Allow me to answer that! They want a STAPLE! No, seriously. If they could they would staple us all. Consider...........

- The last agreement, called AIP1, had 37% of our pilots STAPLED and 52% of our pilots in the bottom 10% of the newly combined list. Yeah, read that again and let those numbers sink in.

- It also featured a max relative seniority loss of 32% with an average loss for AAI pilots of 22%.

Fortunately, our MEC said "no way" and killed it by a 7-1 vote. Here's the part that all the SWA pilots need to read and have thoroughly sink in. Perhaps if I capitalize it'll help, because so far you guys just don't seem to get this little factoid. Here it goes...... THE REASON OUR MEC KILLED IT OVERWHELMINGLY WAS BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR PILOTS WERE AGAINST IT AND DEMANDED IT KILLED IMMEDIATELY. Did you get that SWA pilots? OUR MEC WAS DOING WHAT THE MEMBERSHIP WAS ASKING IT TO DO! Amazing, the Reps listening to the people they represent. What a concept.

It should also be noted that while our MEC voted against putting AIP1 out by a vote of 7-1, the SWAPA BOD voted 19-0 to put it out for a vote. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which side the AIP grossly favored.

Fast forward to the last two or three days. Our Merger Committee returns to Dallas to meet with SWAPA and SWA management. It is immediately a less than friendly reception. In short order, the threats and intimidation commence. Here's the part that sickens me the most. Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett pay a little visit and they themselves threaten our MC with potential nonintegration if we don't accept the new schit sandwich that is laying infront of our MC. That part to me is so incredibly sad and disappointing. The two people who helped create the "Culture" are now threatening our MC. Flabbergasted folks. Simply flabbergasted.

More specifically, the threat was that IF this goes to arbitration and IF SWAPA subsequently puts up a fight because of the award (which goes w/o saying that they will), THEN we will not be integrated and instead will eventually be pieced out.

Wait, it gets better. Allow me to explain what's been slapped infront of us now by SWA management. The new and even worse deal now features a STAPLE of only 450 F/Os instead of the previous 650 (we currently have 1737 pilots), but now approximately 350 Cptns. are supposed to downgrade so 350 of their F/Os can upgrade. This will create 700 training cycles for which the money is supposed to come from delaying the AAI pilots transition to the SWA payscale.

Also, this new piece of crap that they're trying to force down our throats features no fences in ATL (AIP1 had a 10 yr fence), no first right to reupgrade for downgraded AAI Cptns. (so now when we lose our seats, instead of being able to upgrade as soon as the company starts upgrades again, we'll be forced to try and upgrade with our GREATLY erroded seniority numbers). There are also other protections that were erased from the "offer" compared to AIP1.

So there you have it. Our pilot group is now faced with an even worse offer and a management team that has teamed up with SWAPA to try and intimidate, strong-arm, bully, and scare us into accepting an SLI that will make us the laughing stock of the airline industry. The supposed alternative is that they will pull the application for a single SOC, run AirTran as a separate entity, and eventually part us out a la ATA.

Is this the Culture that we kept hearing about? Where the friggin' LUV? Perhaps the ONLY upside to this is that the fallacy that is the SWA Culture is being exposed for what it is. More specifically, we'll LUV you if you're on the inside, but we'll try and kill you if you're not and dare to say no to what we think is "fair and equitable".

Frankly SWA and SWAPA, your behavior and treatment of us has turned into a despicable and sickening display. It's immoral. None of us feel the LUV anymore and many of us are starting to realize that we will always be "former AirTran" even after integration.

To Oscar specifically and actually I suppose all SWA pilots, all we ever wanted was a reasonable SLI, followed by the two combined airlines kicking some serious tail, but SWAPA's arrogance and elitism and your management's bullying, intimidation, threatening and strong-arming have prevented that. Don't take my/our word for it. Look at what our peers in this profession are saying. EVERYBODY sees what's going on here but the SWA pilots.

 

So maybe my comparison of Kelly to Ichan wasn't so out of line after all....

 

I hadn't read it, but I think that unfortunately that's starting to become an accurate comparison. Sad........

 

Yeah it really is. These forums seem to represent the lunatic fringe of the groups mostly, but if these "offers" are accurate - and I am not saying that I doubt what you say - SWA should be ashamed of the way they are conducting themselves. I am surprised that Herbie would act this way too, because he of all people knows that their treatment of the employees in the past is what made SWA what it is. But then again, we had "The Delta Family" at one point too, and it got killed by overzealous executives. I wish you the best.

 

Smartest thing you said in your rant. Culture is something to be protected and not destroyed by an outside entity. AirTran right now is an outside entity. Once you are "inside" then you'll be protected like everyone else. The question is whether or not you want to come inside? All of us gave up a lot to come on over to SWA and in return we have a very good career with great pay, benefits, etc. What are you willing to give up? If it's not a lot, then good luck trying to find someplace else to work. Look at the history of SWA and it's dealing with those who were on the "outside"... Muse/Transtar, ATA. Morris was different in that they chose to give up their seniority and come on over. Those guys are now all captains enjoying the benefits of working at SWA. It's time to WAKE UP and look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself.... What am I willing to give up to come on over and work at Southwest Airlines?

 

Wow.

Thanks for confirming that my decision to never apply to SWA was the right one. I would have never fit in with that level of self-centered arrogance.

 

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say that you are naive. You truly believe that you can dump on those guys, and then put your arm around their shoulders and tell them how much love you have for them once you have taken their airplanes, seats and future progression. But I got a flash for you, they won't be feeling any of that "LUV"... On second thought, the arrogance you guys are exhibiting is epic.

 

what exactly did you "give up" again?

 

Wow, if you don't know what pilots give up when they switch to a new company then you must be completely ignorant on how this whole airline seniority thing works.

Seniority, pay, benefits, vulnerability (probation), QOL.

 

Wow.... really?