Originally Posted by
mastercraft
Its should not be relevant what the AAI contract does or doesn't allow. Particularly a contract that started as an agreement in principle in which Gary Kelly himself (at the NMB in DC) urged both sides to agree on. IF SWA were to violate the 18-month limit on seperate ops, and ATN ALPA were to seek a court injunction (as the ATN ALPA VC has said will happen), do you think a judge will enforce the language of the acquired pilot groups' brand new contract?
If the 737's (which will very soon become the property of SWA) were to come to the SWA side, AT would strictly be a 717 operator. By nature of this fact, it would be seperate in an operational sense.
While I appreciate the 400 points for advanced flaming, I'm just trying to point out some realities. Guadalupe Holdings and the structure of the acquisition seem to allow for alternate avenues should anything threaten to deteriorate the strong culture SWA is built on.
First of all, when it comes to culture, you're confusing good fortune with some sort of divine right. While a good culture is an essential component of a good business, it's not enough. You've retained a good culture because you've been fortunate in terms of management, lucky with fuel hedges, and because you were founded on a very sound business model (from which you're drifting, by the way). There is nothing so special about your culture that can't be overcome by poor management, or bad luck. If a great culture focused on the employees and on great service was enough, then Delta would never have gone through bankruptcy.
Now, your culture, presumably of caring for employees and customers is being tested through this merger. In your case, it sure isn't translating into very much concern about a large chunk of new employees. Case in point, your comment:
"...Its should not be relevant what the AAI contract does or doesn't allow...". This suggests to me you are far from getting it. You might think the purpose of the company is to take care of you, but the company's plan is to take care of the shareholder. To the extent your "culture", and your personal satisfaction are a tool for furthering those goals, you're going to be happy. But to the extent your ambition might be to protect your personal turf as a "real" Southwest guy, you're going to be very disappointed. Your company wants to integrate the groups (read the quote presented to the SEC about integration). The arbitrator, you will be sad to learn, doesn't work for you, and isn't trying to pick a winner in a SLI hearing: he is there to deliver for the company a list that allows a
functioning integration. So when you ask a rethorical question about whether the judge will consider the newly minted AAI contract, I'm affraid you're dreaming about the answer. The judge will ABSOLUTELY consider the AAI contract, a)
because it's a contract and b) because the merger was fully factored in when it was signed. You think AAI negotiated a new contract without some sort of coordination with LUV?
I think you've got a long ways to go before you understand what your company wants to see happen, and before you get used to the idea that the AAI group will be part of the family, or that they're not going to sleep outside. They may be all stepchildren to you, but they're also going to get to choose rooms in the end.
Good luck figuring it out.