1Seat 1Engine

Brilliant Tsquare. I was responding to your comment that said:

So does the fact that DAL bought you guys off so you wouldn't fight over your seniority germain or not?

One post you say we gotta do it like you guys did. Next, you guys have nothing to do with our merger. Next post, I'm not in a vacuum.

"You posses a truly dizzying intellect sir!" --Dread Pirate Roberts

JohnDeere

Well Oscar, try this on for size. Airtran pilots are a family; dysfunctional but a family none the less. These guys have demonstrated their willingness to pay the price again and again to adapt and overcome obstacles. Getting there has never been pretty. They live all over the planet which has necessitated 'meeting' in public. Hence you and every one else gets to observe.

Your boss bought Airtran for a variety of reasons. Mostly financial but at least partly intrinsic. One of those intrinsic values was the demonstrated ability of the employees to perservere in the face of adversity. Even to overcome management ineptitude. (adapt, improvise, overcome.)

These people have no problem questioning authority if it is the price of success. These same people do not trust management because they have NEVER proven trustworthy.

The pilots in question repeatedly took it on the chin to help their own. Money right out of their own pockets to help one another. Repeatedly.

Culture? Culture can't be bought. No more than self-respect can be bought. Southwest pilots are more like Airtran pilots than they are different. But couching self-worth in terms of money is futile.

And the Troll comment was payback. Surely you're up to it.

Rodney717

Your comments are kind and insightful, Oscar.

Thank you.

tsquare

Highlighted: Short answer... for the most part, yes they should. Here's why. They are getting nothing that they would not have gotten other than pay and bennies sans the merger. They were still going to be 737 and 717 captains, and probably a lot sooner than they will now. So there's some sacrifice for you. What is disturbing about that question is that I sense a bit of jealousy and resentment that they are getting that payraise, and SWA not so much. (Why didn't SWAPA go to GK and tell him that in order to play nice, he needed to sweeten YOUR pot a little?) I'm envious that they are gonna be getting such a nice raise, but good for them. What I hear on this board is the constant drum beat that the money should trump all, and that just isn't the case, especially when it isn't a negotiable item between you and them. The only thing that is, is seniority, and it is incredibly sad that the selfishness and shortsightedness on the part of many on here (not necessarily you) and that the sentiment has been to screw them because they are fortunate enough to benefit from the pay raises. (that they are gonna get anyway) It's juvenile. I wish you the best, because another USAir is not what anybody wants. As far as if it can still be salvaged... it's up to the individuals. We have some here that just won't let things go, but they are few and far between.. and they are on BOTH sides. You will have them too...

tsquare

Is it germain as a learning tool? Yeah I guess so, but I'm not gonna turn this thread into another about Delta because as you so condescendingly point out, we have nothing to do with your merger, and this is about YOUR merger. But then again, neither do these message boards. It's just a place to exchange ideas and experiences, and it's up to you whether you choose to heed the advice that so many of us (l)earned the hard way. Personally for YOU, I couldn't care less how it turns out since you have chosen to be a butt in the way you talk to people. It's too bad that so many others would suffer to make you miserable. Have a nice day... if you can.


"Idiot" -- Napoleon Dynamite

Elvis90

"germain" - a female given name

"germane" - pertinent or relevant to the subject at hand

"Oh bother!" -- Winnie the Pooh

tsquare

Dammit.. I KNEW that.. Nice catch.

Rather B Fishin

They married up, not you. Your company decided to buy them, not the other way around. Here's a question for you. If GK decided to buy FedEx cause he wanted to dabble in cargo, should the Fedex folks take a paycut???

DAL73n

I and a lot of others admire SWA culture and SWAPA relations with GK and management. You've got to remember this is not only about pleasing SWAPA - making this deal work means doing what's best for the COMPANY - SWA needed this deal to continue expanding and whether you want to recognize that and expect AT pilots to accept what they believe is a poor deal that can effect them until retirement (10, 20, 30 years) you are deluding yourself. I will reiterate what many others have said already - seniority is for life - it doesn't matter how much he gets paid if he gets displaced out of his chosen base (ATL) due to downsizing and becomes a commuter. While ATL is not for me there a LOT of Delta pilots made a decision to go to Delta, move to ATL and make a life there. AT pilots made the same choice. Your definition of FAIR and who gains what are certainly different from mine and more importantly the Arbitrators - who will go by the law and PREVIOUS SLI decisions.

flyingtigermco

I considered that exact same example. But I'd also ask: If Fed Ex pilots then DID take a pay cut, would they get upward adjustments in seniority to make up for it? Probably not.