7 years? Where did you get that? From the Nicolau Opinion and award:
The America West Proposal
America West's initial proposal differed dramatically from that of
US Airways. As previously indicated, its position, when first presented
in detail, was a series of ratios accompanied with a two year condition
and restriction reserving to US Airways pilots all Captain positions on
the 9 A330 aircraft flying international routes as of May 19, 2005. The
firat proposed ratio was not Captain to Captain. Instead, America West
added to its 855 Captains an additional 114 First Officers, who,
America West claimed, expected captaincies based on the 19 A320s on
firm order as of May 2005. That combined figure (969) was to be
4 The financial condition arguments and the role those conditions
properly play are discussed below.
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integrated on a straight ratio basis with 1121 US Airways Captains, a
number derived from staffing assumptions based on what 'were 221 US
Airways aircraft as of February 2006. This ratio would be followed by an
integration of the remaining America West First Officers (925) with
1051 US Airways First Officers, also on a straight ratio basis. After the
reinsertion of those on extended medical leaves and those in nonflying
positions, this would put 2431 US Airways pilots on the bottom of
the list, 959 of whom were active pilots as of May 19, 2005 with the
remaining 1472 furloughees.
Like that of US Airways, America West's position was not
substantially modified during the proceedings. It conceded that the
term of its proposed fence might be lengthened, but it continued to
insist that it apply only to Captains sufficient to staff 9 A330s, saying
that 8767 international flying was highly seasonal; that 8767s and
8757s are both Group I aircraft for pilot pay purposes, and that bidding
experience shows that 8767 flying is not highly prized. It also insisted
that any list must ratio active pilots with active pilots; that, based on
what was scheduled to happen at America West absent the merger and
because its pilots have been denied promotional opportunities as a
result of the merger while US Airway pilots who were on the verge of
losing their jobs have since been upgraded, a substantial number of
America West First Officers, set above at 114, should be treated as
Captains for ratio purposes, and, above all, that there be a substantial
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number of active US Airways pilots placed below the least senior
America West pilot (Odell) so that they are exposed to the risk of
furlough before he is faced with that prospect. The reason this must be
done, according to the America West representatives, is that US
Airways pilots have been far more exposed to the risk of furlough over
,..
the course of their careers; that prospects of recovery at US Airways
were slim, while Odell, absent the merger, would have been
increasingly protected from furlough through the arrival of additional
aircraft on firm order combined with normal attrition at the carrier.
