Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

Unconfirmed rumors are that the merger is being re-analyzed on the assumption that the DC9's are not in the fleet.

Originally Posted by Superpilot92

They are reengaging mainly because they know its going to happen anyway, even against DALALPAs popular belief. The whole deal stinks and bottom line is we either get along or we dont. I prefer if this thing goes down i dont have to hear about it for the rest of my career. Last i checked we were both ALPA so hopefully we work together and actually act like a union.

Originally Posted by Herkflyr

You won't hear about it from me...unless you bring it up first! I have vowed that however this thing turns out, I will still concentrate on discussing women, beer, and war stories before we get into a "who got screwed more" argument.

If we are to be one happy family, then by god I'm going to do my part to concentrate on our collective strengths and where we are the same as opposed to the alternative. Beer's on me!

Originally Posted by newKnow

It doesn't take much to get you guys ramblin' away on an unsubstantiated rumor, does it?

Originally Posted by Check Essential

Also heard that its not the scope language in our contracts we should be worried about. Its the fragmentation sections.
"Merger" may no longer be the most accurate word to describe the transaction being contemplated.

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

If anyone at NWA or DAL is suggesting that Delta acquire parts of NWA and just dump the bottom pilots, as a result of a loophole in fragmentation language that is flat out wrong.

Originally Posted by Check Essential

It may be "wrong", but when has that ever stopped management.
The stars are in alignment. Its time to cash out.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/...z/5663693.html

http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2008/02/0...=WSJBlogprint/

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

http://www.fool.com/investing/genera...c-victory.aspx

By Tim Beyers April 1, 2008

Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal reported that executives at Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA) are still pushing for a merger with peer Delta (NYSE: DAL), even if it means their pilots were to lose their seniority -- and thereby, a number of other promised benefits. Talk about a dumb idea.

Don't get me wrong; I'm a capitalist, and unabashedly so. But the Journal report, if true, reeks of desperation. It's almost as if Northwest management so fears another journey into Chapter 11 bankruptcy that it'll destroy the airline to, uh, keep from destroying the airline.
....

Let's not forget that Northwest already has a reputation for union-busting. A 2005 mechanics' strike mostly failed after management called in line-crossers and contractors to replace its 4,000 grease monkeys. A 2006 tete-a-tete with pilots nearly ended in disaster.

How about we prevent such a mess this time, Northwest? Take a lesson from master investor Philip Fisher instead, who asks in his famous 15 points whether a prospective investment has "outstanding labor and personnel relations."

He wrote that for a reason, sirs. Happy employees make for a healthy business. There's still time for you to have both -- but only if you abandon your merge-at-all-costs strategy. That way a Pyrrhic, and perhaps fatal, victory lies.