t6marine

If you try to make everyone happy you make no one happy. Yes seniority is priceless, got it. But why not let AT guys vote on the proposal and send a clear voice back to SWA instead of not even letting your guys vote on it? That is what is odd to me. If I thought it stunk, I would let my guys vote on it and then go back to the table with a counter offer. Instead AT said stick it and are stuck hoping for better in arbitration, not the road I would want to take.

80ktsClamp

Because the reps got inundated by pilots saying to vote that turd down and not even let it out for a vote.

It was that bad.

SherpaLifter

Let me propose another theory (unless someone else already thought of this in one of the previous 36 pages) about why the ATN MEC voted the proposed SLI down. While it may be true that the majority of the pilots complained to them about the list and SL9 (the protections), the deciding factor on whether to send it out for a vote or to kill it (such a harsh term) at the MEC level may have been the time frame in the Process Agreement. I think they realized that GK wanted to get a negotiated list vs an arbitrated list (more of a known vs an unknown quantity). If they sent it out for a vote and it was rejected by either AirTran or SWAPA then there wouldn't be time left for a mediated solution. Sensing that the deal would be defeated by ATN (and possibly even by SWAPA) and in order to have a chance to obtain a non-arbitrated solution, they decided to turn it down and proceed directly to mediation. Whether mediation works or not is to be seen. Hard as it may seem for some SWAPA guys to understand, I think the AirTran pilots truly want to preserve the SWA culture and at the same time they want to make sure the integration is done as fairly as possible. By bypassing what was shaping up to be a defeat at the ballot box, they were actually trying to help GK and SWAPA get another chance to get a list put together prior to arbitration.

I think SWAPA and SWA now understands that money isn't everything and seniority is important, even if you are the "acquired" group. Perhaps now both sides can find a happy medium between the two in mediation. (BTW, I actually like 5WNriders ideas).

And speaking of culture, if you read the official statements from the ATN MEC and SWAPA leadership in the last few days, the tone used by ATN is much more in line with the Southwest culture (courtesy, respect for other employees, following the Golden Rule, etc). The SWAPA releases have used language that does not seem to be reflective of their culture and in deed seems to be highly inflammatory. Just an observation.

newKnow

t6,

I think the first thing you should notice is that there haven't been any AT pilots come on here to complain that they didn't get to vote on the proposal. Or, at least none that I have seen.

If there was even a small minority of pilots who wanted to vote, they have the option to recall their reps at any time. It hasn't happened though and it won't happen.

The Air Tran MEC did the right thing by not allowing it to go to a vote. Votes like this cost time and money. Why waste either when both can be better spent gathering data, preparing arguments and hiring lawyers for the arbitration?

1Seat 1Engine

I don't know if you've checked, but I'm not sure anyone's upgrading super fast right now anyway so my price is going down.

How much did you guys get to play nice in your SLI? What did the company get for its money that it paid you in your SLI?

Besides, there were two teams in the negotiating room. Does SWAPA have to negotiate for BOTH SIDES? SWAPA negotiates for SWAPA. We sent them in the room to get the best deal for us. Suprise! They got a good deal.

Now everyone wants to blame us for having better negotiators. ***? Their guys signed off on it too.

RCD73

"LIK"

Lorenzo In Khakis

Rolf

RCD,

Hardly. That asswipe is in a special category.

sailingfun

Your correct that SWAPA should have done exactly what they did. The problem came afterward when SWAPA refused to except the Airtran choice and has done nothing but post threats ect.. about what is going to happen. I would have had a great deal of respect if SWAPA had put out a simple message that said "We are sorry that Airtran did not see the merits of the proposed SLI. We however respect their right and choice to decline this SLI. We look forward to getting back to negotiations or entering the arbitration process to produce a SLI to integrate operations at SWA.

tsquare

We did OK by playing nice in our SLI. This is not about us though. IF you want to discuss this, come over to L&G and we'll talk there all you want. This is about you and AirTran. I am impressed you admit that SWAPA got a good deal though. Now all we need do is get you to admit that it was a screw job for ATN, and we'll be getting somewhere... And FWIW, it is amusing that you say your price is going down because it is easy to be magnanimous when you know you will never have to pony up anything.... Finally starting to hit home that the days of 3 year upgrades are coming to an end?

tsquare

this^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^