FBW,
Do you work for UPS or Atlas? Granted the work environment at Atlas is not the same as UPS, but it does not mean that EVERYONE at Atlas wants to jump ship to UPS. Its not like Atlas is in bankruptcy and NEEDs someone to rescue them.

 

Great , first trying to get managment crews integerated and then the atlas guys. Woooooheee, I better not get in any trouble for a while since all of our lawyers will be busy for sometime to come.

 

Why would we need the 600 pilots? Ups has no interest in the 747-200's and I don't think they would want all the leased AC at once.

 

If UPS Management has all the say in a proposed deal, how would anyone of us know how they would integrate them ?? Are there any high ranking management pilot amongst us that are in "the know" ???


Will the Challenge Air Cargo serve as the template ? It doesn't have to be.
Case in point, American Airlines gave the AirCal pilots date-of-hire during one merger and steamrolled Reno and TWA in others.

Is UPS in a phase of growth using the same type aircraft that Atlas currently operates. Could UPS use a NYC base, a Stanstead base, and military contracts ? Atlas has a 747 training facility in Miami. Why scuttle their employees that have thousands of hours in the 747-400 when we are just now getting on our feet with the program. One of the deficiencies right now is massive new hire hiring and limited training facilities. Just my humble opinion, but Atlas's assets and employees offer us more than just the assets.

I for one don't know how an Atlas pilot group would be integrated, but hopefuly it would be better than YOUR proposal of take the planes and scuttle the employees. In my opinion, purchasing their assets and possibly their delivery slots for the El Ocho does not HAVE to have a detrimental effect on our career progression. Nothing says their pilots have to be slotted ahead of anyone. However, one thing is for sure: The airplanes, the new crew bases and cargo contracts will come under our roof.

Part of the reason the industry is on the state it is based on management's ability to divide us and conquer. Going around snubbing other pilots groups "because we can" only serves to facillitate this management goal.

And no, this isn't my first airline or first merger.



FF

 

Good point on the numbers. You are right about the classics. I wouldn't be surprised to see UPS take a large number of -400's of the course of a year. I'm flying with an ex atlas guy now who thinks that they have close to a thousand guys.

 

Just for background, we have all the normal bells and whistles for a merger in the contract, but one thing that I find unusual is that if we come to a negotiated settlement or a friendly agreement with the other pilot group, the company retains the right to object and send it to an arbitration.

 

Very easy divide and conquer opportunity. A no-brainer decision from management.

I haven't been in this industry but 7 years. The one thing that I decided to do so that I could sleep at night was to not try and figure this industry out. Some people love to debate all the angles and that is fine. For those of you already losing sleep over this just relax. You can't control these types of things so just deal with them as they arise.

 

I don't want UPS to buy anyone. I want them to grow internally. But if they do buy someone, I'm going to do what I can to prevent some bottom feeder ACMI getting "merged" on my seniority list. Heck, most of them are trying to get on here anyway at the bottom of the list. Knowing UPS, I could see them giving Atlas "preferential" interviews and those that make it getting put at the bottom of the seniority list where they belong.

 

You have inspired my new avatar. "what, me worry?"

 

Bottom feeder, Yor seniority list. How did you end up being so f...ing great, and may i ask you where you came from or you were always so privilaged to be talking down to other pilot groups. Pathetic