[QUOTE=jsled;992913]
Originally Posted by
gettinbumped
Delta had a list in 8 months. As per old school ALPA merger policy's arbitration clock, we would of had the list done by January of 2011, almost a full year before the furlough protection ended. Even with delays, a year is a good pad. With this new system, we won't even START the clock until the MEC accepts a TA on a JCAB. When will that be? a month? a year? a decade? We are screwed. The SOC is going to happen with or without a SLI. Meanwhile the company will furlough out of seniority while pitting us against each other. How is that better?
For starters, I think it is erroneous to assume our SLI would have gone as smoothly as Delta's did, so I wouldn't bet on our list being complete by January 2011.
For the sake of argument, let's say we did get it done quickly; without a JCBA, I don't see how we would have had furlough protection. We would have a merged list, but I don't see much use in that without a JCBA. How would you cross bid? Which Contract would you use for fleet/seat/domicile bidding? Who's work rules would the mixed crews fly under? Would you have a situation where the CAL Captain would be legal at an outstation, but the UAL F/O wouldn't? How would UAL pilots magically obtain the CAL furlough protection... we wouldn't be operating under their contract. It seems to me that we would be in the same boat regardless of which went first when it comes to furlough protection. I'm confident the company would have figured out how to whipsaw us just as effectively.
Having watched what happened at USAirways, it makes sense to me that the new policy has the JCBA go first. That way, we are at least united in our goal of getting a good contract. After that, when the fight is on and each side goes to their respective corners, no matter how ugly it gets, at least we are all operating under the new, damned-well-better-be improved contract.