No, it's not fair. Pilots would sell their mother for a few extra seniority numbers. After several years at several airlines I find this truth to be self evident.

IMO this would be a "windfall" for the JR CAL guys and the 11-year UAL pilot would get the shaft (again). Isn't this what the new merger policy was designed to avoid?

Windfall? Not really. When would a furloughee have been recalled to UAL prior to this Transition Agreement? No one knows.
When will a furloughee now be recalled to CAL? In a few weeks.
Were the UAL furloughees shafted with the 737 fleet being parked? Yep. But were they thrown a huge bone by this guaranteed hiring arrangement? Most definitely. I'm amazed they aren't thanking the CAL/UAL transition teams profusely. The recalled folks get the best of both worlds and get to keep their original UAL seniority for the SLI. I can't find evidence of that ever being done before.

Recalls were/are going to happen at UAL next year. So somebody who is not on the property for a 12-18 months of their career should have to give their number because somebody else was furloughed for less time?

This is all great in fantasyland but basing an argument on when EITHER party "could" be recalled is pretty weak,IMHO. I don't think you can count this as having better career expectations, either. Too many things can change. Only thing certain is the snapshot WAS taken in May and seniority lists exchanged, everything after that is irrelevant for SLI, unless both sides agree of course.

Like I said earlier, feelings are high on this, just plan on the worse happening and decide now how you will live with it for the rest of your career.

SLI is out of ALL of our hands and I for one don't want to spend the next 20 years sitting next to somebody in the cockpit I either resent or feel resented by when neither one of us ever set out to harm each other (at least this is what my therapist says I should say:)). Doesn't mean I like it now but someday I will have to, or else go work somewhere else!

With that said, I am surprised by the recent LOA and in other places have thanked both sides equally, I sincerely mean that. It doesn't change my personal situation but for some others who have been living on unemployment and not flying it is very much appreciated. HOWEVER, don't mistake appreciation for permission to staple.

Frats

Weeks? Not so sure about that but have been wrong before.

And I have thanked the UAL MEC over on the UAL forum for what its worth. After all, they are the ones looking out for me. And I fully expect the CAL MEC to be looking out for it's seniority list. Now if I, as a fairly senior furloughee am offered a position with CAL in a few WEEKS (which I find doubtful) then I buy the first round to any CAL pilot who happens to be at the bar.

SOTeric-

If I'm in that bar I've got the second round!

KC

99 UAL

CAL has yet to recall anyone so far, why is it going to change in a few weeks?

There obviously is no ual captains chiming in here with all the doh talk, they will get hammered for the most part. Secondly, we will be lucky to have any recalls on this bid do to the 787 delays, thus there will be no new ual pilots. Last, don't expect to have a joint contract for a couple of years and a strike. The company is not going to flex enough to make anybody happy for a very very long time.

GOOD - I would rather come back to a CAREER and not a job.

I really don't think they want a merger without a contract...board of directors, shareholders, ect....I would not be surprised to have a contract by November 2010.

A couple of years?....I doubt that.

Back in late May, when one of CAL's MEC members was asked to take off his "Union Hat", and be 'just a line pilot' regarding when he thought a TA would come about, his answer was in his words "optimistically, December of this year".

Like you, I seriously doubt it will take a couple of years......However, I do think a fully ratified agreement by both MEC's, then the entire 'new pilot group' is aggressive at best by the 4th Q of this year.

Either way, eye on the prize. During this merger, the ONLY thing that we as a unified pilot group get to vote on is this JCBA.