Originally Posted by
CaptainNameless
I just don't understand the mentality of SKW pilots as far as wanting to remain non-union. Is it really that great? Are you afraid of losing the "bubba deals" you cut with schedulers because there isn't a pesky CBA to interfere with you getting what you need when you need it, while every other pilot cuts their own deal? ALPA is not perfect. It's run by a bunch of political types who probably should have been Congressmen. But 2% is small change for what you get. It's worth it, even if you don't ever need to use the resources that are available to you as an ALPA pilot. I buy insurance for my car, house, medical needs, my teeth. I guess I just see ALPA as a 2% insurance payment.
And as far as a Unified Seniority List. What are you afraid of? With the Alleghney-Mohawk merger protocol of the RLA and the McCaskill-Bond Act, you will be fine. No one at ASA or XJT or SKW should be or will be able to trample either of the others. Most XJT support a percentage integration, which seems most fair to me. If you are 50% seniority at any of the 3 companies, then you get a 50% number on the new Unified Seniority List. If you are 20%, you end up 20%. There will be base/aircraft fences for a number of years to prevent expensive re-training cycles and base and seat displacements, no one will be kicked somewhere they don't want to be for a long time. But if vacancies open up, well, we're one big happy family now, so everything new goes up to bid for everyone.
As far as a percentage integration goes, a '96 ASA hire, a '00 XJT hire, and a '02 SKW hire could all be right next to each other on the new list (just making this up, I don't know the percentages in terms of Hire Date at any company except XJT). So I may end up junior to a SKW pilot who has 2-3 years less service than me. I may end up more senior than an ASA pilot who has 2 years more service than me. It's a new airline. We have to let go of stupid high-schoolish ideas like "I have been here longer, so I should be more senior" That is very counter productive thinking, no matter what company you are coming from into the new mix.
I hope we can all be One Airline on One List. And if not, I hope XJT gets a judge to order an injunction against the sale as being illegal as proposed, XJT goes bankrupt (I guess) Uni-Cal gets stuck with our leases, JA gets to eat a steaming pile of his own hubris for not simply agreeing to treat his employees fairly and equitably, and XJT becomes a worthless horribly performing operation that no one can give away.
If I were an XJT stockholder, I would be writing JA to just agree to meet the terms of the XJT pilot contract, and avoid a lengthy court fight, so I can get paid my $6.75.
Originally Posted by
CaptainNameless
How do you "poach" a seniority list if everyone keeps their relative seniority regardless of hire date? If a single list was agreed to based on maintaining relative seniority, how does upgrade become more difficult at all? Please explain this to me because I want to understand.
Are SkyWest pilots afraid that because you operate the E120, that those crews will be cast down the integrated list because they are "lowly" turboprop pilots and should expect to have a lesser position in the merged list due to that factor? I think you would be wrong. We are all the same class of pilot working for the same type of airlines with essentially the same career expectations.
What is the difference between being pilot number 1400 of 2800 at SKW or
number 3500 of 7000 at SKW+ASA+XJT? Seriously, I don't understand. Please educate me on how having the same percentage of pilots above and below you on a larger list will harm your career progression? If anything, you will end up with a slightly MORE JUNIOR (longevity) top end due to XJT and possibly greater movement out from the list above you when majors start doing a lot of hiring and those guys have a tendency to leave more eagerly than the senior guys above you today at SKW now who aren't going anywhere. Did you ever consider that angle?
What I am saying is it will not be a date of hire integration, if that's the big fear.
All very valid points.
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BTW, as to the XJT going chapter 11 or 7 that SKW folks keep parading around here as "we saved you!". I don't think you did. You got a contract now with CAL, soon to be the largest airline in the world United, to fly 206 jets by purchasing XJT. Except for Trans States, guess who will really control UAL's regional network? SKW. And guess what happens if U-CAL tries to cut XJT's fleet? So, this wasn't a "we'll come save you!" This is just an attempt to create a monopoly. Its wise for SKW but I would expect CAL ALPA and CAL to mix it up a bit at some point.
XJT has had its problems, namely CAL's pov about people and CAL's ALPA/IACP's now seemingly strong scope, who you're about to get into bed with in a big way. But keep in mind that like any merger the process starts behind the scenes a while before it becomes public and there is usually the obligatory "cut every budget by 30%" and when that happens you know a merger is coming.