The MOU is worth nothing without a merger—they may be holding it back until the merger is more certain?

Does this MOU contain any negative information that also may be worth withholding as long as possible?

I can't help, but wonder how a merger, Scope and PBS will affect staffing.

Not sure how the cards will fall. But simply giving the east their vacation back, would probably require additional #s.

Totally incorrect!! The ones in the west that could hold those positions are are very senior on this side. One need look no further than our 757 capts to get a really good idea of who could actually hold them. Now of those none commute and I highly doubt they would.

I will for argument sake however play along. Lets imagine that 10 of these guys decided to commute to PHL or CLT for the A330. That would open up 10 spots on the 75 that I am more than certain former PSA captains would LOVE to have and be based in PHX. The PSA guys are SENIOR via the nic to the next west guys that could hold 757 in PHX. This continues on and on AND was demonstrated to the east at the very beginning. The east was so totally blinded by non fact that it completely we right by. Now that in conjunction with the east MEC never even allowing the pilots to see and vote on the contract that the JNC had all but finished ruined them for good.

WD at AWA

I don't think we will see the MOU until a merger deal is announced. But... There is a requirement that the LCC pilots vote on the MOU so as soon as the NDA is lifted then the MOU roadshows will begin and we will all get a good look at what it contains.

If there is no merger then the MOU will die off. And we can resume the internal food fight. Oh joy.

Wouldn't the creditors and management want a verdict on the MOU before announcing a merger? They're not going to pull the trigger with the pilot groups still a wild-card after doing this much work to put their ducks in a row.

just don't quit those second jobs.

No! The reason for saying that is because the LCC pilots are immaterial to whether the merger goes through or not. Because the APA is so much larger the process is driven by their agreement with Parker and the UCC. We, being the smaller group, will just come under their contract once a merger is consummated.

All the MOU does is provide a bridge to a joint contract. It sets the framework for the integration process and modifies the existing contracts in certain respects to close the gap between what each side has in place.. As an example, pay was said to be the APA term sheet pay on the merger date and be retroactive to January 1st 2013. That would be a modification to both east and west contracts.

The MOU would also set out how the timeline and the process for watching a joint contract would be done. It would also set out the mechanism for the SLI. Since the APA has already agreed to this MOU then these details are set between the majority pilot group and the new company management. So USAPA is invited to the party, but the party will still go on even if they say no. And they will get dragged into the party in the end but they will not get to choose who they dance with.

Good advice, there.

There's that PESKY "change in control" language in the east cba...Although DP seems to think that his LAWYERS could circumvent that provision, it brings to light the specter of possible litigation by the east, that may gum-up the process. If DP and the UCC could consummate the merger without input from USAPA, they would have done it by now without the "dog and pony shop" called an MOU...Just my .02$