The arbitrators don't think its a "badly flawed list" only the east pilots do.

Well, ONE arbitrator thought that way and in the context of a pure U/AWA merge, it's debatable with some valid arguments from East pilots on its propriety. Since it was never implemented and as a result, the two pilot groups have remained separate and more importantly from a future arbitral consideration standpoint, would likely CONTINUE to remain separate for an extended period of time (perhaps even arguably in perpetuity) absent this merger, A MAJOR question for the final arbitration panel for THIS merge will be "does adoption of a pure Nic template for the US Airways pilot group as a whole simplify or complicate the concept of pre-merger career expectations as a litmus for this SLI with AA pilots ?".

Maintaining the pre-merger career expectations of all pilot groups will be a major argument in this SLI so as to prevent a windfall for any one group within the 3 presently defined lists. Regardless of whether the West gets their own reps and even if they then argue for the Nic, the arbitrators could discount that argument in that it would force undesirable complexities on a final ISL, including, but not limited to extensive and complicated fences. Personally, I don't see this final arbitration panel placing adoption of the unconsummated Nic as the first priority if it forces excessive complexities in the ISL or sacrifices the pre-merger career expectations of AA pilots.

A well reasoned post. I would further suppose that a Nic SLI would greatly upset APA, which would not be ideal for the net result.

No, he was a pilot "neutral" appointed by the east side to look after their interests and his beef was only the bottom 300 pilots, while agreeing with the rest of the award. The arbitrators will have to buy the east argument that the east caused delay was legitimate and we never merged to follow your train of thought on career expectations. It will be like saying you never had any expectation to fly the 787 your airline ordered because none were based where you are.

That was from the article.

Written by ex east usairways employee and clt based Ted Reed.

I think if you read the opinion and award in the UAL-CAL SLI, you'll see what mind-set arbitrators tend to use in balancing competing interests to achieve a fair result here. Our protocol agreement is not coincidentally very similar to that one and thus, I would expect the parties to avoid the errors in argument noted there, most notably from CAL ALPA and also would expect a similar rationalization from whatever arbitrators are selected here who will no doubt take that SLI result into strong consideration and how those arbitrators arrived at that result.

The relevance of that SLI award is not necessarily in the factors used, but the process the arbitrators used to weigh the various positions in constructing a final ISL. Although there are some significant differences present here that were not there, the ultimate path of reasoning they chose is likely to be very apt in our final result.

I agree. The mind set of that award favors the west position, that's not my opinion that is the opinion of the lawyer that represented the ual pilots. Here are a couple of excerpts from the cal/ual sli
Btw Brucia is the usairways neutral in the Nicolau arbitration
And the result?
The arbitrators bought into the date the airlines had the same management making all decisions, that would be 2005 for usairways.

The Ucal award does not favor the west position. You are reaching. I get your anger. I get that you will be ****ed no matter what. Like the Comair guys, the West overplayed their hand. If history has taught us nothing in this business, it that fairness has no place whatsoever. It's about leverage and timing.

The NMB has learned that you do not want to completely alienate the larger pilot group--as bad things tend to happen. This award will appease former AA pilots to the extent that it wi indeed be done when it is done.

In order to appease AA, former east will also be appeased as the pilot groups share closer dynamics. AA may take a small .22 round in the leg over BK, but it will be a small flesh wound.

I'm talking about the order of usairways pilots as being the Nic. And the cal/ual does favor the west position, the arbitrators went with the date the same management controlled both airlines.