By all means DOH does transfer on a merger. YOS of service also transfers. Just because United want the ALPA policy changed and head DOH removed from the policy does not remove it from the the rest of the world.
Didn't you watch the video your own MEC put out? It was clearly explained. Or is this just another case of selective hearing?
Let's review... In '91 it was proposed by
NWA and
DAL that the merger policy be updated to reflect the current realities of the industry. US Air and TWA were opposed. No surprise there considering they were the oldest groups with the weakest carriers. UAL was on the fence. In the end UAL sided with NWA and DAL, and as a majority they had the votes to change the rule. This is democracy at work.
You love to claim it was UAL who changed the rule because all you do is regurgitate the talking points of a few misguided and uninformed individuals. (USA320pilot comes to mind) It's been 16 years since the merger policy has been updated, for cryin' out loud. When will you understand that DOH and LOS is not part of ALPA's merger policy and does not apply to integration of seniority in our union?
Oh, and while I'm at it, I love the part of your MEC's video when he says "
avoid windfall's" with the bold letters to emphasize his point while ignoring the rest of the sentence. The full sentence he is referring to is "Avoid windfalls
at the expense of the other group." Just to be clear, in other words windfalls are not prohibited as long as they don't come at another's expense.
This is a subtle but very important point. Let's say a 5 year West f/o upgrades to captain before a 15 year East f/o. Some
might consider it a windfall, but it did not come at anyone's expense because the 15 year East f/o would not have upgraded at that point in time anyway absent the merger, and the West f/o would have. Get it?? It didn't cost him anything. It didn't happen "at his expense." Nothing actually changed for either pilot. That is the actual interpretation of the merger policy. It is exactly why Nicolau ruled the way he did, and exactly why Prater can not and will not declare that the policy was not followed. It was followed. To the letter.