Haywood

Then why did SWA airline conduct a "transition bid" two years ago if they never intended on following it? It was 100% based on seniority. You need to read the AirTran LOA. Pages 3,4 are pretty clear about the transition in seniority order via the "transition bid." Problem here is none of the SWA pilots I've spoken with understand the "transition bid" or that we even had one. There has to be some merit in what we're saying or an arbitrator wouldn't have sent it back to be heard by the DRC. SWAPA should be trying to protect the pilots at AirTran now. Not constantly butting heads. After all, we are all on one seniority list. The SLI is over. If this "out of seniority" exploitation is left unchecked it can start a precedent that could hurt SWAPA down the road. It's pretty obvious that taking a 10/2010 hire date over a 04/2006 is just plain wrong especially with the pay raise and domicile choices involved. Not to mention 10/2010 wasn't awarded SWA on his original transition bid and 04/2006 was. This really isn't what we voted for. I guess we were just bamboozled by the LUV fest that came our way and believed that there was some sort of integrity in the things they say or that they might do the right thing.

BCDurbin

They didn't follow the letter of the god damn agreement! Those going over were awarded 717 FO! That was agreed upon!! Didn't follow it! "To the extent possible" was to come after they were trained on the 717!

MaxPowers

They are taking newhires (hired since the merger) from the closed MKE base, and transitioning them to SWA FO, ahead of Pilots with 7+ years of seniority who bid for, and were "awarded" SWA.

That was not "operational" . . they could have simply moved the junior guys to what they could hold (ATL 717FO), and awarded the SWA transitions to the 7+ year guys.

How would you feel, Shoelu, if you were commuting in to work each week, from a SWA base that you could hold, watching guys with 5 years' less seniority transitioning ahead of you . . . and now getting paid more than you?

This was easily avoidable; yet another missed opportunity to do the right thing.

shoelu

As I have expressed multiple times before I agree, there should be a complete re-bid but I am not in a position where I can make those decisions.

Sniper

You personally may not be, but you are part of a collective group that may be able to influence the decision.

SWAPA is aware of all this. SWAPA is the current pilots operating 737's painted in SWA colors. SWAPA is you, 'Shoelu'.

SWAPA sitting on their hands is a direct reflection of the collective indifference of the current SWAPA members to the plight of the current AirTran pilots.

If this was happening to SWAPA pilots, there would be an uproar. It is happening to future SWAPA pilots, and there's not even a whimper. That's on SWAPA, and that's on all of its membership, even those members who have the courage to acknowledge the injustice of it.

shoelu

My feelings about the need for a complete re-bid has been expressed to my reps.

Haywood

Actually, they made the MKE 737 FO's transition to ATL 717 per the transition bid. That was back in March. Then in June they decided in Dallas to change the plan. They are awarding all MCO 737 FO's a class date in DAL even though some have hire dates post acquisition announcement and all were awarded ATL 717. I'm sure the MCO 717 FO's will follow soon.

Haywood

It's way too late for a rebid. You have our most junior FO's coming over. Are they going to make them come back to AirTran after a rebid?

shoelu

PM me or post here what you think is an adequate solution to the problem and I will forward it to my rep.

Haywood

Trust me when I tell you, your Rep already knows. I know a couple of SWA Captains that have written emails to them already. The response they received was nothing but negative. Basically said, and I'm paraphrasing. "The AirTran pilots are getting what they deserve. They were stupid when they negotiated this deal. They need to live with it." Thing is, none of us negotiated the side letter. It's between SWA and SWAPA.