Bob Nichols has passed
 

Robert Hastings Nichols, aka “Bob,” was born in Minneapolis, MN on August 22, 1941. Bob was named for his grandfather, a renowned theologian and church historian.

Although born out of state, Bob made Chicago his home living there for nearly all of his life. His home, in the Chicago south side Hyde Park neighborhood, was a mere two city blocks from President Obama’s Chicago residence.

Bob was a 1963 graduate of Yale University and received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1966.

Bob worked for the Chicago law firm of Cotton, Watt, Jones and King from 1967 until he joined the ALPA staff in 1995. During his legal career, he represented numerous local and international labor unions, including the United Food & Commercial Workers International Union (and its predecessors, the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen and the United Packinghouse Workers), the Graphic Communications Union (and its predecessors) and ALPA. His practice included extensive experience in federal and state courts, the National Labor Relations Board and arbitration, where he appeared before many of the premier arbitrators in the country. He also served as a permanent pilot member of the United Pilots’ System Board of Adjustment, was General Counsel to the Air Line Employees Association, International (ALEA) and had over 25 years’ experience in merger and seniority list integration hearings on behalf of both pilot and flight attendants. Cotton, Watt first represented the United pilots in the United/Capitol merger in 1963 and represented one pilot group or the other for seniority integration proceeding under the ALPA merger policy in every U.S. airline merger from that point until Bob joined the ALPA staff. While with Cotton Watt, Bob was one of the attorneys in the Northwest/Republic, Hughes Air West/Republic, North Central/Southern, United/Pan Am, Pan Am/National, Delta/Western and Flying Tiger/Federal Express mergers. He acted as consultant to the government of New Zealand in connection with the merger of its state-owned airlines.

Bob loved to sail. For more than 40 years, he owned and sailed a boat on Lake Michigan and once served as a crew member in the Mackinac Island race.

Bob was a wealth of historical knowledge for ALPA and last served as MEC Coordinator for the ALPA UAL-MEC until his retirement in July of this year. Bob was a great lawyer, a good friend and a big, generous, engaging personality with lots of interests. His broad knowledge, vast experience and wide acquaintance among arbitrators, labor attorneys and industry representatives, meant that Bob mentored many of us in many ways. We will miss him and his fun loving attitude.

Bob passed away on Friday, November 22, 2013. He is survived by his four children, Marc, Seth, Ethan and Rebecca and three siblings, Sue, Barbara and David.

Sad to hear this. Rest In Peace.

I had the pleasure of working with Bob, and he will be missed!

Great sense of humor and helped save many jobs over the years.

My favorite Bob quote regarding MEC politics:

"When the elephants are fornicating in the jungle, the monkeys should stay in the trees."

Prayers for his family. What an amazing career. Rest in Peace, Mr. Nichols.

Happy contrails as you fly West Bob.