I also enjoyed seeing Bob Frear's fear of arbitration and lack of confidence in the USAPA LLC update.....
As many know, up until now I have been an ardent supporter of the Merger Committee. I have gone on record as having Ultimate Confidence in the committee. I helped pass resolutions giving them a degree of autonomy so as to not be influenced by any one seniority group. Over the last six months I have watched what at first was a fairly solid Protocol Agreement become watered down to a document that I believe essentially does one thing; allow a process that basically guarantees a West Merger Committee. Let me state for the record that I want all pilots at US Airways and American Airlines to be treated fairly in the seniority process. You could make a valid argument that it is hypocritical to say that APA would not treat us fairly if they solely represented us in seniority talks but USAPA could fairly represent the West in the same talks. I get it, but the Nicolau Award presents a different dynamic. Given the chance to stand before an arbitration panel as a full participant and present their case to implement the Nic, or a close substitute based on the argument that it was previously awarded by an arbitrator, is a potentially career ending chance that we cannot accept. Although we have won numerous court cases rejecting the Nic, arbitration is different and uncertain. The rules of law that apply to the decision making process of courts do not apply to arbitration. If there had not been a Nicolau Award I would have no problem with a West Merger Committee. In fact I would embrace it!