Originally Posted by
sailingfun
SWA can propose anything they want. The Airtran pilots can refuse and it goes to arbitration.
I do not believe this is entirely correct. If we are talking about SLI, SWA(the company) will propose nothing. SWAPA's M&A (merger and acquisition) committee will make the proposals. Any TA made with our M&A will be conditional upon sending it to the SWAPA BOD (Board of Directors) who will vote on whether to send such TA to the entire membership for a vote.
It is my understanding that AirTran's ALPA MEC will make all proposals and any acceptance or refusal will be entirely up to them and that the AirTran pilots will never actually vote on any agreement.
Perhaps an AirTran pilot could confirm or deny this.
There is also a step in between called mediation before arbitration. It has just been agreed that if anything goes to arbitration that it will be a three person panel. It is my hope that we can come up with something mutually acceptable before it gets that far. If it does go to arbitration then it is what it is. We implement the ruling and press on as one big family (happily I hope).