchased North West? The purchasing company? The most senior, highest paid instructors?
Sorry for the long preface but my question is what protection is there for pilots of a company who is being purchased? Is it all up to the lawyers and arbitrators? In any other industry the reward goes to the conqourer in which that comany's workers are more or less safe from the chopping block. Are there any forms of protection?
Thanks,
Tiger
A short history. Mergers of seniority lists has ALWAYS been a contentious part of ALPA and other unions history in aviation. From the various sell offs of Pan Am to United and Delta and the controversies they caused to the more recent AA/TWA merger. About 65% of all TWA pilots and 100% of their FA's got stapled to the bottom of the AA list. The FA's lobbying in congress got the rules changed to a mandatory process to be followed (Allegheny-Mohawk), which is named after another contentious merger. These basically require a "fair" integration, but such poor wording usually means the two parties cannot agree and it thus goes to a binding arbitration. US Airways pilots thought binding isn't really true and thus quit ALPA in recent years to fight for what they feel should be a "fairer" integration.
Bottom line, is an arbitrator usually makes the decision.