ALPA asking me to shut down ...

I honestly didn't expect anyone to even notice my little blog, let alone object ... but Plankton has asked me to shut down.

I can't say that I'm not disappointed, I've been really careful not to discuss any SLI positions and all of my content is already available on the internet in other places ...

What is even more troubling is that after almost 6 months of negotiation our merger committee just said the process agreement (reached last Thursday) is a no go.  They may have good reason, we just don't know enough to formulate an opinion.  Information is choked to a trickle and random thoughts from line pilots are seen as a threat ...

Jim,  I agree with what you wrote.  We have good, smart and well trained negotiators working for us.  But I feel like the only voices heard on the AirTran forum is the 12 angry men.  Don't forget the rest of us!

Honestly, I read more dicey stuff on the public forums everyday than anything I've posted.  And I'm not a big fan of censorship, but oh well, guess I'll put my keyboard away ...

Thanks for reading anyway!

Merger Committee Update

Still waiting on news regarding the process agreement.  Yesterday the Merger Committee sent out an update to address the effect that spiking fuel could have on the merger.

It's a legitimate issue, and one we've been talking about on the line a fair bit.  Their explanation involves a lot of legal terms, but basically they say not to worry, the merger agreement doesn't allow rising fuel as a reason for Gary Kelly to back out of the deal because it affects SWA the same way it affects us.

Of course that is excellent to hear!  It seems that the lynch pin of the argument is that “Material Adverse Effect” (like rising fuel prices) need to have a disproportional affect on AirTran to qualify as a reason to back out.  They detail our fuel hedges, but they don't talk about SWA's hedges.  I hope that was just an oversight.

What isn't an oversight is that there definitely could be something that affects us differently that SWA.  Hopefully the flight attendants settle their contract soon and don't leave the rest of us swinging in the breeze ...

One thing that IS for sure is that the sooner this deal is signed sealed and delivered, the better.

REALLY?

So the MEC vice chair is touting our CBA language as "air tight"; requiring operational integration and guaranteeing us a spot on the seniority list.

I hope he is right.

ALPA has also been touting a letter from Michael G. Van de Ven, the Executive VP & Chief Operating Officer of Southwest Airlines.  After a week of begging on the forum they finally let us see it ...

And I feel like someone just sold the family cow for 6 magic beans.

This letter from Van de Ven's says he'll follow the law ... well duh!

Linden presents this as a victory for ALPA, but that seems like quite a stretch.  In fact,  Van de Ven also goes on to say that Southwest has no intention of dealing with ALPA ... even after corporate close!

Good news!

The latest ALPA update came in last night and it confirms that there is a process agreement:

Merger Committee Update
A Joint Message from the ATN MEC Merger Committee and the SWAPA Negotiating Committee.

On Thursday, the SWAPA Negotiating Committee and AirTran ALPA Merger Committee reached agreement on the remaining open issues of our Process Agreement, which will govern the protocol and timeline used to attain an integrated seniority list (ISL). Prior to final agreement, our respective legal and management teams must review the document, as the leadership of Southwest and AirTran will also be signatories to the four-party agreement.

When the process agreement is finalized and approved by all parties, it will be made available to the membership at atnmerger.alpa.org.

On one of the message boards Todd says that a negotiated deal COULD HAPPEN BY THIS SUMMER!

That seems pretty optimistic, but crossing my fingers!

On a lighter note ... this has been making the rounds ... it is a little off color, but really funny ... Ok it is more than a little off color ... F bombs galore

Date UNcertain

So we didn't get 4 way transition talks, but we seem to be in 4 way process talks? That seems like good news, but why can't we see the agreement? In fact we can't see several things that are vital to our future:

- SWA transition agreement
- VendeVen letter to Hillman
- Process agreement with SWAPA

WTFO? I can't get my simplest questions answered directly. Come on guys!

This is what we all REALLY want to know:

WHEN.

When are WE Southwest pilots.
When do WE get the contract.
When do WE get the furlough protection.
When do WE get the pay.
When do WE get to bid anywhere we want?

Sure lots of other things are important and interesting (717 pay for example), but I feel like we are swinging in the breeze until we have SWA employee numbers.

WHEN?

Side Letter 8?

I found this on a forum, and it REALLY is troubling. Todd keeps saying that our affiliates protection is "airtight". But part of that protection is apparently based on a letter from some VP at SWA. On the other hand, SWA pilots have a side letter that:

• Guarantees all aircraft, orders, options and deliveries come to Southwest Airlines and pilots on the current SWAPA Master Pilot Seniority List.

• Timing and coverage of the SWAPA CBA – when AirTran pilots receive our contractual benefits

• Manner in which any integrated seniority list will be utilized

• Provides a clear and concise definition of Complete Operational Merger which will be the foundation for when items such as the SWAPA CBA can be extended to AirTran pilots

• It reaffirms that separate operations will not exceed twenty-four months without mutual agreement between Southwest Airlines and SWAPA

• The agreement provides SWAPA the opportunity to open Section 6 negotiations six months prior to the September 1, 2012 amendable date specified in the CBA

• Provides Block Hour protections

• Protects our domicile RON aircraft levels

• Provides additional furlough protection above and beyond that specified in our CBA for up to one year after complete operational merger

• Guarantees the inclusion of SWAPA in the Southwest transitional planning process and allows for expedited arbitration for any disputes resultant to the application of this agreement

Meanwhile our protection is based on a letter we don't even get to see? That hardly seems airtight. I'd really like to see the real documents from both sides ...

Todd's good people, but I'm still nervous.

Process Agreement?

I just checked my email ... and apparently we have a process agreement!

I wonder what it does for us? What is in it?

Home Again!

Here is an article I stumbled across. It is a little old, and I don't necessarily agree with everything in it, but it helps understand the SWA pilot perspective:

http://blogs.star-telegram.com/sky_talk/2010/10/qa-with-swapa-president-capt-carl-kuwitzky.html

Q&A with SWAPA president Capt. Carl Kuwitzky

On Friday, I had the chance to talk with Southwest Airlines Pilots' Association president Capt. Carl Kuwitzky about the Dallas-based carrier's pending acquisition of AirTran Airways.

ST:Have you met with the AirTran pilots union to discuss the merger?

Kuwitzky: I spoke to the Airtran pilots union, my counterpart, he is a MEC chairman. I spoke to him and they came over Tuesday. We had a meeting late Tuesday afternoon and then again Wednesday morning and then they went back to Atlanta. It was just an introductory meeting and we have an ongoing dialogue at this point.

ST: Describe the process going forward on bringing the AirTran pilots into Southwest.

Kuwitzky: First thing, this is an acquisition and that means we actually merge operations but there is a legal distinction that this is an acquisition. We have two separate tracks we’re going to be working on for th next 6 to 8 months. One is an agreement to blend operations together and that is called a transition agreement. We’re already at work on that. That will be between SWAPA and Southwest Airlines. You have the AirTran operations governed by the AirTran pilots contract and the Southwest operations governed by the SWAPA contract....You have to put those two together. Our contract will be the governing document and we need to codify that contractually...[The transition agreement] needs to be completed by the transaction date between Southwest and AirTran. We’re looking at April 1, June 1 as the transaction date. After that, we’ll start working on a seniority list integration agreement that will be between us and the ALPA unit. The company will not be involved in that.

ST: What are some of your concerns about the merger for your pilots?

Kuwitzky: There are always concerns. There are two incidents that can have a dramatic effect on a pilot's career. One is an acquisition or a merger and the other would be a bankruptcy of your carrier. Both have dramatic effects on your income and quality of life. It is real clear that there will be benefits for the carriers and for the AirTran pilots because they’re coming on our contract. Right now, there really is not much in it for the Southwest pilots. The downside is an adverse seniority list integration that can impact our pilots careers.

ST: What is the status of your talks with Southwest about operating Boeing 737-800 aircraft? Has that been put on hold?

Kuwitzky:No. But it’s certainly moved down the step ladder of importance. The company can move forward with the 800 orders without any agreement with us. We have another year plus before they would show up here. I know they’d like to have an agreement but it’s not a top priority for us. This transaction with AirTran is a top priority. We think [the aircraft purchase] is going to be a good move for the company. It’s very positive on the cost side and revenue side and it will give us some expansion opportunities. We think it’s a good move but we’re going to keep our eye on the ball and that’s this transaction [with Airtran].

ST: Have you talked with Southwest about operating the Boeing 717 which is part of AirTran's fleet?

Kuwitzky:It won't surprise me if they move those airplanes out but what the company has told us presently is they plan to operate the Boeing 717s. It’s got reasonable costs and we could be very profitable with it. I anticipate them keeping the airplane for the next 6 to 8 years....It takes about 6 weeks to train a pilot on a 737 and about 6 weeks to train a pilot on the 717. So it's more a logistical problem than an operational one.

ST:Any other concerns regarding the AirTran acquisition?

Kuwitzky: When a deal is first announced everybody gets real caught up in the positives. But there are some huge pitfalls that could happen in this contract that could affect Southwest Airlines. If you have a very hostile and not a well received seniority list integration that could translate over. It could have tremendous ramifications for our pilots and our careers. Hopefully we can work it out and it can be a favorable settlement for both groups and something we can wrap our arms but that is a huge unknown at this point.

-Andrea Ahles

The bolded print really jumps out at me. Just what would it take to have a list that would be well received? I'm excited about working for Southwest Airlines, but I'm not so sure a staple would be fair. How much of a beat down do we have to take for them to feel good? And if their expectations are unrealistic ... what then?

ALPA sent me this today ...

Fellow Pilots,

This update is about the pending merger with Southwest Airlines.[/font]
Yesterday, February 28, 2011, I received a letter from Mr. Michael Van de Ven, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines. In his letter, Mr. Van de Van agreed that, if the merger transaction closes, Southwest will be a successor to AirTran as defined in Section 1.D.1. of our collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Accordingly, Mr. Van de Ven committed, as required by Section 1.D.2. of our agreement, that “during the period of separate Pilot operations following close, Southwest will adhere to and apply the provisions of the AirTran/ALPA Agreement to AirTran pilots, unless and until that Agreement is changed pursuant to the Railway Labor Act.”

In his letter, Mr. Van de Ven also stated that Southwest is both statutorily and contractually bound to follow the requirements of Sections 3 and 13 of the Allegheny-Mohawk labor protective provisions, and that it is Southwest’s intent to fully support the process being negotiated by ALPA and SWAPA and abide by its results.

We are pleased by the above commitments.

Mr. Van de Ven’s letter, however, also spoke about the questions of how and when flight operations will be combined, saying that there are still many questions to be answered and that Southwest intends to engage in “meaningful dialogue” with us on these issues at the “appropriate time.” In the meantime, until there is a single pilot representative for the Southwest pilots, Mr. Van de Ven stated that we should continue to deal with AirTran management and that Southwest will continue to work with SWAPA to establish a framework for an orderly transition.

On these latter subjects, I am sending a letter to Mr. Van de Ven and to SWAPA President Steve Chase reminding them both that the ALPA AirTran CBA contains a schedule for operational merger, and that this schedule can only be modified by agreement, and further encouraging the parties to start four-party discussions for that purpose. The letter also points out provisions of the SWAPA transition agreement that appear to be inconsistent with the ALPA AirTran CBA.[/font]

Our Merger Committee is meeting today with SWAPA’s Merger Committee to try to complete the process agreement for seniority list integration.[/font]


I will continue to keep you posted on developments.

In unity,
Linden Hillman, Chairman
ATN Master Executive Council

Of course I'm glad to see ALPA fighting for us ... but I can't help but wonder if they are picking the wrong fight at the wrong time.

Are they risking killing the whole deal just so ALPA can be involved and relevant? I need to think about this a lot more, but my initial feeling is that ALPA is engaged in a high risk game with our careers on the line ...

SWAPA is in town?

I just found out that SWAPA is in Atlanta! Are things not as stalled as they seemed?

I'm probably overly optimistic given what I read from ALPA, but this has GOT to be a good sign!